They look like they’re on a deep-sea expedition to explore a shipwreck on the ocean floor. 

But they are actually experts checking on hundreds of bottles of sparkling wine that have been purposefully sunk to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Norway. The wine has spent around eight months there maturing in pitch blackness at bracing temperatures of 41F (5C).

This gives it a ‘distinctive’ taste so popular, the number of bottles submerged there has tripled in the past three years.

The people behind the idea – Norwegian cruise company Hurtigruten – launched its ‘Havets Bobler’ (Bubbles from the Sea) concept in 2022, inspired by wine found on board a 170-year-old shipwreck off Finland.

The drink’s journey begins at Rathfinny Wine Estate, a family-run vineyard in East Sussex, where hand-harvested Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes are blended to make a Classic Cuvee sparkling wine.

The bottles are aged for 30 months before being corked, topped with wax, then sent to Norway, put into crates and lowered to a depth of 112 feet (34 metres) at secret locations along the coast. 

The latest season’s batch of 4,500 bottles was a significant increase on the 1,500 bottles submerged in 2022 for the 2023 season. Due to soaring demand, it will increase further with as many as 5,000 bottles being sunk this September.

The Havets Bobler ‘underwater wine cellar’ is the first in Arctic waters but others exist in Spain, France, Croatia and Greece. Experts admit that the exact science behind the process remains unknown.

Hundreds of bottles of sparkling wine has been retrieved from the ocean floor after spending eight months maturing there

The deep sea submersion gives the wine a 'distinctive taste'. The concept has been so popular that the number of sea-aged bottles has tripled in the last three years

The deep sea submersion gives the wine a ‘distinctive taste’. The concept has been so popular that the number of sea-aged bottles has tripled in the last three years

A crate of the English sparkling wine. The bottles are aged for 30 months before being corked, topped with wax, then sent to Norway to be lowered to a depth of 112 feet at secret locations off the coast

A crate of the English sparkling wine. The bottles are aged for 30 months before being corked, topped with wax, then sent to Norway to be lowered to a depth of 112 feet at secret locations off the coast

Bottles of Havets Bobler. The latest season’s batch of 4,500 bottles was a significant increase on the 1,500 bottles submerged in 2022 for the 2023 season

But the idea is that ageing wine in deep seas provides high pressure to maintain its ‘freshness’ while the gentle movement of the waves helps create a smoother texture and finer bubbles.

‘The stable underwater environment enhances the structure of the wine, improving effervescence, while moderating acidity and sweetness for more rounded tannins,’ said Tani Gurra, beverage director at Hurtigruten.

The wine is currently only available to passengers on Hurtigruten’s ships, and is priced at £93 per bottle, rising to £193 for a magnum. But the company has not ruled out making it more widely available. ‘We’re always inspired by the enthusiasm of our guests to have a taste of Norway back home,’ Mr Gurra said.

CHARLOTTE KRISTENSEN taste tests the sea-aged Havets Bobler: Joyous… like making your way through a lemon meringue pie 

Blind tasting is essential for making an objective assessment of a wine, removing any preconceptions we have about labels, producers and price.

I tasted the sea-aged Rathfinny 2018 against Hambledon’s Chalk Hills NV (cost £37) and Balfour Classic Cuvée NV (£23) each made from slightly different blends of the classic Champagne grapes: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier.

I quickly ruled out the first wine as not the sea-aged contender – it turned out to be the Balfour.

The second and third wines were harder to decipher. Both had layered intensity, particularly those creamy, baked-goods notes.

I tasted the sea-aged Rathfinny 2018 (left) against Hambledon¿s Chalk Hills NV (cost £37) (centre) and Balfour Classic Cuvée NV (£23) (right) each made from slightly different blends of the classic Champagne grapes: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier

I tasted the sea-aged Rathfinny 2018 (left) against Hambledon’s Chalk Hills NV (cost £37) (centre) and Balfour Classic Cuvée NV (£23) (right) each made from slightly different blends of the classic Champagne grapes: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier

CHARLOTTE KRISTENSEN: The Rathfinny has undeniable finesse ¿ a gastronomic choice to sip alongside elegant dishes such as scallops with saffron or crab gratin

CHARLOTTE KRISTENSEN: The Rathfinny has undeniable finesse – a gastronomic choice to sip alongside elegant dishes such as scallops with saffron or crab gratin

The richer golden hue of the Rathfinny, a sign of an older sparkling, and its purity of flavour, led me to pick it as the ocean-aged wine. But it was a close call.

The Rathfinny has undeniable finesse – a gastronomic choice to sip alongside elegant dishes such as scallops with saffron or crab gratin.

The nose is fresh yet intense, with bright citrus and aromas of spiced baked pastries. On the palate, it is vibrant, unfolding in layers – like making your way through a lemon meringue pie: the buttery crust, the lively lemon curd, the creamy topping.

One thing a blind taste test can’t assess is how a wine’s story contributes to the sip – that is part of the magic of wine.

  • Charlotte Kristensen is the author of Wine: Taste Pair Pour out now

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