The worlds oldest Champagne!
I July 2010, divers found a shipwreck containing the world's oldest drinkable champagne in the archipelago of Åland. 168 bottles were salvaged from the wreck, a large quantity of them from the famous Champagne house Veuve Clicquot. The shipment is believed to have been on it's way to a russian garrison on the mainland of Finland around 1840, but sank before it reached it's destination and have been resting at the bottom of the sea for nearly 200 years!
Thanks to the fact that the bottles had been resting in a contstant temperature in the dark at the bottom of the sea, their content was still in perfect condition and several champagne connoisseurs that tasted it where astonished! This gave the team at Silverskär the idea to start storing their own champagne under water in 2011 and since 2014 they are storing champagne in the waters around the island in collaboration with Veuve Clicquot. The project is called ”Cellar in the sea” and will proceed for 40 years. The champagne is stored a around 50 meters of depth, where the temperature stays at 4 degrees all around the year. When the bottles are submerged for tasting and analyses, they are beautifully covered in seashells.
This year Veuve Clicquot is celebrating their 250th anniversary and on this occasion they have created an exhibition that will tour five world famous cities during 2022 and 2023 and the project Cellar in the sea is presented as a part of this exhibition, very exciting!
Do you need a bubbly break during your conference or do you want invite your friends to have an unique experience? Learn about the story of the shipwreck champagne, taste different champagnes from the Champagne house Veuve Clicquot or take part in an adventure where we search for the champagne hidden out at sea or in the archipelago!
The cottage at Champagne island was finished in 2017. It's a rustic and charming cabin for 2 on a small islet in between the other ilslands of Silverskär.
Contact us for more information and a stay at Champagne Island.
