Vintage Sardines - 2020

2020 vintage sardines from Mademoiselle Perle, velvet-matured

The 2020 vintage sardines from La Perle des Dieux are French sardines, caught at the end of the season and aged for years in extra virgin olive oil. A mature, melt-in-the-mouth delicacy, soft and round – the lid features the reunion of Mademoiselle Perle and her sailor.

2020 vintage sardines are matured sardines from France, produced by the La Perle des Dieux cannery in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, in the Vendée region on the Atlantic coast south of Brittany. Caught at the end of the season, when the sardines have a fat content of around 12%, and preserved ever since – the 2020 vintage has already been aging for a good six years, a melt-in-the-mouth delicacy in a perfect window of maturity.

Velvety, round, with quiet depth

After a good six years, the 2020 vintage has become soft and velvety: the flesh is tender, the aroma rounded, and the maritime notes are deep.

As a “fondant,” as the French call these mature mid-range vintages, it combines a buttery texture with a still-clear hint of salt. The extra virgin olive oil coats the fish mildly without overpowering it – a bite that is both gentle and round.

On bread or in a fennel salad

Mature sardines need very little: a piece of crusty bread, a chilled glass, and the quiet enjoyment is complete.

On toasted country bread with a few pickled onions and a dry cider, the 2020 vintage reveals its quiet depth – fitting for the sailor returning home on the tin. It is equally delicious in a salad with fennel and orange. You can find more ideas in our sardines in olive oil collection.

For further aging: turn the tin every 6 months so that the oil covers the fish completely. Stored in a cool, dark place, the 2020 vintage will continue to age toward “exception” status and will keep for a good ten years.

The reunion of Perle and her sailor

La Perle des Dieux is arguably the most feminine cannery in the industry – founded in 2005 by Claudie Vardelle, who came from the world of Parisian fashion.

Together with Philippe Gendreau, whose family has been preserving fish for four generations, she wanted to restore the sardine’s nobility – using art instead of nets on the tins. This led to the poetic Mademoiselle Perle by Delphine Cossais from Nantes and the colorful Lulu by Coralie Joulin. Within 48 hours of being freshly caught, the sardines are cleaned and packed by hand.

The 2020 design is called “Les retrouvailles de Mlle Perle et son Marin” and depicts the reunion of Mademoiselle Perle and her sailor. A fitting image for a mature vintage, for just as the sailor returns home, the full flavor only develops with time – you can find more from the series in our La Perle des Dieux vintage sardines collection.

Content 115 g – Drained weight 86.3 g