Divers retrieve ship’s bubbly treasure

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Now that’s some vintage bubbly.

Divers have discovered what is thought to be the world’s oldest drinkable champagne in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea, one of the finders said Saturday. They tasted the one bottle they’ve brought up so far before they even got back to shore.

Diving instructor Christian Ekstrom said the bottles are believed to be from the 1780s and likely were part of a cargo destined for Russia.

“We brought up the bottle to be able to establish how old the wreck was,” he told the Associated Press. “We didn’t know it would be champagne. We thought it was wine or something.”

Ekstrom said the divers were overjoyed when they popped the cork on their boat after hauling the bubbly from a depth of 200 feet.

“It tasted fantastic. It was a very sweet champagne, with a tobacco taste and oak,” Ekstrom said.

The divers discovered the shipwreck Tuesday near the Aland Islands, between Sweden and Finland. About 30 bottles are believed to be aboard the sunken vessel.

Ekstrom said he is confident of the champagne’s age and authenticity, but samples have been sent to laboratories in France for testing.

Swedish wine expert Carl-Jan Granqvist said each bottle could fetch $68,000 if the corks are intact and the sparkling drink is genuine and drinkable.