Monday 28 March 2022

A DROP IN THE OCEAN - UNDERWATER WINERIES

 

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

https://underwaterwine.com

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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