Divers exploring a ship that sank off the coast of Sweden 170 years ago have discovered 100 unopened bottles of Champagne.
It is certainly not unusual to find traces of liquor in shipwrecks – after all, it was something that was part of sailors' daily lives. However, to find such a large quantity of bottles of fine wine, all still intact, is truly remarkable.
Using sonar, Polish diving group BaltiTech found the remains of what they believed to be a fishing vessel.
However, when divers Marek Cacaj and Pawel Truszynski descended into the depths to see the wreck for themselves, they found a more precious cargo than herring.
“We came across a 19th century sailing ship in very good condition, loaded with champagne, wine, mineral water and porcelain,” said a statement from BaltiTech. "There was so much that it was difficult for us to estimate the quantities. We certainly saw more than 100 bottles of Champagne and baskets of mineral water in clay bottles."
While the as-yet-unidentified Champagne is likely what has wine lovers excited about this discovery, it's actually the mineral water that has helped the team learn more about the wreck so far.
"At that time, mineral water was treated almost like medicine and found its way only to royal tables. Its value was so precious that transports were escorted by the police," the statement continued. “We came across about 100 sealed bottles of Selters water. This is a German manufacturer that is still in business, and its products are still considered excellent. Thanks to the shape of the stamp and with the help of historians, we know that our shipment was produced between 1850-1867."
The pottery factory that produced these clay bottles is still active. Since the wreck is in Swedish waters, the BaltiTech team is in contact with Södertörn University and the MARIS Foundation, as well as Sweden's leading underwater researcher, Professor Johan Rönnby, to study it further.
When they turn their attention to the Champagne, they may discover that it is still drinkable. Several of the most expensive bottles of Champagne ever sold were recovered from the depths, including a bottle of 1841 Veuve Clicquot, also discovered in the Baltic Sea, which sold at auction for €30,000.
Indeed, the cool conditions of the sea can actually provide the perfect storage conditions for sparkling wine. Among the producers experimenting with deliberate bottle dipping is the Rathfinny Estate in East Sussex.