The “Underwater” Pioneers of the Wine World
The world of wine is increasingly turning its attention not only to soils and climate, but also to the ocean. Underwater wine ageing – a practice that until recently seemed exotic – has evolved into a deliberate experiment embraced by winemakers across the globe. Interest in this approach was sparked by the discovery of 1907 Heidsieck champagne recovered from the bottom of the Baltic Sea, which retained remarkable freshness after decades underwater.
Today, this idea is being explored both in Chile, where winemakers have recently begun storing wine on the seabed near the coast, and in Australia – particularly in the Margaret River region – where Subsea Estate has become the first underwater winery in the Southern Hemisphere. Despite its niche status, underwater winemaking is gradually attracting international attention, with selected projects from this field already represented among the nominees of the Wine Travel Awards.
Agricola Arrighi: One of Elba’s Finest Wineries
The Italian Azienda Agricola Arrighi is widely regarded as one of the finest wineries on the island of Elba, while its owner, Antonio Arrighi, is recognised as a Multitalented Wine Entrepreneur for the boldness and diversity of his experiments.
In 2020, after several years of research, the winery introduced Nesos, a wine inspired by an ancient technique dating back nearly 2,500 years. Before ageing, the grapes are immersed in seawater for a period of time and then sun-dried. The first release consisted of just 40 bottles, several of which were submitted to the University of Pisa for scientific analysis.
The excitement surrounding Nesos was so intense that not all journalists were able to attend the first tasting. Today, the wine can be sampled at the Arrighi winery or at specialised wine events, including Eccellenza di Toscana, where queues regularly form at Antonio Arrighi’s stand. Seawater imparts a distinctive saline note to the aroma, a ripe, fruit-driven richness on the palate, and reduced acidity, thanks to mineral residues following maceration in clay amphorae.
Domain Vino Formosa: Deep-Sea Ageing from Taiwan
Another striking example of underwater winemaking is Domain Vino Formosa, a Wine Travel Awards nominee and the first company in Taiwan to implement deep-sea ageing technology.
Inspired by historic shipwreck discoveries in the Baltic Sea, the winemakers created Vino Formosa Cuvée Marina. The wine was first aged for five years in oak barrels, followed by an additional seven months on the seabed of the Taiwan Strait. The results were immediate: Cuvée Marina was awarded a gold medal (92 points) at the Union des Oenologues Vinalies Internationales competition.
Beyond technological experimentation, Domain Vino Formosa actively develops wine tourism, showcasing the underwater ageing process through video materials and dedicated visitor programmes.
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