Taste underwater-aged champagne during this experience with Veuve Clicquot

If you’re a champagne lover with an affinity for the water and history, Veuve Clicquot has the perfect, niche trip for you. The champagne company is offering 28 guests the opportunity to explore an underwater cellar in an experience aptly named “Cellar in the Sea.”

According to Travel and Leisure, the origins of this once-in-a-lifetime trip go back to 2010, when unsuspecting divers discovered a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea off the Åland Islands. The ship dated back to 1840 and, surprisingly, was transporting 168 bottles of champagne, which were preserved due to lack of light, cool temperatures and the sea’s low alinity. Of those 168 bottles, 47 were Veuve Clicquot. This discovery led the company to try its hand at an experiment where it would test how the champagne ages underwater, by placing them in crayères, chalk cellars used to age the effervescent beverage.

The “Cellar of the Sea” program launched in 2014, in which a batch of Veuve Clicquot was placed in a cellar in Reims, France and submerged 131 feet below the surface of the Baltic Sea. As part of the experiment, the company plans to hold comparative tastings over the course of 40 years, as well as send samples to oenology (the study of wine) universities in Reims and Bordeaux for further analysis. The first tasting took place in 2017 and this summer, for the first time, guests will be able to partake.

The 2023 tasting event will take place June 22, and guests are in for an itinerary of history, luxury and lots of bubbly. On the first day, guests will be welcomed to the home of Veuve Clicquot since 1772, champagne, France. The 28 participants will get a tour of Veuve Clicquot’s vineyards, enjoy lunch in the gardens of Manoir de Verzy, and taste champagne in the company’s cellars. Dinner will later be held at the invite-only Hôtel du Marc, which will feature an abundance of Veuve Clicquot’s prestigious La Grande Dame and conversation with CEO Jean-Marc Gallot and winemaker Gaelle Goossens.

On day two, guests will embark on a flight to Åland Islands and make their way to the island of Silverskår. On the way, lunch will be prepared by chef Filip Gemzell, chef at Swedish Michelin-starred restaurant ÄNG. Dinner will also include fine-dining cuisine made by Swedish chef Titti Qvarnstrom, as well as live music.

The third day, and possibly the most exciting day, is when participants will make their way to Klobben to discover the “Cellar in the Sea.” The comparative tasting will feature four different cuvées – Yellow Label Brut in 750 mL bottles and magnums, Vintage Rosé 2004, and Demi-Sec – as well as the underwater bottles. Participants who are also experienced divers will have the opportunity to go under the sea and examine the vault that houses the Veuve Clicquot bottles. The trip will end on a high note, as guests will enjoy another culinary masterpiece by chef Mathias Dahlgren before they head home.

For more information on this extravagant experience, visit veuveclicquot.com to book your spot and learn more.

Roshae Hemmings is an arts and culture magazine journalist from St. Louis, MO. A graduate from the Missouri School of Journalism, Roshae has bylines in the Columbia Missourian, Vox Magazine and 5280 Magazine discussing topics ranging from pop culture, social justice and eat and drink. She is a foodie at heart and enjoys eating food as much as learning about the story behind it. When she’s not working on a story, Roshae enjoys cooking, watching and analyzing reality TV, and spending time with family and friends.

This story was originally published April 3, 2023 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Taste underwater-aged champagne during this experience with Veuve Clicquot."