# Roemance

> A curated pocket reference for caviar varieties — tasting notes, flavor profiles, and pairing guides covering 44 caviars worldwide.

## About

Roemance is an editorial reference app for caviar. It covers sturgeon and non-sturgeon roe from the Caspian, the Amur, Europe, North America, and beyond — with data on salinity, butteriness, nuttiness, umami, complexity, grain size, finish, texture, production method, origin, regulatory status, and food/drink pairings.

Each caviar is rated on a standardized 1–5 scale across five dimensions: salinity, butteriness, nuttiness, umami, and complexity. Every entry includes a blini recommendation (with rationale) and champagne, wine, spirits, and accompaniment pairing suggestions, plus its CITES listing and US/EU import status.

## Key Pages

- [Home — Your caviar concierge](https://roemance.app/)
- [Browse every tin](https://roemance.app/browse)
- [Caviar guides](https://roemance.app/guide)
- [Caviar FAQ](https://roemance.app/faq)
- [About Roemance](https://roemance.app/about)
- [Full dataset, plain text](https://roemance.app/llms-full.txt)

## Guides

Long-form editorial reference. Each guide carries its own Q&A section.

- [What Is Caviar? A Plain Guide to Sturgeon Roe](https://roemance.app/guide/what-is-caviar) — What caviar actually is, what it tastes like, how malossol curing works, and what the grade names on the tin do and do not mean.
- [Types of Caviar: Beluga, Kaluga, Ossetra, Sevruga and the Rest](https://roemance.app/guide/types-of-caviar) — The main caviar types side by side — beluga, kaluga hybrid, ossetra, sevruga, siberian, sterlet and white sturgeon — with what each actually tastes like.
- [How to Serve and Eat Caviar](https://roemance.app/guide/how-to-serve-caviar) — How to serve caviar properly — serving temperature, why the spoon matters, how much per person, what to put it on, and the mistakes that ruin a good tin.
- [What to Drink With Caviar](https://roemance.app/guide/caviar-pairings) — What to drink with caviar and why — champagne styles that work, how to serve vodka with it, the white wines that survive salt, and the pairings to avoid.
- [Why Caviar Is Expensive — and What You Actually Pay For](https://roemance.app/guide/caviar-prices) — What drives caviar prices: species maturation time, grain size and colour, farm and processing, grade inflation, and where the money actually goes.
- [Is Caviar Legal? CITES, Import Bans and Sanctions](https://roemance.app/guide/is-caviar-legal) — Which caviar is legal to buy and where — CITES Appendix II, the US beluga import ban, Iranian sanctions, and the EU ban on Russian-origin caviar.
- [How to Store Caviar and How Long It Keeps](https://roemance.app/guide/caviar-storage) — How to store caviar correctly — the right refrigerator temperature, how long sealed and opened tins keep, whether you can freeze it, and the food-safety rules that matter.
- [The Raw Bar: How to Order and What to Order First](https://roemance.app/guide/raw-bar-guide) — How a raw bar works and how to order from one — what belongs on a seafood tower, the right tasting order, oysters and caviar together, and raw bar etiquette.
- [Sturgeon Species: The Fish Behind the Tin](https://roemance.app/guide/sturgeon-species) — The sturgeon species used for caviar — beluga, kaluga, russian, siberian, stellate, sterlet, white and adriatic — with maturation times and conservation status.
- [Caviar Substitutes: Salmon, Trout, Whitefish and Lumpfish Roe](https://roemance.app/guide/caviar-substitutes) — The non-sturgeon roes — ikura, trout, whitefish, vendace, lumpfish, paddlefish, bowfin — what each tastes like, what it costs, and when it is the better choice.

## Dataset Summary

- 44 caviar varieties, 23 species and hybrids, 16 countries of origin
- 38 of 44 varieties carry a CITES Appendix II listing
- 7 varieties cannot legally be bought in the United States; 2 are blocked in the European Union
- 6 entries are non-sturgeon roes (salmon, trout, whitefish, vendace, lumpfish, bowfin)
- Mean salinity across the index: 2.5 / 5

## Caviar Reference Pages

Each caviar page includes: tasting summary, salinity/butteriness/nuttiness/umami/complexity scores (1–5), finish, texture, grain size, roe color, blini recommendation with rationale, champagne/wine/spirits pairings, accompaniments, species, production method, region of origin, rarity, legal and CITES status, and similar caviars.

- [Kaluga Hybrid, Classic](https://roemance.app/caviar/kaluga-hybrid-classic) — Huso dauricus × Acipenser schrenckii, Qiandao Lake region, Zhejiang, China; salinity 2/5, medium grain, buttery finish
- [Kaluga Hybrid, Royal](https://roemance.app/caviar/kaluga-hybrid-royal) — Huso dauricus × Acipenser schrenckii, Qiandao Lake, Zhejiang, China; salinity 2/5, large grain, buttery finish
- [Kaluga Hybrid, Imperial](https://roemance.app/caviar/kaluga-hybrid-imperial) — Huso dauricus × Acipenser schrenckii, Qiandao Lake, Zhejiang, China; salinity 2/5, large grain, buttery finish
- [Kaluga Amber (Golden)](https://roemance.app/caviar/kaluga-amber) — Huso dauricus × Acipenser schrenckii, Qiandao Lake region, Zhejiang, China; salinity 2/5, large grain, complex finish
- [Kaluga, Pure (River Beluga)](https://roemance.app/caviar/kaluga-pure) — Huso dauricus, Amur River Basin, China; salinity 2/5, large grain, buttery finish
- [Beluga, Iranian (Caspian)](https://roemance.app/caviar/beluga-iranian) — Huso huso, Southern Caspian Sea, Iran; salinity 1/5, large grain, delicate finish
- [Beluga, US-Farmed](https://roemance.app/caviar/beluga-us-farmed) — Huso huso, Bascom, Florida, USA; salinity 1/5, large grain, delicate finish
- [Beluga Hybrid](https://roemance.app/caviar/beluga-hybrid) — Huso huso × Acipenser baerii, Veneto, Italy; salinity 1/5, large grain, buttery finish
- [Almas (Albino Beluga)](https://roemance.app/caviar/almas) — Huso huso (albino), Southern Caspian Sea, Iran; salinity 1/5, large grain, delicate finish
- [Ossetra, Classic](https://roemance.app/caviar/ossetra-classic) — Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, Lombardy, Italy; salinity 3/5, medium grain, nutty finish
- [Royal Ossetra](https://roemance.app/caviar/ossetra-royal) — Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, Po Valley, Italy; salinity 3/5, medium grain, nutty finish
- [Golden Ossetra](https://roemance.app/caviar/ossetra-golden) — Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, Po Valley, Italy; salinity 3/5, large grain, nutty finish
- [Imperial Ossetra](https://roemance.app/caviar/ossetra-imperial) — Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, Aquitaine, France; salinity 3/5, large grain, nutty finish
- [Ossetra, Iranian (Caspian)](https://roemance.app/caviar/ossetra-iranian) — Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, Southern Caspian Sea, Iran; salinity 3/5, medium grain, nutty finish
- [Ossetra, Israeli (Galilee)](https://roemance.app/caviar/ossetra-israeli) — Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, Sea of Galilee region, Israel; salinity 3/5, medium grain, nutty finish
- [Ossetra, UAE (Yasa)](https://roemance.app/caviar/ossetra-uae-yasa) — Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, Abu Dhabi, UAE; salinity 3/5, medium grain, nutty finish
- [Siberian (Baerii), French](https://roemance.app/caviar/baerii-french) — Acipenser baerii, Dordogne, Périgord, France; salinity 2/5, small grain, nutty finish
- [Sturia Baerii](https://roemance.app/caviar/baerii-sturia) — Acipenser baerii, Gironde, Aquitaine, France; salinity 2/5, small grain, nutty finish
- [Baerii, Italian](https://roemance.app/caviar/baerii-italian) — Acipenser baerii, Lombardy, Italy; salinity 2/5, small grain, clean finish
- [Baerii Royal, German](https://roemance.app/caviar/baerii-german) — Acipenser baerii, Germany; salinity 2/5, medium grain, nutty finish
- [Baerii, Royal Belgian](https://roemance.app/caviar/baerii-belgian) — Acipenser baerii, Belgium; salinity 2/5, small grain, clean finish
- [Baerii, Uruguayan](https://roemance.app/caviar/baerii-uruguay) — Acipenser baerii, Black River region, Uruguay; salinity 2/5, small grain, clean finish
- [Sevruga, Caspian](https://roemance.app/caviar/sevruga-caspian) — Acipenser stellatus, Caspian Sea; salinity 5/5, small grain, briny finish
- [Sevruga, Farmed](https://roemance.app/caviar/sevruga-farmed) — Acipenser stellatus, Germany / Central Europe; salinity 4/5, small grain, briny finish
- [White Sturgeon, Sterling / Tsar Nicoulai](https://roemance.app/caviar/american-white-sturgeon) — Acipenser transmontanus, Sacramento Valley, California; salinity 3/5, medium grain, clean finish
- [White Sturgeon, Tsar Nicoulai](https://roemance.app/caviar/white-sturgeon-tsar-nicoulai) — Acipenser transmontanus, Sacramento Delta, California; salinity 2/5, medium grain, buttery finish
- [Transmontanus, Italian (Calvisius)](https://roemance.app/caviar/white-sturgeon-italian) — Acipenser transmontanus, Lombardy, Italy; salinity 2/5, large grain, buttery finish
- [Sterlet, Mottra](https://roemance.app/caviar/sterlet-mottra) — Acipenser ruthenus, Latvia; salinity 2/5, small grain, nutty finish
- [Golden Sterlet](https://roemance.app/caviar/golden-sterlet) — Acipenser ruthenus (albino strain), Austria / Central Europe; salinity 2/5, small grain, nutty finish
- [Adriatic Sturgeon (Naccarii)](https://roemance.app/caviar/adriatic-naccarii) — Acipenser naccarii, Lombardy, Italy; salinity 2/5, medium grain, nutty finish
- [Amur Sturgeon](https://roemance.app/caviar/amur-schrenckii) — Acipenser schrenckii, Amur River Basin, China; salinity 2/5, medium grain, clean finish
- [Persian Sturgeon](https://roemance.app/caviar/persian-sturgeon) — Acipenser persicus, Southern Caspian Sea, Iran; salinity 3/5, medium grain, mineral finish
- [Pressed Caviar (Payusnaya)](https://roemance.app/caviar/pressed-payusnaya) — mixed sturgeon, Various origins; salinity 4/5, small grain, umami finish
- [Pasteurized Baerii](https://roemance.app/caviar/pasteurized-baerii) — Acipenser baerii, France / Europe; salinity 2/5, small grain, clean finish
- [Hackleback (American Shovelnose)](https://roemance.app/caviar/hackleback) — Scaphirhynchus platorynchus, Mississippi River Basin, USA; salinity 3/5, small grain, briny finish
- [American Paddlefish (Spoonbill)](https://roemance.app/caviar/american-paddlefish) — Polyodon spathula, Tennessee River, USA; salinity 4/5, small grain, mineral finish
- [Ikura (Salmon Roe)](https://roemance.app/caviar/salmon-roe-ikura) — Oncorhynchus spp., Pacific Northwest / Hokkaido, Japan; salinity 3/5, large grain, umami finish
- [Rainbow Trout Roe](https://roemance.app/caviar/trout-roe) — Oncorhynchus mykiss, US / European trout farms; salinity 3/5, medium grain, sweet finish
- [Whitefish Roe (Golden)](https://roemance.app/caviar/whitefish-roe) — Coregonus spp., Great Lakes / Northern USA; salinity 3/5, small grain, mild finish
- [Kalix Löjrom (Vendace Roe)](https://roemance.app/caviar/vendace-kalix) — Coregonus albula, Kalix, Gulf of Bothnia, Sweden; salinity 3/5, small grain, fresh finish
- [Bowfin / Choupique ('Cajun Caviar')](https://roemance.app/caviar/bowfin-choupique) — Amia calva, Louisiana / Gulf Coast, USA; salinity 4/5, small grain, briny finish
- [Lumpfish Roe](https://roemance.app/caviar/lumpfish-roe) — Cyclopterus lumpus, North Atlantic (Iceland / Scandinavia); salinity 4/5, small grain, salty finish
- [Siberian (Lena), Russian](https://roemance.app/caviar/baika-siberia) — Acipenser baerii, Siberian river system, Russia; salinity 3/5, small grain, mineral finish
- [Sterlet, Russian](https://roemance.app/caviar/sterlet-russian) — Acipenser ruthenus, Russian river system; salinity 2/5, small grain, nutty finish

## Topics Covered

- Caviar tasting notes and flavor profiles
- Caviar salinity, butteriness, nuttiness, umami, and complexity ratings
- Champagne, wine, and spirits pairings for specific caviar varieties
- Blini and accompaniment recommendations per caviar (with rationale)
- Grain size, roe color, and texture by variety
- Sturgeon species and production methods (farmed, wild-harvested, aquaculture)
- CITES listings and US/EU import legality by variety
- Regional caviar guides (Caspian, Amur/Kaluga, France, Italy, USA, China, etc.)
- Caviar comparison tool (side-by-side tasting profiles)
- Serving guidance, portioning, and hosting a caviar service

## Brand

- Name: Roemance
- URL: https://roemance.app
- Contact: support@roemance.app
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roemance.app (@roemance.app)
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@roemance.app (@roemance.app)
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@roemanceapp (@roemanceapp)
- Sister app: https://app.oysterminds.com (Oysterminds — the same reference for oysters)
- Description: A curated pocket reference for caviar varieties — tasting notes, flavor profiles, and pairing guides.