12 Causes Why Cunard Is the #1 Selection for Wine Followers That Like to Cruise – All Issues Cruise

“Life is just too brief to drink unhealthy wine.” My spouse and I are severe wine followers. We’re additionally loyal passengers on Cunard, having accomplished our nineteenth voyage in January. As severe wine followers we learn the Wine Spectator cowl to cowl. Cunard just lately ran an advert on this wine journal which attracts a demographic with loads of disposable revenue. It received me considering why, as a positive wine fan, Cunard is a perfect selection for fellow wine followers.

Allow us to take a look at the explanations:

1. Bottles you can’t discover elsewhere. The letters to the editor within the Wine Spectator sometimes complain they overview wines from small properties and tiny distributions within the US. These are sometimes snapped up by collectors. The wine listing on Cunard is big! They typically have the massive names you can’t discover elsewhere like Domaine De La Romanee Conti Montrachet and Chateau Petrus.
2. Attempt the best wines by the glass. Cunard ships have Coravin wine preservation methods. They’ll supply first progress Bordeaux wines by the glass! In addition they supply a tasting flight of the 5 first progress Bordeaux wines. It runs $450, as I recall. You won’t wish to pay up for a bottle again residence, however right here you possibly can no less than have a style.
3. Restaurant service, retail pricing. I’ve seen a few examples the place wanted wines like Domaine Leflaive Macon Verze, promoting for about $75 in US shops are promoting near that worth onboard. We ordered it in December on our Caribbean cruise at about $75.00. (We noticed it on a NYC wine listing priced about $210.) Chateau Musar, a well-known wine from Lebanon is priced about $60 in US shops and $75 onboard. There are some positive wine bargains if you understand the place to look.
4. The worth in search of wine fan has loads of selection. One other matter readers write to Wine Spectator about is the necessity for options on fairly priced wines. The wine listing on Cunard ships presents loads of wines priced beneath $45. As I recall, Muscadet, a well-liked white wine from the Loire Valley in France, runs within the low $30’s onboard. I’ve typically thought, if we took the world cruise, we may drink completely different “underneath $45 bottles” earlier than we would have liked to start out repeating them.
5. Cunard anticipates passenger preferences. Now suppose you’re German, crusing from Hamburg and that is your first Cunard voyage. You want wine however want German wine as a result of it’s acquainted. Cunard is aware of they should inventory loads of Riesling as a result of it’s Germany’s most well-known grape varietal.
6. You realize actual champagne. Sure, you understand Prosecco is fashionable. The Spanish are doing wonders with Cava. You realize true champagne solely comes from the Champagne area of France. The Queen Mary 2 has a Laurent Perrier Champagne Bar and that is the featured champagne onboard. A bottle runs about $80, served at your desk. Are you able to get an $80 champagne in a restaurant again residence? No.
7. You want wine and meals pairings. On each voyage, Cunard does a lunch and study. The Verandah Steakhouse is the venue for a 5 course multi wine occasion lasting about 2.5 hours. Once we sit down at dinner on the primary evening, I ask: “When is the lunch and study” and e-book my slot. It’s priced about $80/particular person. Each the wine and meals are nice. As a bonus, I’ve met actually attention-grabbing individuals too.
8. The upper finish wine tasting. Our wine steward instructed me concerning the $120/head wine tasting. There was no meal, solely canapes. It was a sit-down occasion. As a substitute of accommodating dozens, just like the lunch and study, it was restricted to about ten individuals! $120 isn’t low cost! Why wouldn’t it be price it? I gave it a strive. They opened about eight wines, all pinot noirs. Half have been from the best priced pinot noir area on the earth, Burgundy. It’s a possibility to strive wines you would wish to spend so much to accumulate in any other case.
9. Does port final ceaselessly? I’ve heard it stated the one factor you are able to do to destroy a bottle of port is to hit it towards the aspect of a ship. (FYI: Champagne is used for christenings.) Port is a fortified wine, which means it has some brandy added. It’s a pink wine loved over dessert or as a course in itself. The port bar on Queen Mary 2 has bottles relationship again to 1840.
10. The bin finish listing. Wine lists typically change with the seasons. Wines come off the listing. On occasion, the ship places collectively a listing of those wines, promoting them at a reduction. Ask your wine steward if the bin finish listing is offered. We now have found some good finds, requested what number of bottles they’ve and ordered upfront for future meals on the voyage.
11. No gross sales tax. Whenever you purchase wine in a restaurant again residence, gross sales tax is a part of the price. In some cities it may be 9% plus. At sea, you don’t have any gross sales tax, though you do have an automated gratuity added.
12. You possibly can convey your cellar treasures. As a positive wine fan, you could have bottles you could have been saving for an important day. The positive print within the passage contract mentions passengers are allowed to convey one or two bottles for particular events. These can solely be consumed in your cabin or the eating room. The ship expenses a modest $25 corkage price. When I’ve requested in NYC, corkage is $50/bottle. (or increased) You wish to pair your positive wine with a positive meal. Now’s your likelihood.

As an FYI, we share our positive wines with out tablemates. We additionally go away a couple of quarter of the bottle for the sommelier and their teammates to style at their leisure. Wine followers prefer to share and it builds goodwill.

For extra details about Cunard Line and Cunard ships Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria, and Queen Anne, click on right here https://www.cruisecompete.com/traces/cunard_cruises.html

Cowl Picture: credit score Bryce Sanders