THE CHAMPAGNE SCHOONER

In the beginning of July 2010 a group of divers from Åland and Sweden found a previously unknown shipwreck at a depth of approximately 50 meters in the southern part of Åland's outer archipelago. Before diving, the seabed was scanned using a sidescan echo locator, revealing a both clear and exciting image of a vessel standing on its keel with its two unbroken masts pointing up toward the surface. When the divers had reached a depth of approximately 30 meters they saw a mast top appearing from the darkness, and soon another. Down at the wreck the visibility was only two meters and the divers swam first to the bows and then, using their powerful lamps, systematically investigated the hull all the way to the stern.

The carvel-built hull was revealed to be almost intact except for the stern, where the transom had fallen away. The cargo hold seemed to be empty. Just behind the main-mast on the port side was found a brick oven with cooking pot, with the sides of the oven still standing. Behind this lay navigational instruments, plates and a kettle. In the stern, starboard of the rudder stock, the divers saw a number of bottles, which looked like they were made for storing sparkling wine. The bottles appeared to be lying embedded in straw. A feeling of euphoria began to creep over the divers – this was an extraordinary find. The well preserved shipwreck stood there as if it had been carefully placed on the bottom by a giant hand, just waiting to be investigated.

 

A number of the champagne bottles lie neatly stacked inside the hull. The fragile
wreck is still intact, but if it should collapse then the bottles could be damaged or
destroyed. Photo: Anders Näsman/Åland Board of Antiquities

The hull's construction and the visible artefacts indicated that the shipwreck could be around two hundred years old. If the bottles with their characteristic form really did contain champagne then this was a sensational find. The divers took one bottle from the wreck for further investigation. On 16 July the news was published that the "world's oldest champagne" had been found, and that was the starting gun for a media circus, with mass media from around the world running the story.

In order to protect the wreck the Government of Åland quickly introduced diving restrictions in the vicinity. At the end of July, under the supervision of the Åland Board of Antiquities, further dives were made on the wreck, when photo documentation was continued and a number of artefacts were protection salvaged. Among the objects that were salvaged were two octants, a ceramic vessel and porcelain. The investigation confirmed that the hull, despite its intact condition, was for the most part fragile and should not be exposed to unnecessary external contact.

 

The ship is a carvel-built, two-masted schooner with a circa 21.5 metre long and 6.5 metre broad hull. The technical details and artefacts found onboard allow the ship to be dated to the beginning of the 1800s. Amongst the finds in the wreck were several plates, manufactured by Rörstrands porcelain factory during the period 1780-1830. It will be possible in the near future to date the wood in the hull using dendrochronology. No archive references to the ships origin or sinking have yet been found. The ship was most likely wrecked when she had come in to the old sea-lane leading from the Åland Sea to the island of Björkör. The final destination for the cargo of champagne is unknown – it can have been destined for some trading house or even the imperial court at St Petersburg.

 

This coffee kettle was found close to the ship's unusually well preserved brick oven .
Photo: Anders Näsman/Åland Board of Antiquities


What do we know about the champagne in the wreck?

The champagne in the salvaged bottle was of a sensationally good quality. Sommelier Ella Grüssner Cromwell-Morgan was lyrical after having tasted it. To the local newspaper, Tidningen Åland, she said that the champagne had a bouquet of "very ripe fruit, tones of golden raisins and a clear aroma of tobacco". She continued: "And, despite the fact that it was so amazingly old, there was a freshness to the wine. It wasn't debilitated in any way, rather it had a clear acidity which reinforced the sweetness. Finally, a very clear taste of having been stored in oak casks."

 

To be able to determine the age of the champagne and its origin is no simple undertaking. French wine experts could not, at this point in time, say anything more than that the champagne was produced before 1950. That it should originate from the ancient house of Veuve Cliquot was denied by a representative for the company. It has been suggested instead that the producer might have been the champagne house Maison Juglar, which had already ceased production by the end of the 1820s.


What will happen to the cargo of champagen?

The Government of Åland has concluded a contract with the diving company Anders Näsman Services regarding the protective salvage of the champagne bottles in the wreck. In this way it can be guaranteed that the precious and sensitive cargo can be securely preserved. Otherwise, there is a risk of plundering, and the intact wreck's condition is such that if disturbed it might collapse over the bottles and damage them. The salvage operation represents a major technical challenge, in which it is important to use the correct technique to raise each bottle from a depth of almost 50 metres without pressure or temperature changes affecting the contents or the seal. The salvage will also provide an answer to the question of how many of the bottles still contain the exquisite drink, which the salvagers tested in July.

The sunken ship is an ancient monument and the cargo belongs to the Government of Åland. Having gathered in as much information as possible it will then be up to the Government of Åland to decide what to do with the champagne. Many people have opinions on what should be done with the bottles – seldom has a question so engaged the Åland public.