This June, an intimate group of champagne aficionados will savour an experience like no other, sailing to the Åland Islands to join the Summer Solstice celebrations – and to taste ultra-exclusive Veuve Clicquot champagnes that have been aged at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

An Astonishing Discovery – And A Brilliant Experiment

It all started in 1840, when a ship sank just south of the Åland archipelago between Sweden and Finland, taking with it 47 bottles of champagne from the Maison Veuve Clicquot.

Nearly 200 years later, on 16 July 2010, a dive team discovered the wreck and its liquid treasure. Popping open one of the silt-covered bottles, the divers were amazed to find that it contained a sweet wine almost entirely conserved in its original state. The conditions on the floor of the Baltic Sea, as it happens, are perfect for wine storage: cold and dark with an ideal balance of pressure on the cork, such that wine can endure even for two centuries.

True to the Maison's founding values of innovation and boldness, this momentous discovery inspired Veuve Clicquot to embark on a ground-breaking experiment called "Cellar in the Sea". A selection of non-vintage Yellow Label champagnes (in 75cl bottles and in magnums), of Vintage Rosé 2004, and of demi-sec champagnes would be divided into two batches – one batch would be stored in the Maison Clicquot cellars, former chalk quarries beneath the city of Reims, while the other would be submerged in the Åland Vault, a purpose-built container made to reproduce the conservation conditions of the bottles from the 19th-century shipwreck. A literal cellar in the sea.

The wines from Reims and the Åland Vault would be retrieved at regular intervals and evaluated by Didier Mariotti, the 11th Cellar Master of the House, as well as other pre-eminent wine experts, while samples of the wines would be sent for scientific analysis at oenology universities in Reims and Bordeaux. Few wine lovers outside of these insular circles would have a chance to taste these singular champagnes.

Until now.

An Experience for the True Oenophile

This summer from 22-25 June, when the sun banishes the moon and warms the Åland Islands around the clock, Veuve Clicquot will host the second comparative tasting of Cellar in the Sea wines, inviting an intimate group of wine-loving adventurers to join for an immersive, multi-day journey into the world of Veuve Clicquot.

Day One: Getting to Know Veuve Clicquot

The exclusive "solaire voyage" experience will start in Reims, at the heart of Maison Veuve Clicquot. A reception lunch in the verdant Verzy vegetable garden – the historic cru of Maison Veuve Clicquot – offers the guests a chance to get acquainted over a glass of champagne and a gourmet meal in a verdant natural setting. After lunch, it's off to the Crayères, the UNESCO World Heritage site which houses the Maison's wine cellars, for a personal tour of these fascinating former chalk quarries. A gala dinner at the private residence of Veuve Clicquot, the Hôtel du Marc, ends the day on a high note, with tastings centred around the Maison’s “La Grande Dame” champagnes.

Day Two: Summer Solstice in the Åland Islands

The second day begins with a chartered flight to the Åland Islands, where, upon landing, guests are whisked away to the remote island of Silverskår aboard the historic schooner Albanus. The timing is impeccable: it will be the island's annual Midsummer festival, a sun-bathed celebration of everlasting daylight, with floral garlands and traditional music, as well as a tour of the island and an introduction to its fishing customs.

Day Three: Wining, Dining and Sailing

The experience continues with a full day on the island, joined by Didier Mariotti, who will initiate the adventurers into his savoir-faire and the art of tasting, and explore with them some of the Maison’s rarest vintages. The region's most prestigious chefs will serve delectable dishes inspired by local gastronomy to pair with the exceptional wines. Guests will also meet and chat with the intrepid diver who discovered the wreck in 2010.

Day Four: Farewell to the Midnight Sun

For the last day on the island of the midnight sun, guests will be invited to appreciate the beauty of the early-morning light over a local breakfast, before continuing their journey to new horizons.

With only 14 double rooms available, this unique voyage will bring together a small, select group of like-minded champagne connoisseurs for a one-in-a-lifetime experience. To find out more, visit veuveclicquot.com or call +33 6 09 23 26 79.