Last month we posted about the Ketch Bessie-Ellen carrying French wine to the Festival of Valleys in Ballyvaughan, in Ireland’s County Claire.   The Bessie-Ellen will soon set sail on a new 21-day voyage, carrying 20,000 bottles of Château Smith Lafite and Château de Cayx Bordeaux, from Bordeaux, France to Montreal, Canada.

20,000 bottles of wine transported to North America by sailing ship

The sailing ship being used, the 120-foot (36.5 meter) Bessie-Ellen was built in 1904 in Portsmouth, England, and is one of the last remaining vessels of its kind.

Frederic Albert CEO of CMTV, the maritime transport company behind the voyage, explained that the reason for using a sailing ship was to reduce carbon emissions and transport wine in a more ecologically friendly way. Though the bottles have already been sold, Albert states that on the ship’s arrival on August 26, a reception committee will be held in Montreal and visitors will have a chance to tour the ship itself and sample a glass of wine. Previously CMTV has transported wine from the Languedoc region in France to Ireland aboard its own fleet of sailing ships; the company claims this made it the first of its kind in France to make a public commitment to a sustainable development project.

Thanks to the Tall Ship & Traditional Sail Professionals Linked-in group for the heads up.