The Algarve is hosting an experimental project linked to wine that involves submerged bottles, special barrels and periodic tastings carried out at the bottom of the sea. At Albufeira Marina, two producers from the region placed thousands of bottles in an underwater stage to study the effects of the ocean on the aging of wines.
According to the portal, the project began in March 2025 and brings together research, oenology and wine tourism. More than a year after the initial submersion, several bottles were temporarily removed for analysis and technical tests carried out at the end of April.
Wine cellar created underwater
The experience takes place in one of the areas of Albufeira Marina, where almost 3 thousand bottles belonging to Quinta do Canhoto and Adega do Cantor are currently submerged. The producers intend to understand how factors such as constant pressure, absence of light and thermal stability of the sea can influence the wine aging process.
During the operation carried out at the end of April, some bottles were collected for technical evaluation. The procedure included comparative tests between wines kept in an underwater environment and others aged under traditional conditions. The publication writes that, in addition to the bottles, a barrel was also temporarily removed for testing. The results of the analyzes are still being studied by the teams involved in the project.
There is an unprecedented barrel at the bottom of the sea
One of the most unusual elements of this experience is still submerged. It is a barrel with a capacity of 225 liters, specifically developed to withstand maritime conditions. According to the same source, this is the first Portuguese barrel placed in an underwater stage. The piece was produced by Tanoaria JM Gonçalves and received structural changes to withstand corrosion caused by salt water.
The person responsible for the cooperage, Abílio Gonçalves, explained that the barrel was built with French oak wood subjected to three years of drying. “It is French oak wood, with three years of drying. The material is of very high quality”, he said, quoted by the same portal. The person in charge also added that the structure “had an additional construction, with reinforcing bars on the tops”.
Sea left marks on bottles
After 13 months at the bottom of the sea, the bottles already show clear signs of being underwater. Oysters, barnacles and other marine organisms became stuck to the glass during the process. According to the same source, the teams responsible admit that the corks will have to be protected with sealing, as some marine organisms end up damaging them over time.
Adega do Cantor currently monitors around 600 bottles in the underwater stage. Among the wines selected are a 2022 sparkling wine, the white Vida Nova 2024 and several reds produced in recent years. Winemaker Rúben Pinto explained that the choice fell on wines still in the early stages of their evolution. “We wanted to opt for wines that were from the beginning of their life”, he said, quoted by NiT.
There are six different aging methods
Quinta do Canhoto has already tested a 2023 Alicante Bouschet single variety, distributed in different formats and storage conditions. The same source mentions that the wine is being aged in bottles of various sizes, both on land and at sea, in addition to barrels kept in both environments. In total, six distinct internship processes are being compared.
To try to bring some conditions closer to traditional wineries, the team also uses active dry yeast, simulating the so-called “fine lees” effect. “This is all new, we are discovering it. We may be doing something stupid, but we don’t know”, admitted winemaker Jorge Easter.
Technical tastings take place every three months and producers continue to evaluate the ideal time to definitively remove the wines from the bottom of the sea. Quinta do Canhoto admits that some bottles may return to the surface as early as July, although the final decision will depend on the evolution observed in the next analyses.
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