A 19th-century shipwreck is filled with Champagne bottles and Sweden won’t allow anyone a sip

Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Swedish officials say no one will be allowed to fish out any of the nearly 100 bottles of 19th-century Champagne and mineral water nestled in a shipwreck off southern Sweden without proper authorization. Though the wreck’s location has been known since 2016, it was only on July 11 that Polish scuba divers found the precious cargo. Wine and water experts have been vying to carry out laboratory tests on the contents of the bottles. However, Swedish authorities put their foot down Wednesday and labeled the sunken ship “an ancient relic” which the county says requires “a clear and strong protection” to remain intact.