From time to time, stories of the discovery, and recovery, of
precious cargoes of wine, brandy and other vintage tipples hit the headlines,
often resulting in them being sold off at auction for huge sums of money. This,
despite the fact that in many cases what’s inside the bottle may well be
undrinkable. One way of assessing its drinkability before shelling out a whole
load of cash is to use a device produced by Coravin, which is capable of
extracting wine without removing the cork.
As recently as 2019, an expedition organised by Cookson
Adventures, with the aid of various maritime and archaeological entities, including
maritime exploration company 10994 Ltd., was undertaken to salvage cargo from a
British ship torpedoed off the coast of Cornwall in 1918. The ship in question
was a British cargo ship sailing from Bordeaux to the UK with a cargo of wine
when it was sunk by a German U-boat.
This resulting haul of several hundred bottles of wine,
Champagne and spirits was worth millions of pounds.
Rich pickings indeed for the small number of niche companies
that specialise in such recovery operations.
Such exciting discoveries are more frequent than you might
think.
For those lucky enough to be able to afford to participate
in such adventures, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience first-hand
discoveries of great historical significance.
Also in 2019, a team from specialist salvage company Ocean X
recovered 900 bottles of booze that had been on board the Swedish ship S.S.
Kyros, sunk by a German submarine in 1917 during World War I, on its way to
deliver its cargo to Tzar Nicholas II, and now lying at the bottom of the
Baltic Sea.
The team, used remote-controlled vehicles in order to
retrieve the bottles as the depth, and condition
of the ship and the surroundings of the wreck made the scenario too dangerous
even for trained deep divers.
Ocean X was also behind the recovery of the 300 year old “shipwreck
wine” found in the North Sea. These surviving bottles of wine, auctioned by
Christie’s, fetched thousands of pounds each. A single bottle of Veuve Clicquot
found in the wreckage sold for almost £30,000.
Back to the 21st century.
In the deep, freezing cold, dark waters of the Baltic Sea
and the North Sea, items are to all intents and purposes in cold storage. This
has prompted some entrepreneurs to exploit the sea’s cool, dark environment and
invest in underwater wineries as conditions in the sea are felt to mimic key
ageing factors that impact on the wine.
In 2008, Emmanuel Poirmeur, of winery Egiategia, began
submerging sparkling wines in France’s bay of Saint Jean de Luz, lured by what
he described as the perfect conditions for secondary fermentation. The
unpredictable nature of the process soon had him hooked. “If I put 20 wine
tanks below the sea, all exactly the same, they’ll all come back different,” he
said.
So, working with a small team, which included diver Borja Saracho,
he gained permission to rent 500 square metres of seabed in the bay of Plentzia
on Spain’s north coast and formed Crusoe Treasure. They sank specially designed
structures capable of storing wine, which also acted as an artificial reef.
Winemakers across the country soon joined in the experiment, sending bottles of
wine for Saracho to plunge into the sea.
The results were astounding, and the development of the
wines described as being very distinct from what would happen with the same
grape on land.
Similar experiments have been carried out in other parts of
the world, providing a cornerstone for what is now a niche and rapidly growing sector
of the wine industry. Both in Europe and in the new world winemakers are utilising
the power of underwater environments to shape their wines.
The logic behind the theory is that is that underwater
conditions, such as constant temperature and the absence of light, mimic two of
the vital ageing factors that contribute so much to the development of the
wine.
The technique does come at a cost though. The logistics of
submerging and retrieving wine, along with the increased risk of breakage and
leaks can increase production costs by as much as 70%.
Among those turning to underwater ageing are some of the wine
industry’s biggest players. Louis Roederer (of Cristal champagne fame), made
headlines when it began using the waters off Mont Saint-Michel as an underwater
cellar. Likewise, an experiment by Veuve Clicquot, saw them sinking a
champagne-filled vault into the Baltic Sea.
As the sector grows, techniques are varying wildly. Some
winemakers sink their wines in sealed amphorae, while others use
custom-designed barrels or submersible cages laden with algae-encrusted
bottles. Others have shunned marine environments and opted for water-filled
tanks on land in shallower water, leaving the wine at the mercy of rising tides
and partial exposure to air.
In 2019 the first-ever underwater wine congress was held in
northern Spain, with the aim of ensuring a responsible approach to the marine
environment, as concern about climate change increases, bringing with it a
wider range of water temperatures and an increase in the number of violent
weather patterns. At Crusoe Treasure, the underwater cellars are fitted with
sensors, providing first-hand knowledge of how the environment is being transformed.
For wine lovers interested in experiencing these
extraordinary wines go to
Sea Soul No4, is a limited-edition offering from the winery (£58.50)
raised to the surface after ageing underwater for six months. Made from 100%
Syrah obtained from the vineyards of Álex Ascaso, who is passionate about
environmental sustainability, respect for tradition and experimentation. The
vineyards at Ayerbe, north of the Monegros and at the foot of the Loarre
Mountains, are influenced by the warm southerly winds and in contrast to the
northern cierzo from the mountains. A privileged environment where the
grapes can mature expressing their full potential.
And where the human hand brings the result to a close.
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