The most exotic town in France: Wine filled the sea floor

With the town of Saint-Malo, it is said that the sea has permeated the cultural life of the people here, making everything "salty" . Even wine is "salty" , because it is soaked in the sea instead of stored in the cellar.

If you are in Saint-Malo town, Ille-et-Vilaine province, France's Bretagne region, even if you have not seen the sea yet, you will still feel the encirclement of the ocean.

The town is soaked with the taste of the sea

People like St-Malo by ancient fortresses, and also like Bretagne because of its long history. From the 1st century BC, this place was a busy, bustling port city. Even now, it still invites visitors to visit.

The beautiful town of Saint-Malo.

Because of its position with the highest tide in Europe, St-Malo was constantly hit by strong waves to hit the ancient walls of granite walls. However, instead of being afraid, local residents - Malouin people - joked that it was a passionate kiss between the sea and the land.

Every summer, visitors from the UK cross the English Channel to St-Malo, while the French went down the Rance to reach the mouth of the river but stopped by the town of the ancient fortress. In this place, they felt the deepest influence of the sea.

The sea permeated Malouin's culture and identity, making everything salty.

Small testing turns into a new tradition

"When I was in St-Malo, even when I couldn't see the sea, I could still feel" her. "I always knew" she "was right here." - Yannick Heude, who created a new tradition, brewed Undersea wine disclosed.

It was also because of the apparent presence of the sea that every food and drink at St-Malo seemed to smell like the ocean. It was as if the sea had penetrated into the soil, into the water, into the hearts of the chefs. And then in a boat trip on the sea, Heude suddenly wanted to realize the idea of ​​brewing alcohol in the heart of salt water.

Soak alcohol in sea water.

The day Heude decided to use the sea for wine was only 15 years ago. According to him, a friend on the same boat that day because he wanted some special wine to celebrate the birth of his next son said, "Hey, what if I drank some wine under water? huh".

And Heude replied, "If you like it, then let me do it."

Any doubt that little experiment became a new tradition of St-Malo. Not only that, it also developed into a national phenomenon.

A taste of wine contains both ocean and land

Today, visitors to St-Malo, if on the right occasion (because brewing under the sea needs 12 months but after only 6 months of burning goods), they can enjoy wine soaked under the sea . After a little experiment 15 years ago, Heude regularly brought wine to be brewed under the sea every year.

Of course, in addition to temporary excitement, he also relied on scientific knowledge. Off the coast of Brittany, where Heude drenched wine under a water depth of 15m, ocean temperatures were always at 9-10 degrees Celsius, equivalent to the temperature in an underground cellar. Seawater will also help prevent UV rays from entering.

Sea water helps prevent UV rays from hitting the bottle.

In addition, he also took advantage of the strong tide phenomenon. Because it is up and down every day, the reverse currents will cause the bottles to slowly tilt to the right, upright, slowly tilting to the left.

This process is similar to the technique of making champagne. Alcohol sludge will settle on both sides of the bottle and bottom, making the taste a little richer every day.

The wine under the sea needs 12 months but after 6 months, it has burned.

Each year, Heude also changes the type of wine to soak in the sea. Because the taste of each wine became different after being picked up, he enjoyed it.

"In the wine that is brewed at the bottom of the sea seems to have everything," Heude said. "There is wine, shrimp, scallops, fish, spring vegetables, fresh potatoes. Everything is in it. It really has everything."