Is dunking wine a sin?

In 2010, divers found a bottle of Champagne that had been under the water of Finland's Aland archipelago for 200 years. That same year, divers found 14 bottles of wine in a rattan basket in a shipwreck off the coast of Germany. In 2019, a remote-control submarine retrieved 900 bottles from a 100-year-old shipwreck in the 250-feet-deep Baltic Sea.

Such finds have inspired modern wineries to age their bottles and barrels in similar ways. Vintners claim submerging their wine—in fresh or salt water—equates to three times as long above ground. Sommeliers say the darkness, lack of oxygen, and even temperature make perfect aging conditions which leads to excellent taste and character and richer, more stable color. An added benefit is the algae and mussels that decorate the bottles.

"Dunking" is a method used by cheaper wine makers. They can claim their wine is "aged underwater," but in reality it only sits in the bathtub for about three hours. That's not nearly enough time or depth. Even if drinking wine isn't a sin, both you and the wine should be properly aged.

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