GRAPE EXPECTATIONS
When it comes to enjoying wine at sea, cruise lines are continually enhancing their offerings — both on board and on shore — making it a major part of cruising for wine lovers. Years ago, wine at sea often meant perusing a short wine list at a ship’s rest
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE LIST, BUT THE EXPERIENCE AS WELL, AND GETTING IN ON THE ACTION IS WHAT TODAY’S TRAVELERS SEEK.
TH E G I ST O F BE T T E R L I STS
WINE LISTS ARE BETTER THAN EVER when it comes to the number and variety of options, and many lines take pride in serving special wines. For example, veteran cruisers might be surprised at the oenophile- oriented offerings aboard Carnival Cruise Line ships.
“We taste thousands of wines every year in an effort to offer some of the best wines available to our guests,” says Eddie Allen, vice president of beverage operations for the line.
Allen recommends two of his favorites for Carnival guests: Grgich Hills Chardonnay and Cherry Tart Pinot Noir. When dining in one of the line’s premium steakhouses, he orders a Heitz Cabernet with his favorite cut, the ribeye. Allen also recommends trying the Enomatic wine dispensers aboard Carnival
Vista, Carnival Breeze, and Carnival Sunshine, as well as Kathie Lee Gifford’s three popular Gifft wines ( Red Blend, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir Rosé), produced in consultation with California-based Scheid Family Wines.
Disney Cruise Line isn’t kidding around when it comes to its wine lists, either. Remy, the gourmet French restaurant aboard
Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream, actually
features two wine lists: one with nearly 200 selections of mostly French wines from nearly every region in the country, and one called “Remy’s Vault,” which is an exclusive list of less than two dozen rare wines from around the world (including a ’47 Cheval Blanc and a ’61 Latour). In Palo, the line’s upscale Italianinspired restaurant, the wine list is almost exclusively Italian and features a wide selection of Super Tuscans.
When a cruise line has Italian roots, wine lovers should expect vino excellence. Costa Cruises’ popular “Italy’s Finest” program brings iconic Italian food and beverage brands on board, including Italian wines. Ferrari brand wines are featured on all Costa ships, with the famed Ferrari label from northern Italy’s Trentino region in bars and restaurants. Costa neoRomantica and Costa Diadema offer Enoteca Verona and Enoteca Gran Duca di Toscana wine bars, respectively. Enoteca is Italian for “wine repository” and these popular bars typically feature lists with 80-plus labels from more than 50 Italian wineries, which are paired with high-quality cheeses and meats. Costa’s new flagship, Costa Dia
dema, also features a prosecco bar called Bar Bollicine, with its own wine list.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE LIST, BUT THE experience as well, and getting in on the action is what many of today’s travelers seek. Holland America Line’s ms Koningsdam features a unique opportunity at BLEND. Offered in collaboration with the acclaimed Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington state’s oldest winery, the intimate venue lets guests blend their own wine and then enjoy it at dinner or in the privacy of their staterooms.
BLEND’s tasting table accommodates up to 10 participants who create their own blend from a selection of five barrels of single-barrel red wine. In addition to the blending process, participants will learn from the ship’s Chateau Ste. Michelle–trained wine expert, who leads the session.
MSC Cruises, in partnership with Blend Craft Wine, offers a “Virtual Winery at Sea” aboard MSC Divina. Onboard activities include the Winemaker Experience ( guests create, bottle, and label their own wine, with the option to make a cask to take home); Winemaker Dinner (combining the Winemaker Experience with an interactive group dining event that includes a blind tasting and