Panchenko Caviar House Osetra Caviar from Tblisi, Georgia

Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii

From the very early stages of life, these fish are only ever exposed to the flowing water of Georgia's mountain rivers - specifically the Rioni River. History tells us the Rioni River was once rich with gold - now it's rich with caviar!

The Panchenko Caviar House was founded in 2008, 40km from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, as one of the first approved sustainable fish farms in the country. Beyond producing beautiful trout roe, Panchenko commercially breeds sturgeon, trout, and carp. This region, although perhaps best known to the average food lover for producing funky, bright wines, is a storied caviar hub. The Republic of Georgia is bordered by the Black Sea to the west and the Caucasus Mountains to the east. In those mountains are the headwaters of the Rioni River, a vital passage and refuge for the country's six varieties of sturgeon, some of which no longer exist anywhere else in the world! Despite the river's remarkable biodiversity, every species is critically endangered. Firms like Panchenko are helping to sustainably preserve the region's interconnection with sturgeon.

Panchenko got their start raising trout and salmon from their own hatchery before delving into caviar and roe production. They call their vertically integrated operation and ethos "roe to roe". Their fish are raised in pristine drinking water enriched with oxygen and are fed biologically pure feed. No preservatives are used in any step of the process. The sturgeon are about 10 years old at the time of egg harvest.

Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.