Champagne thought to date from 1780 salvaged from the Baltic Sea

Champagne, which is believed to come from the decade of the French Revolution and from when George III was on the British throne, has been brought to the surface by deep sea divers. It was salvaged from a ship wreck on Aland Islands between Sweden and Finland.

The vintage bottles were found by diving instructor Christian Ekstrom at a depth of 200 feet. The diving team celebrated the historic find in the only way possible – by opening one of the bottles. They were quoted in The Guardian as saying it was a ‘very sweet champagne, with a tobacco taste and oak’. The taste would have been preserved by the conditions of dark and cold on the seabed.

The champagne is believed to have been made by Clicquot (now Veuve Clicquot) between 1782 and 1788. Clicquot champagne was first produced in 1772 but was laid down for 10 years, the French news agency AFP reported. Swedish wine expert Carl-Jan Granqvist estimates that each bottle could be worth £42,000. The valuation depends upon whether the corks are in tact and the contents are sparkling and drinkable. Tests are currently being made on samples at a laboratory in France – the results of which will give a final authentication to the vintage find. Pernod Ricard will be keeping a close eye on the final outcome, as the company lays claim to an 1825 vintage. Pernod includes Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes in its portfolio.

23 July 2010