Beneath Italy’s shimmering coastal waters, winemakers are experimenting with an unexpected aging technique: underwater wine in Italy. This innovative process, known as underwater enology, involves submerging bottles of wine or sparkling wine in the sea for months—or even years—allowing the ocean’s unique conditions to influence their maturation. It’s a fascinating mix of tradition and modern craftsmanship that has sparked curiosity among wine lovers.
Why age wine underwater? The sea offers a naturally stable temperature, complete darkness, and low oxygen levels—ideal for slow, controlled aging. The gentle movement of the tides and the surrounding saline environment may also introduce subtle nuances to the wine’s character, even though the bottles remain sealed.
More than a novel technique, underwater aging is a tribute to Italy’s deep connection to the sea and its ever-evolving winemaking traditions. Because these wines aren’t just an experiment. They celebrate Italy’s spectacular coastal regions, from the turquoise waters of Sardinia to the iconic lagoons of Venice. Below, we take a closer look at some of the country’s most intriguing underwater wine producers and the bottles that are quietly aging beneath the waves.
Underwater Wine In Italy
Portofino, Liguria: Bisson
On the Ligurian Riviera, Bisson Winery has made waves with its pioneering underwater-aged sparkling wine, Abissi. Founded by Pierluigi Lugano — a former sommelier turned winemaker — Bisson has earned a reputation for bold experimentation.
The winery submerges bottles of Abissi Spumante Brut 60 meters below the surface in the Portofino Marine Protected Area, where they remain for 13 months. The result? An elegant spumante with fine bubbles, a delicate saline note, and remarkable complexity.
Beyond taste, these bottles are a visual spectacle. Encrusted with shells and barnacles after their time underwater, they are as much a piece of art as they are a tribute to Liguria’s stunning coastline.
Alghero, Sardinia: Cantina Santa Maria La Palma
In the northwest corner of Sardinia, the picturesque town of Alghero is home to Cantina Santa Maria La Palma, a cooperative winery with deep ties to the region’s viticultural heritage. The winery’s flagship project, L’Akènta, is a sparkling Vermentino wine aged beneath the waters of the Protected Marine Area of Capo Caccia: Isola Piana.
L’Akènta Sub (a special edition of this spumante) is aged for months underwater, benefiting from the constant temperature, low light and natural movement of the sea. The result is a refined and vibrant wine with enhanced minerality and effervescence.
Visitors to Alghero can experience not just the wine but also the breathtaking beauty of the coastline, known for its dramatic cliffs, turquoise waters and secluded beaches. L’Akènta Sub has become a symbol of Sardinia’s innovative spirit and its deep connection to the Mediterranean Sea.
Isola d’Elba, Tuscany: Antonio Arrighi
On the sun-drenched island of Elba, winemaker Antonio Arrighi has revived an ancient winemaking tradition inspired by historical accounts of the Etruscans using the sea to preserve wine. But instead of submerging bottles, Arrighi places freshly harvested Ansonica grapes in wicker baskets and immerses them in Elba’s clear waters for several days.
The saltwater gently removes the waxy coating on the grape skins, enhancing their ability to sun-dry while acting as a natural preservative through osmosis. After drying under the sun, the grapes are fermented and aged for six months in Tuscan terracotta amphorae.
The result is Nesos: a wine that captures the essence of Elba’s sun sea, and soil. The flavor profile is both mineral-driven and evocative of the island’s maritime heritage.
Read more: Discover Elba and the islands of the Tuscan archipelago here.
Brisighella, Emilia-Romagna: Tenuta del Paguro
Far from the typical coastal vineyards, Tenuta del Paguro in Emilia-Romagna has found a surprising connection between winemaking and the sea. Their wines are aged in the submerged remains of the Paguro platform, an offshore structure that sank in the Adriatic in 1965 and has since become a thriving marine habitat.
The winery’s name, meaning “hermit crab” in Italian, reflects this unique underwater ecosystem. The Adriatic’s cool temperatures and steady currents enhance the structure and complexity of their wines, including Pagurus Red Blend and Pagurus Spumante — each a distinctive expression of both land and sea.
Isola di Sant’Erasmo, Venice: Orto
On Sant’Erasmo — often called the “vegetable garden” of Venice — Orto produces wines that reflect the unique terroir of the Venetian lagoon. The island’s mineral-rich soil, shaped by the surrounding brackish waters, gives their wines a naturally fresh and saline quality.
Rooted in tradition yet forward-thinking, Orto blends centuries-old Venetian agricultural practices with innovative winemaking. Their Orto Bianco and Orto Rosso already capture the essence of the lagoon, but their latest project takes it a step further: selected bottles are aged underwater, where the gentle movement of the tides and saltwater influence their character.
This aging process not only enhances the wine’s maritime notes but also reinforces its deep connection to Venice’s land and sea.
