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THE FIRST "UNDERWATER" WINE IS BORN IN THE WATERS OF ISCHIA
La Pietra Di Tommasone presents an unprecedented oenological innovation on the island: the first classic method sparkling wine in Southern Italy aged on the seabed of Casamicciola Terme.
Not only in the cellar, wine can also be aged in the depths of the sea. Since 2021, after obtaining the necessary permits from the government (Coast Guard, Marine Protected Regno Di Nettuno and Municipality of Casamicciola Terme) and receiving the state concession, on 02 October 2021 about 500 bottles of Ischia Bianco Spumante Dop vintage 2020 were immersed and positioned at a depth of 40m one mile from the coast in the waters of Casamicciola Terme. On December 28, 2023, after 27 months of underwater aging, the bottles emerged.
Tommasone is the first and, at the moment, the only winery in Ischia to have created a real winery on the bottom of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
WHY AGING UNDERWATER?
In the sea waters, a particular microclimate is created characterized by a constant temperature (14°C), a total absence of light and uniform underwater pressure that affects the pressure inside the bottle: these are the optimal conditions for the maturation of the sparkling wine during the second fermentation phase.
This underwater aging has made it possible to develop unique organoleptic characteristics, which cannot be replicated with traditional methods of aging in the cellar.
Underwater aging is an innovative technique that takes advantage of the unique characteristics of the marine environment to mature wine. The constant temperature and pressure conditions present at a depth of at least 40m provide an ideal environment for this process. At these depths, the water acts as a natural shield against changes in light and temperature, providing a stable, oxygen-free environment that slows down the aging of the wine and preserves its aromas.
One of the main differences between aging in the cellar and underwater aging is the temperature, which at sea remains constant all year round, around 14°C unlike in cellars, which can vary seasonally. This thermal stability allows the wine to evolve slowly and harmoniously, avoiding sudden changes that can stress the product.
In addition, the uniform pressure of the water at such depths is in fact another crucial factor. At 40m the pressure is about 4 atmospheres, which helps to keep the bottle caps hermetically sealed and can positively affect carbonation in the case of sparkling wines, making the bubbles finer and more persistent.
The underwater aging of wines has no environmental impact as only sustainable materials such as glass and steel are used, on the contrary, we have detected the birth of marine vegetation already a few months after immersion and where it was not present before.
The project
The production of wine is an ancient tradition that has always favored trade and is still widespread throughout the island of Ischia. The island itself, fostering a sense of close and supportive community, simultaneously creates the need for cultural and commercial exchange; The sea, which constantly reshapes a separation, simultaneously offers the possibility of reaching any place, thus promoting the perception of inclusion and connection. The students of the Scuola di Decorazione dell’Academia Di Belle Arti Di Napoli focused on these themes; Development and creation of small works, graphic and chromatic symbols, which, in the form of “art labels”, give that unmistakable touch to the fine wines of the Tommasone winery on the island of Ischia.
The work was preceded by a workshop that the students of the art academy carried out in October 2022 at the Buchner high school in Ischia, as a sign of active participation in the region by exchanging the topics with the younger generations. The project is part of the broader collaboration with Ottorino Mattera of Marina 10Boutique&Design Hotel, an entrepreneur who has always been interested in art, for the Xenia concept format that, since June 2022, has allowed the Art Academy to interact with the students and community of the island of Ischia.
This year, “Conviviality” follows the proposal of the concept of hospitality for the launch of this new phase of the project, in which the selected labels will be visible live on the bottles of Tommasone wines in spring 2024.
