Once a year, the historical town of Saint-Malo in Brittany hosts a celebration, where residents and tourists can witness the process of immersion of wine bottles into the sea and try sea-aged wine right in the harbor.
Saint-Malo was founded by Gauls in the 1st Century BC. Due to its medieval architecture and plenty of seafood, it attracts many visitors during the summer. In the early 2000s, Yannick Heude, the owner of the St-Malo wine shop called Cave de l'Abbaye St-Jean, suggested the idea of aging wine in the sea. The temperature underwater is perfect for aging wine; it's comparable to a wine cellar. Heude first immersed wine bottles underwater to celebrate the birth of one of his guests' children. The ritual has become an annual tradition. Every summer, Heude and his friends load up a fishing boat and store wine at the bottom of Anse Saint-Pierre.
Just during one day, typically in June, visitors can participate in the annual celebration, called L'immersion des vins en baie de St Malo. About 700 stacked wine bottles, including such sorts as red Syrah, Saumur Champigny, and Vouvray, are lowered 15m to the sea bottom, while boxes from last year are picked up for the wine tasting. Tickets can be purchased to participate in this authentic celebration off the Solidor Tower.
