Rare Foods & Subsea Estate Wines – Augusta, Margaret River
Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Han Sen Hau
You may have heard of aging bottled wine beneath the waves, but how about actually using the sea as a cellar for secondary fermentation? The recovery of a shipwreck in 2010 carrying French Champagne, submerged in the depths for 170 years had wine lovers questioning, “Is it drinkable?” The answer was surprising—it wasn’t just drinkable; it surpassed expectations with an elegance that rivaled land-aged vintages. Thus, a new method of maturation was born. Subsea Estate has taken this concept to uncharted depths. Not only do they age bottles under the sea, but their latest venture sees their wine undergoing secondary fermentation in vats submerged beneath the waves. One sip reveals the transformation. There’s an undeniable magic to this method—proof you’ll only believe when you taste it for yourself.
Subsea Estate Wines
Sharing the pristine waters of Flinders Bay with Rare Foods Australia (more on that later), Subsea Estate is pioneering a novel approach to winemaking. Under the leadership of founder Brad Adams, premium Margaret River grapes are carefully selected for their wines, which undergo a secondary fermentation process while submerged on the ocean bed. Custom-designed vats are deployed by specialist divers. The wines are then left to mature under the constant temperature, darkness, gentle motion of ocean swells, and hydrostatic pressure of the deep. This endeavour is a partnership with French winemakers, Winereef, who have spent over 17 years perfecting the craft of subsea winemaking. Subsea Estate’s inaugural deep-sea immersion took place in May 2024, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Australian winemaking. You can imagine how excited Han Sen and I are to be some of the first around the globe to get a taste of their first vintage!
Subsea Estate currently offers a “Pure Ocean” range, featuring Semillon and Shiraz that have been solely aged underwater, and their “Land & Ocean” collection, which blends wines matured in the ocean with those traditionally cellared on land. The “Pure Ocean” wines represent the purest expression of their subsea winemaking philosophy, while the “Land & Ocean” range offers a balance between the two distinct maturation processes. They’re then fined, filtered and bottled on land, and available for tasting and sale at the Ocean Pantry cellar door.
The unique underwater environment influences the character of Subsea Estate wines. The constant motion of the ocean currents keeps the yeast in suspension during the secondary fermentation, allowing for a more complete interaction with the wine. Underwater pressure encourages the yeasts to release distinctive flavour compounds that are not typically found in land-aged wines. The consistent temperature and darkness of the ocean floor also contribute to a slower and more nuanced maturation. Increased pressure may even accelerate certain aging processes, and some suggest that the wines can develop a subtle hint of salinity or minerality, reflecting their oceanic terroir.
We taste the difference, especially with the Semillon. The Land & Ocean blend is superb drinking, vibrant with bright citrus, an awesome warm weather patio-sipper. However, we swear we detect ocean spray in the Pure Ocean Semillon, increased elegance and additional texture.
The Land and Ocean Shiraz 2023 is complex with loads of fruit, cherry and spice, followed by soft tannins. The Pure Ocean Shiraz 2023 exhibits similar notes of cherry and spice but the tannins feel softened and the flavours more integrated.
Rare Foods Australia
Rare Foods Australia, sharing the ocean bed with Subsea Estate, bridges sustainable aquaculture with subsea winemaking. The enterprise is recognised as the world’s only wild enhanced fishery certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to produce premium Greenlip abalone. This unique variety is distinguished by its striking green-tinted lip—a feature that signals a nutrient-rich profile.
Beginning in a land-based hatchery, juvenile abalone are nurtured before being transferred to specially designed artificial reefs within a protected marine park. Here they graze on seaweed that drift in from the Indian and Southern Oceans, taking three to four years to reach maturity. This method of cultivation, a hybrid of aquaculture and wild harvesting, aims to replicate the natural environment of wild abalone while ensuring a more consistent and sustainable supply.
Harvested from pristine waters, the abalones are tender, yet firm in texture, and balanced with a subtle brininess and natural sweetness. Living in Asia for well over two decades, I’ve dined on abalone many times. However, it’s never been appealing … until now. Sliced and stir-fried with Asian spices like ginger, chilli and garlic, the texture becomes delightfully tender, accompanied by a flavour that subtly echoes the sweetness of a scallop. I will never eat a steamed abalone (rubbery, crunchy, flavourless) again now that I’ve seen the light! It’s going to be green-lipped or nothing for this fusspot.
Subsea Estate Cellar Door
The Subsea Estate Cellar Door showcases freshly cooked abalone, artisanal baked treats, barista-made coffee and Subsea Estate wines, all set against a backdrop of harbour views and the natural beauty of Flinders Bay. Visitors can purchase tasting flights, with the initial outlay taken off any wine purchased by the bottle. When paired together, Rare Foods green lip abalone and Subsea Estate wines create a dialogue between land and sea. The delicate, almost ethereal flavour of the abalone is complemented by the crisp, refined notes of the Semillon. The natural sweetness inherent in the abalone finds balance in the wine’s zesty acidity.
Subsea Estate Wines & Rare Foods Australia
Rare Foods Australia’s green lip abalone and Subsea Estate wines tell a unique story of the ocean’s bounty and human ingenuity. From the sustainable cultivation of a prized delicacy to the pioneering art of underwater wine aging, these products offer discerning travelers an invitation to explore the extraordinary flavours and experiences that await at the intersection of land and sea.
Reasons to visit Rare Foods & Subsea Estate: a rare chance to taste wines aged under the sea; exquisite green-lipped abalone that will change your perception of the mollusc forever; gorgeous location – the nearby cape where the two oceans meet is recognized by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful views in the world.
Subsea Estate & Rare Foods Australia
Augusta Boat Harbour, Flinders Bay, Western Australia
Link to Rare Foods Australia & Subsea Estate on Google Maps
[email protected]
+61 417910023
rarefoodsaustralia.com.au
@rarefoodsausau
Subsea Estate Cellar Door Hours
Daily: 9 am – 4 pm
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