French Caviar Tastings & Luxury Tours: A Gourmet Adventure

The cluster of southwestern French regions broadly known as Aquitaine rivals the Black Sea when it comes to producing some of the world’s most-prized caviar. Artisanal producers and luxury caviar houses thrive in towns nearby Bordeaux and in the Dordogne region, many founded in response to bans on wild sturgeon due to overfishing and a need to elevate farmed sturgeon in high-quality environments. Any gourmet tour of southwestern France– which will ideally also include truffle tastings and high-end winery visits — should also include excursions allowing you to experience some of the finest caviar of Aquitaine.

Tastings and Production Sites to Visit in the Region Your private caviar tour may include visit to producers and local tasting rooms, allowing you to learn firsthand about how this delicacy is painstakingly prepared. These are just a couple of the local experiences we recommend– others are closely guarded secrets for our clients. The Dordogne town of Neuvic is home to Caviar de Neuvic, a globally renowned producer that offers unique visits to its sturgeon farm and tasting rooms. Here, alongside the Isle River and the stately Domaine Huso, you’ll learn about how the enormous fish from which delicate, flavorful eggs are harvested, and the painstaking elevation process that brings them to maturity. You’ll then take part in a gourmet afternoon that includes a culinary workshop at the Domaine, followed by tastings of various dishes prepared with the region’s prized “black gold”. While other high-end caviar producers operate in Aquitaine– including the world-famous Prunier – Caviar de Neuvic is one of the rare producers to open their doors to visitors. Heading to Nouvelle Aquitaine and the Périgord town of Eyzies de Tayac, Perle Noire is another local producer of extremely luxurious, and painstakingly produced, caviar. Sturgeon are raised here in semi-open riverbeds, amid the wild greenery of the natural landscapes.

Here, you’ll meet the artisans, witness the sturgeon farm and taste some truly delicious caviar, perhaps accompanied with a glass of local sparkling white wine or vodka. Perlita is yet another well-respected producer of Aquitaine caviar operating in the area and offering tastings to discerning visitors. Located in the village of Teich, Perlita initiates visitors to its finest caviars, after showing them around its own sturgeon farm and production site. If pairing superb French wines with caviar in an opulent setting sounds like the perfect afternoon, consider a tasting at the renowned Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion, a Bordeaux-region chateau prized for its fine Pessac-Leognan white wines. Here, we can arrange for an entirely private wine and caviar tasting- and you can even add oysters to the gourmet menu if you so choose. Superb Caviar-Centric Dinners & Private Evenings in Aquitaine Of course, some of our clients will prefer to taste and enjoy regionally produced “black gold” in an entirely private environment.

Our dedicated bespoke travel team will create a unique culinary experience centered around the delicacy, whether during a private dinner in an opulent chateau near Bordeaux, on a cruise lunch aboard a barge on the Gironde river, or a special event such a wedding reception, anniversary or engagement or corporate getaway. We can initiate you to superb local caviars such as Sturia, producers of sturgeon-based delicacies that are reputed as among the most prestigious in the region. Why not base a memorable private reception or gastronomic dinner around their handmade caviars? Get in touch with us to create the private event that perfectly matches your vision.