Imagine sitting on the fiberglass body of a small boat, looking out over the rich blue Adriatic Sea. The warm sun is kissing your skin, and you close your eyes for a moment and breathe it all in. You hear the boat captain calling out but don’t understand what he’s saying, so you open your eyes. The divemaster gives the signal – it is time to check your gear. It is nearly time to go.
As the boat slows, everyone starts the pre-dive boat scramble. You double-check your gear, open the valve on your compressed air bottle, clean your mask, test your regulator, and ensure that your GoPro is ready to rock and roll.
The divemaster gives you the okay signal, and you take one giant step off the back of the boat. The cold water shocks as it crashes around you, and you descend—not just for a dive but to uncover a trove of wine aged beneath the waves.
Edivo Wines – Drače Croatia
Welcome to Edivo Wines, the world’s first underwater winery where customers can dive for their wine.
Nested in the village of Drače, about an hour from Dubrovnik, Croatia, Edivo looks like a dive shop rather than a winery. But once you walk through the doors, you know you’re in the right place.
The walls are filled with nautical trinkets and amphorae, crusted with the remains of marine life, and they look like pieces of abstract art.
Edivo began its winemaking journey in 2011 along the Pelješac peninsula. It soon became known for producing powerhouse wines from grapes sourced from local vineyards.
But Ivo Šegović, the winemaker and one of the brothers who started Edivo, wanted to integrate another of their passions into their operation: Diving. Drawing on the recently discovered niche practice of aging wine in the ocean, Ivo came up with the idea of aging their wines underwater in amphorae, Greco-Roman-style clay containers with two handles, long, narrow necks, and pointed bottoms. They would arrange dives so wine and diving aficionados could head underwater and see the aging wines before tasting them. As they say, “Wine is our passion; diving is our love.” Edivo Undersea Wine was born.
In late 2013 and early 2014, the first amphorae were submerged for over 700 days, resting at a depth between 59 and 82 feet.
The Origin of Underwater Wine Aging
One of the first winemakers in the 20th century to experiment with aging wines underwater was a Spaniard, Raúl Pérez. Pérez was already known in the wine scene as a mastermind for his work with indigenous grapes in Northern Spain.
In 2003, he sank some bottles of Albariño for 60 days. His first experiment was a stepping stone, opening the door for many other producers worldwide.
But Perez wasn’t the first winemaker to age his wines underwater…he was just the first to do it on purpose. In 2010, divers uncovered a remarkable piece of history from a sunken schooner: 170-year-old bottles of Veuve Clicquot Champagne that, against all odds, still held their sparkle.
These bottles, preserved in the depths, offered a rare glimpse into the past, captivating wine enthusiasts and scientists alike. This discovery sparked a wave of fascination among winemakers, who saw the shipwreck as inspiration to explore underwater aging techniques, eager to recreate the magic of wine preserved by the sea’s cool, dark embrace.
Since then, wineries worldwide have taken up the underwater aging revolution. Producers from Mira Winery in Napa to Chateau Larrivet Haut Brion in Bordeaux and Louis Roederer in Champagne have led the way. Underwater wine aging is happening in regions across France, Spain, Italy, Greece, the United States, Chile, South Africa, Australia, and beyond.
The Science of Aging Wine Under the Sea
Aging wine underwater may seem unconventional, but it offers a unique environment that profoundly affects its chemistry, resulting in distinct textures and flavors. The underwater cellar provides a stable, low-temperature environment, high pressure, and complete darkness—factors that play a transformative role in aging.
Cool, Stable Temperatures
Wines stored deep in the ocean are surrounded by consistently cool temperatures, usually around 41–46 degrees Fahrenheit, which are often lower and more stable than those in traditional wine cellars. This consistent cool temperature slows chemical reactions within the wine, helping it age more gradually. As a result, wines aged underwater often taste fresher and maintain their original acidity, even after extended aging periods.
High Pressure
Another critical factor is the deep sea’s high pressure, which is much greater at certain depths than at sea level. Studies have shown that this pressure can subtly impact the wine’s molecular structure.
The pressure may also enhance the perception of body and mouthfeel, allowing the wine to have a unique silkiness on the palate.
Absence of Light
The ocean’s deep, dark environment offers a light-free setting essential for wine preservation. Exposure to light, particularly UV light, can cause wines to develop “lightstruck” flavors, where aromas are tainted, often leaving unpleasant notes resembling cooked cabbage or wet cardboard. Darkness prevents these faults, preserving the wine’s complexity and purity of flavor.
Influence on Aromatics and Flavors
Advocates of the practice say the combined effects of low temperature, high pressure, and darkness influence the aromatic and flavor profile of underwater-aged wines. Many winemakers note that these wines often exhibit enhanced minerality, with subtle notes that can be earthy or even saline, as the wine takes on hints of the ocean environment. This saline quality is particularly appealing for wines intended to accompany seafood, as it can enhance the wine’s compatibility with coastal cuisine.
For many winemakers, the results are worth the experiment. They add a new dimension to wine aging and offer enthusiasts an exclusive tasting experience.
Tasting the Depths
You’ve reached the sea bed, a depth of about 22 meters. The water around you has a greenish tint, and you know you’re far below the surface.
Now that you’ve reached the bottom, the group checks in with one another to ensure everyone is comfortable. Now, you do your mental checklist. No pressure in the ears? Check. Have you checked your air levels? Check. GoPro is filming? Check. You’re playing around with your buoyancy levels when you see the divemaster signal we are moving out.
The best part about diving for your wine is anticipating seeing the shipwreck filled with wine. Every wine lover’s dream, right? You remind yourself that this experience isn’t just about the wine but also about diving and being part of the marine life you’re visiting.
The Cellar Appears
After nearly twenty minutes of “bottom time,” you can finally see a large object’s murky, dark outline. As you get closer, you can see that it is the outline of a ship. You’ve now arrived at Edivo’s wine cellar.
The deck is covered with metal racks, each holding twenty-four coned containers. These are the clay amphorae treasure chests holding Edivo’s Navis Mysterium red wine. Crusted with clams, barnacles, seaweed, and other marine life, they are truly a marvelous sight.
Looking towards the ship’s bow, you can see several wine bottles lying on the deck. It seems like they were placed almost haphazardly. Upon closer inspection, you can see that the “loose” bottles are tied to each other and anchored to the deck as well.
For the rest of the dive time, you can explore the ship, even taking a photo of the Jacob’s Ladder attached to the ship’s mast, leading to where the crow’s nest was once connected. What seems to come all too soon: the divemaster is signaling it is time to start your ascent to the surface. You take 15 more photos around the ship with your GoPro before you start gliding through the water toward the surface again, looking back at Croatia’s Underwater Cellar one last time.
Back on Dry Land, the Wine
After you have showered and changed into dry clothes, it’s time to taste the wine.
You sit at the elegant tables in the tasting room and are surprised when the divemaster is helping with your wine-tasting presentation. The divemaster and wine attendant in front of you now is none other than Edivo’s winemaker, Ivo.
The tasting presents two white wines and three reds. One of the most exciting aspects of this tasting is comparing the difference in wine based on how it was aged. The three red wines you are poured are the same, aged three different ways. One is in the cellar on land. The second is aged underwater in a bottle and exposed to the nautical elements. You may remember seeing one of those bottles on the ship’s bow. The last taste is the red wine aged in the amphora.
Before you can taste the wines, Ivo takes a moment to have you look at them to see the color differences, which range from medium ruby red to deep garnet red. Then, you are asked to smell each wine. Finally, it is time to taste…
A Flight of Wine
The first red wine, aged in the cellar on land, tasted like raspberry sherbet topped with strawberry jam. It was fruit-forward but very bright and vibrant. It felt like I had just eaten Pop Rocks.
The second red wine, bottle-aged and exposed to the nautical elements, was smoother and silkier than the first. It was like changing a song from techno to smooth jazz – your body relaxes with the soft textures. Now, I was getting notes of rhubarb, strawberries, plums, and a hint of cranberries.
Finally, the last red wine, aged underwater in an amphora for over 700 days, embodied the phrase “aged like fine wine.” It was rich and deep, like the sea it was pulled from. I was now detecting blackberry, dark cherry, black pepper, dried figs, and vanilla flavors on the palate. I think that it was the best of the three by far.
At Edivo Wines, we’d been able to dive where these wines were aged, learn about the science behind underwater aging, and then, back on land, compare the benefits of the practice side-by-side. We’d gone underwater, and so had the wine. We were both better for the experience.
If You Go
To experience diving for wine yourself, Edivo Wines is an hour outside of Dubrovnik. We rented a car and used Dubrovnik as our home base for a 5-day adventure, making diving for wine an easy day trip away from the city and exploring more of Croatia’s peninsula above and below the waterline.
To book a tasting experience, visitors can arrange a guided tour through Edivo’s website, choosing from packages that include diving, winery visits, and tastings. This hands-on experience allows adventurous wine enthusiasts to explore underwater winemaking traditions and taste the unique flavors underwater aging imparts. (Note: You must be a certified diver to dive for the wines.)
Edivo has a shore-based tasting room for non-divers, where visitors can sample these exclusive, sea-aged wines.
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Phylicia Stitzel writes about family travel and wine at The Backpacker Mom www.thebackpackermom.com
