Ossetra, Classic

Acipenser gueldenstaedtii

Lombardy, Italy·Italy·Premium

The connoisseur's default. Medium grey-amber beads with a firm, satisfying pop and a layered finish that moves from briny through hazelnut to a clean close. The chef's all-purpose choice — complex enough to fascinate, food-friendly enough for a full table.

Salinity
3Butteriness
3Nuttiness
4Umami
4Complexity
4
Pop
firm
Finish
Nutty
Texture
firm
Grain
medium
Colour
dark grey
Blini service
Recommended

Firm beads keep their structure on a warm blini. The hazelnut character harmonizes with buckwheat flour. Keep crème fraîche sparse — a dab, not a dollop.

Pairings

Champagne
Blanc de blancs Champagne, Roederer Cristal
Wine
White Burgundy, Puligny-Montrachet
Spirits
Frozen Stolichnaya Elit, Chilled vodka

Production

Source
farmed
Producer
Agroittica Lombarda / Calvisius (Calvisano, Italy)
Processing
malossol
Grade
classic

Legal & sourcing

⚑ Regulatory watch
Species proposed for US ESA endangered listing (USFWS, May 2022). If finalized, the rule would apply 'wherever found' and could halt US import, export, and interstate commerce of ALL caviar of this species — including sustainably farmed product. As of mid-2025 no final rule has been published; farmed product remains fully legal to sell in the US today. Countervailing legislation (H.R. 4033 / S.2870, 'Sturgeon Conservation and Sustainability Act of 2025') would exempt farm-raised captive sturgeon if passed. Second-generation+ hybrids with non-listed species would be exempt from the listing.

CITES Appendix II — international trade requires documentation. Wild harvest is banned; all commercial product is farmed.

At a menu

The connoisseur's default: nutty, firm, food-friendly. Hard to go wrong.

Similar varieties
Taste it tonight
Where to buy

Setting the table? The Caviar Service

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Common questions

What does Ossetra, Classic taste like?

The connoisseur's default. Medium grey-amber beads with a firm, satisfying pop and a layered finish that moves from briny through hazelnut to a clean close. The chef's all-purpose choice — complex enough to fascinate, food-friendly enough for a full table. On Roemance's 1–5 scale it rates salinity 3, butteriness 3, nuttiness 4, umami 4, and complexity 4, with a nutty finish and a firm texture.

What should I drink with Ossetra, Classic?

Blanc de blancs Champagne, Roederer Cristal, White Burgundy, Puligny-Montrachet, Frozen Stolichnaya Elit, Chilled vodka. Serve it with thin buckwheat blini, crème fraîche, chives.

Is Ossetra, Classic legal to buy in the United States?

Yes. Farmed Ossetra (Russian sturgeon) is fully legal in the US. No restrictions. The species is listed on CITES Appendix II, so international trade requires documentation and all commercial product is farmed.

Where does Ossetra, Classic come from?

Ossetra, Classic is farmed in Lombardy, Italy (Italy), from Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, cured malossol and graded classic.

Does Ossetra, Classic work on blini?

Yes — Firm beads keep their structure on a warm blini. The hazelnut character harmonizes with buckwheat flour. Keep crème fraîche sparse — a dab, not a dollop.