Antique Effervescence

Bubbles aren't known for longevity and durability, but in the hands of skilled winemakers it seems they can last over 180 years. The cork on the world's oldest bottle of champagne, an 1825 Perrier-Jouet, was popped at a ceremony at the winemaker's cellars in Epernay, France, in celebration of a new vintage being released. A dozen of the world's top tasters attended, and agreed the wine was better than the younger vintages. British wine writer John Stimpfig described to the BBC the "reverential silence" as Perrier-Jouet cellar master Herve Deschamps uncorked the bottle and the round of applause as he poured the wine that has been around since before Victoria was queen. "It was a memorable evening, and tasting the wine was like tasting history in a bottle," he told the BBC. Deschamps told the BBC he doesn't expect he'll ever open another bottle like it. Serena Sutcliffe, the head of Sotheby's international wine department, described the wine to the BBC as "addictive," with a complex flavour of figs and even a "slight nose of the sea." She said it was the bubbles that kept the wine young. Experts say the sweetness allowed the wine to survive for so long, along with the five to six atmospheres of pressure within the bottle. Whether the last two bottles of the 1825 that are left would be as drinkable is uncertain; Sutcliffe says it depends a lot on the cork. It will likely be some time before anyone has the chance to find out, however, as Perrier-Jouet has no plans to open those bottles soon.