Unique discovery in the Scandinavian Islands

The oldest champagne has been found at Åland in the Scandinavian Islands In July 2010 near the island Kobba Klintar (60°01′47″N 19°53′00″O).

The wreck of the Galeas dated beginning of 1800 that had been disvovered by divers in july 2010, turned out containing an amount of no less than 70 bottles of champagne, as well as intact bottles of beer. One of the champagne bottles has been opened and it´s contents proved to have been well preserved at the constant temperature of 4-5°C on the depth of 45m in the Baltic sea.

The discobery is unique. The wreck and it´s contents belongs to the Governement of Åland and is for the very moment being salvaged and monitored by 10 divers for 10 days under instructions of marine archeologists and specialists.

Objects, pictures and film sequenses from the discovery can be seen at the Ålands Museum from the 15th of septeber until the 17th of October 2010.

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About the Galeas:

The galeas is a small type of trade ship, which was common in the Baltic Sea and North Sea from the 17th to the early 20th centuries. The characteristics of the ships depend somewhat from where the ship originated. Swedish (and Finnish) versions had two masts and were rigged as ketchs, sometimes as schooners. The galeas was developed from the Dutch galliot, which was rigged in a similar way, but was equipped with a rounded stern.