100 Bottles of Champagne Found in 19th Century Baltic Shipwreck

Synopsis: A team of Polish divers from BaltiTech has discovered a 19th-century shipwreck in the Baltic Sea, filled with over 100 bottles of champagne, wine, mineral water, and porcelain. Found near the Åland Islands between Sweden and Finland, the ship is believed to have transported luxury goods, possibly for royalty, between 1850 and 1867. The mineral water, bottled by the German company Selters, suggests the cargo’s high value, as mineral water was once considered medicinal and reserved for royalty. This is not the first champagne find in the Baltic; in 2010, divers discovered bottles from the 1780s, possibly intended for Russia’s Tsar Nicholas I.

Written by: Frank Andrews
Photo Credit: Tomasz Stachura/ BaltiTech
Published: July 25, 2024