Beschreibung:

HISTORIC CHAMPAGNE Lying at Christies The Baltic Wreck Champagne On 3rd November 1916 at 5.30am a Swedish schooner "The Jönköping" was sunk by the German submarine U22, 20 miles off the Finnish coast south west of Raumo. On this voyage she was carrying 96 tons of cargo, 60 tons of which were wines and spirits including 50 boxes each supposedly containing 100 bottles of champagne which may have been destined for the Czar's army. The champagne remained undisturbed for 80 years before salvage in 64 metres of water at a constant temperature of 4 C and with water pressure equalling the pressure within the bottles keeping corks tightly in place. Many of the bottles have thus been remarkably preserved and although labels and most of the wires and capsules have long since disappeared, corks so far extracted are clearly branded: "Hedisieck & Co, Reims on the base and Champagne, Goüt Américain 1907 on the side. Those foils which do survive are clearly marked "Monopole". Tastings have proved the champagne to be fantastically youthful both in colour and vibrancy Heidseick & Co Monopole Goüt Américain--Vintage 1907 Recently resealed in pliable wax. Tasting samples have revealed corks to be fully embossed "Heidsieck Goüt Américain, 1907". Signs of seepage. No labels. No remaining foils. Levels excellent for age Disgorged 1916 Probably 70 Pinot Noir, 30 Chardonnay The quality of this wine is literally out of this world. 1907 is precisely the sort of acidic year that would be chosen for a goüt américain, which would have had a dosage of at least 100 grams per litre of sugar and quite possibly as high as 165 grams, making it twice as sweet as an average vintage of Château d'Yquem. The amount of sugar in any sweet wine actually drops as it matures, but at 2 C the ageing process has been slowed down to such an extent that there is still as much as 44 grams left in this Champagne. The sugar is so thoroughly integrated that although a little sweetness is noticeable when the wine hits the palate, the full sweetness takes time to build in the mouth, as does the flavour. The fruit has a profoundly deep and mellow character, yet it is remarkably light-bodied, extraordinarily elegant and fantastically fresh, with discreet, slow building toasty aromas of great finesse. The whole sensation is one of immaculate flavours in complete harmony, and the mousse rises so quickly to the top of a flute that you have to be careful when pouring it. If you want to smell the depths of the Baltic just lift a section of wax and sniff the cork, but if the successful bidder's bottle is anything like the one I tasted, there will not be even the scantiest hint of the sea in either its smell or taste, and I have yet to hear of one bottle that deviates from this. (Tom Stevenson) 1 bottle per lot