Are vintage sardines really the best canned sardines?
Vintage sardines are selected for their quality! Not all sardines end up as vintage sardines in a can, so what is the true definition of a vintage sardine?
To earn the prestigious vintage sardine label, sardines must guarantee a certain fat content.
This allows them to age under good conditions and improve over time (a dream!).
The criteria vary by canner, but generally, the target fat content is over 10%.
Quite logically, this means that these sardines should be caught as late in the season as possible to give them time to grow slowly.
In France, especially in Brittany, vintage sardines are generally caught from the end of August until the end of the fishing season in October/November.
Although vintage sardines can be found in many countries (especially Portugal and Spain), it is a concept that is more widespread in France. The vintage sardines are kept in beautiful cans!
Canners compete for the most beautiful cans for their vintage sardines. For this, they work closely with painters or artists. This makes each vintage completely unique: from the contents (the sardines!) to the packaging (the can).
Due to the quality of the selected sardines, these cans are produced in limited editions, which increases the appeal for collectors.
For example, for "La Perle des Dieux", the famous cannery from Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, the artist Delphine Cossais from Nantes was selected and offers a new work of art every year to tell a story on the beautiful cans of the cannery.
For the "Compagnie Bretonne", a new artist is selected every year, which allows the discovery of a wider range of Breton artists. For the 2019 vintage, for example, the painter Albert Quentel from Pont L'Abbé set to work. His painting shows the waves and the sea in St. Pierre, at the foot of the Eckmühl lighthouse... Just a few kilometers from the cannery.
The same applies to "La Pointe de Penmarc'h", a cannery in Guilvinec, where art is present on the vintage sardine cans every year. The 2020 vintage is the result of a collaboration with the Breton painter and sculptor Paul Moal, born in 1948 in Douarnenez.
"Les Mouettes d'Arvor" from Concarneau has been bringing several specially designed cans of aged sardines to market every year for 50 years, which are highly valued by collectors. The packaging of these sardines is unique every year and captures the essence of the respective vintage, which makes them coveted collector's items. Les Mouettes d'Arvor has an excellent reputation for the quality of its sardines and the creativity of its packaging.
Another example is "La Quiberonnaise": to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the cannery, these three renowned comic book artists were invited to create a triptych about the world of the sardine. Margerin (a regular guest who already has several illustrations for La Quiberonnaise cans), Gilbert Shelton and Denis Lelièvre (alias Pic) took out their brushes to illustrate three life scenes that smell of iodine.
Are not all sardines vintage sardines?
Yes, there is still a small debate. You can argue that all sardines (a little) are vintage sardines: You just have to look at the can from all angles and you will always find a pack date (and if not, you have the right to be worried!). This is how these cans have aged.
What makes the difference between two cans that were packaged in 2010, for example, is the selection of the sardines that are kept in them, more than the decision to stick the "vintage sardines" label on it.
"La Belle Iloise" is a good example of this: They currently do not offer vintage sardines in their catalog, but they carefully select the fish in each of their cans. Therefore, the "classic" Saint Georges can be considered a vintage sardine.
Vintage sardines can be stored for several years
A frequently asked question concerns the storage of vintage sardines: "How long can they be stored?" It is true that they are pantry cans, but that does not say how long we can store them and enjoy them to their maximum taste potential.
There are different opinions about how long the ideal storage time is, but at Maître Philippe & Filles we like to say that they are in their best years between 5 and 10 years after the vintage date. Among us, we call this the Silbe-age (a pun on the color of these "silver arrows") and Gold-age (a pun on the color that the oil takes after a large number of storage years).
Over time, the vintage sardines become saturated with the oil. Their taste improves over time and the central bone (which some people are repulsed by) eventually "melts" and dissolves, until it finally disappears completely.
In the end, they are exceptional products that should be saved for special occasions. Some restaurants also add them to their menu and serve them as an aperitif or tapas.
In any case, we recommend enjoying them in the simplest way possible, for example with some good bread and butter and a glass of dry white wine. Processing them in a dish would be, in our view (and our taste buds!), a waste.
Generally, sardine cans are an anti-waste weapon, as they can be enjoyed for a long time after their production without having to be stored in a cool place (thankfully!). This is especially true for vintage sardines, which thanks to their fat content can be stored even longer than their "non-millésimées" sisters.
To put together a collection of vintage sardines, three aspects must be considered:
- Choose the best cans that are made by the manufactories that have done a thorough job in the selection of the products (sardines, but also oil) and the preparation of these. We offer you a selection for this further down on this page.
- Turn the cans regularly to help the oil distribute evenly in the can and in the flesh of the fish. We recommend doing this every 4 to 8 months.
- Resist! The temptation to open these beautiful and good cans is sometimes the hardest condition. Another trick is to buy several cans of the same vintage to compare their development from year to year, and also to keep one in reserve, in case you give in one day (it happens to us all ...).
Our selection of the best vintage sardines
For canned sardines, there is something for every budget, even for vintage sardines. But it remains an affordable pleasure: at Maître Philippe & Filles we offer you the largest selection in Germany. Discover our selection of vintage sardines directly in our online shop.
Now you know everything: all that remains is to enjoy ... in a few years! or right now.
Also read this blog post about vintage sardines: The Journey of the Oil Sardines – or Waiting for Pierrot
