Is Wine Aged Under The Ocean The Next Big Thing?

Under the sea....down where (the wine is) better? Mira Winery in Charleston, South Carolina is attempting to revolutionize the winemaking process by making wine under the ocean. Since last year, Mira Winery has been aging bottles of wine for 6 months at a time 60 feet below the ocean's surface in specially-designed cages. They call it Aqaoir, or the interaction between a submerged bottle of wine and the watery environment (light, pressure, air, etc.) around it.

"We do not want to limit the discussion of Aquaoir to just our experiment, rather the possibilities that exist from aging wine in the water anywhere, and what the connection might be between those unique characteristics as the wine ages and its final taste," said Jim Dyke Jr., president of Mira winery, in a statement.

Right now, Mira Winery is submerging their wines locally in Charleston Harbor. The experiment, as the winery is calling it, will understand underwater aging's impact on the taste of the wine, and sommeliers are on-hand to directly compare the before and after results. The first ocean-aged wines are on sale for Mira club members, and will be released to the public soon. 

Joanna Fantozzi is an Associate Editor with The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @JoannaFantozzi