Recent Complimentary Wines

[DCCruiser57]

My wife and I just return from a B2B 10 day Canada New England cruise on the Silver Whisper. Here are the "featured" complimentary wines that were listed on the dinner menu each day in the dining room. There were other complimentary wines, but I did not get the list. I believe these were also offered at lunch. Not sure if they were the same offered in La Terraza. Interestingly they also offered 10 different wine packages ranging in price from $125 to $850. One package was a "New World" Pinot Noir that was $200 for 5 different wines.

 

Day 1 (Both legs)

Santa Helena Chardonnay 2011 (Maipo Valley, Chile)

Santa Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (Maipo Valley, Chile)

 

Day 2

Anakena Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Central Valley, Chile) – 1st leg

Baglio Del Sole Inzoika 2010 (Sicily, Italy) – 2nd leg

Anakena Merlot 2010 (Ralph Valley, Chile) – both legs

 

Day 3 (1st leg missing)

Chateau La Fleur Bellevue 2009 (Bordeaux, France)

Gerard Bertrand Minervois Syrah Carignan 2008 (Languedoc, France)

 

Day 4

The Crusher Chardonnay 2009 (Clarksburg, California)- 1st leg

Frescobaldi Fumaio Sauvignon Chardonnay – 2nd leg

Il Trio Nebbiolo Barbera Dolcetto 2008 (Piedmont, Italy) – 1st leg

Man Vinters Pinotage 2009 (Coastal, South Africa) – 2nd leg

 

Day 5

Librandi Ciro Bianco 2010 (Calabria, Italy) – 1st leg

Molino Di Sant Antimo Chardonnay 2010 (Tuscany, Italy ) – 2nd Leg

Gerard Bertrand Corbieres Grenach-Syrah Mourvedre 2008 (Languedoc, France) – 1st leg

Leopoldi Di D’Aria 2007 (Tuscany, Italy) – 2nd leg

 

Day 6

Chateau La Fleur Bellevue 2009 (Bordeaux, France) – 1st leg

La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Loire Valley, France) – 2nd leg

ECO Carmenere D.O. 2009 (Valle de Colchagua, Chile) – 1st leg

Heretat Vall Ventos DOM Reserva 2004 ( Penedes Cataluna, Spain) – 2nd leg

 

Day 7

Suoi Gavi Cortese D.O.C.G. 2009 (Piedmont, Italy) – 1st leg

Molino Di Sant Antimo Chardonnay 2010 (Tuscany, Italy ) – 2nd Leg

Maserie Pasari Primitivo 2009 ( Salento Puglia, Italy) – 1st leg

Leopoldi Di D’Aria 2007 (Tuscany, Italy) – 2nd leg

 

Day 8

Conundrum By Caymus Vineyards 2009 (Rutherford, California) – 1st leg

Anakena Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Central Valley, Chile) – 2nd leg

Parducci Zinfandel 2007 (Mendocino Valley, California) – 1st leg

Anakena Carmenere 2010 (Ralph Valley, Chile) – 2nd leg

 

Day 9

Klipfel Reisling 2009 (Alsac, France) – 1st leg

Conundrum By Caymus Vineyards 2009 (Rutherford, California) – 2nd leg

Anakena Carmenere 2010 (Ralph Valley, Chile) – 1st leg

Baglio Del Sole Nero D’Avola 2009 (Sicily, Italy) – 2nd leg

 

Day 10

Sant Antimo Chardonnay 2010 (Tuscany, Italy) – 1st leg

Domaine Lebrun Pouilly Fume 2009 (Loire Valley, France) – 2nd leg

Baglio Del Sole Nero D’Avola 2009 (Sicily, Italy) – 1st leg

Chateau Le Bernat Puisseguin – Saint Emilton 2005 (Bordeaux, France) 2nd leg

 

Hope everyone finds this helpful!

[WesW]

very helpful, thanks for taking the time to post.

[Northerncheapo]

Thank you so much, that was very nice of you to take the time to type all of that out!

 

I appreciate the list, thank you!!

 

If I may ask...what is a wine package? Is this when I can purchase (perhaps) higher quality wines and they're served throughout my time on board or are they 'samplings' of a variety of wines all served at one sitting?

 

Anita

[DCCruiser57]

The wine packages are various combinations of bottles from the connoisseur wine list. I'm going to post the list as a separate post.

[CASHIPman]

The wine packages are various combinations of bottles from the connoisseur wine list. I'm going to post the list as a separate post.

 

Interesting. I hadn't known Silversea to offer wine packages. Is this new?

[DCCruiser57]

Not sure if it is new or not as this was only our 3th/4th cruise with Silversea. It may have been unique to our voyages.

[billcrooz]

Not sure if it is new or not as this was only our 3th/4th cruise with Silversea. It may have been unique to our voyages.

 

We will be on the Whisper the 30th, who's the C.D. On board and who's holding down the bar?

[DCCruiser57]

Here's a list of key personnel that were on our cruise:

Captain Gennaro Arma

Cruise Director - Don Fluke

Executive Chef - Dnis Bettinger

Sommelier - Norman Lucas

Bar Manager - Myra

Restaurant Manager - Ali Yilmazturk

 

Hope this helps!

[Silver Spectre]

Rather surprised to see Don Fluke back as cruise director, IMHO the poorest CD that SS have ever used.

 

By the way, was there any NZ Sauvignon Blanc available on the complimentary list.

[billcrooz]

Rather surprised to see Don Fluke back as cruise director, IMHO the poorest CD that SS have ever used.

 

By the way, was there any NZ Sauvignon Blanc available on the complimentary list.

 

Never heard of this guy, is he new?

[Northerncheapo]

Thanks, DC, I look forward to the seperate list.

 

You've been most helpful!

 

Anita

[DCCruiser57]

Silver Spectre - not sure if they had any NZ Sauvignon Blanc or not as I did not see the complete list nor did I ask. I would agree that Don wasn't all that good. Interestingly he did a pre dinner show where he sang about 10 songs or so for about 30 minutes. And surprisingly on some of the songs he was pretty good.

[brimary]

Silver Spectre - not sure if they had any NZ Sauvignon Blanc or not as I did not see the complete list nor did I ask. I would agree that Don wasn't all that good. Interestingly he did a pre dinner show where he sang about 10 songs or so for about 30 minutes. And surprisingly on some of the songs he was pretty good.

We were informed on recent Cloud cruise there would be oo NZ Savingon Blanc ...cost issue. The Chilean Sav Blanc was an adequate substitute but the French one was like vinegar.Wine is a persnal taste thing but on the whole the complementaries were acceptable..

[Silver Spectre]

Silver Spectre - not sure if they had any NZ Sauvignon Blanc or not as I did not see the complete list nor did I ask. I would agree that Don wasn't all that good. Interestingly he did a pre dinner show where he sang about 10 songs or so for about 30 minutes. And surprisingly on some of the songs he was pretty good.

 

If I remember correctly his background is Carnival. I never heard him sing but his Trivia was awful and his general demeanour somewhat below par.

[Silver Spectre]

We were informed on recent Cloud cruise there would be oo NZ Savingon Blanc ...cost issue. The Chilean Sav Blanc was an adequate substitute but the French one was like vinegar.Wine is a persnal taste thing but on the whole the complementaries were acceptable..

 

Thanks for the update Brimary. This was the situation when on the Wind earlier this year and I am not that surprised, just disappointed that for the sake of a $ or two that the quality of the complimentary wines continue their downward trajectory.

[spotlottydog]

We were informed on recent Cloud cruise there would be oo NZ Savingon Blanc ...cost issue. The Chilean Sav Blanc was an adequate substitute but the French one was like vinegar.Wine is a persnal taste thing but on the whole the complementaries were acceptable..

 

 

I will be VERY upset if there is no complimentary NZ Sauv on board The Cloud next month, as it is all I drink. (Oh except champagne of course.) It does not have to be expensive - I am happy with Villa Maria, I dont need Cloudy Bay.

I am off to email my TA now!

[Jaffa]

Yes the wine packages have been available for as long as l can remember. At least since 99

The only difference that l have seen over the years is that originally the packs came in mixes of 6.

Also the six packs started at around $400 US and went up in $200 lots up as high as $2000

 

It was about 4/5 years ago l think when they reduced most of the packs to 3's and the price also came down somewhat.

 

It was about that time when l stoped ordering the packs and every other day sort of l started ordering off the vintage cellar list which is quite extensive and a lot of fun.

Whilst l cannot remember the name the most costly bottle l seen was a bordeaux at $12000 US.

One thing l did like about cellar ordering was the full wine service.

The sommelier would visit my suite late afternoon (at my request) with the cellar list and menu's and we would discuss choices and he (it was mostly he's until about 5 years ago) would offer comment and recomendations.

 

After my choice was made he would have the wine breathe for at least 2 hrs and then when l was seated for dinner where-ever, he would decant tableside with the appropriate ritual (depending on the wine) and serve.

He would then take responsibilty for wine service for that wine for the whole meal.

I very much enjoyed my wine foray's.

 

However, over the past 2/3 years l have found the sommeliers onboard to be lacking the experience and knowledge of those from recent past. They also lack the panache that normally associates with good wine management and service standards

 

Worldwide good sommeliers are now very hard to find and demand top wage contracts.

When l have bought up the issue onboard with hotel managers they contsantly tell me it is one of the hardest positions to fill onboard. Poaching somm's in hospitality has been legendary now for years.

I have also been told if they don't have a top notch somm it affects cellar sales and Monaco head office is always asking questions.

 

I think as more people worldwide discover the joys of good wine the problem will only get worse. The sheer variety of wine producers and new country's with burgoning wine industry's means it is almost impossible for a somm to be up on whats going on with the detail needed to forfill the job with excellence.

[CASHIPman]

Yes the wine packages have been available for as long as l can remember. At least since 99

The only difference that l have seen over the years is that originally the packs came in mixes of 6.

Also the six packs started at around $400 US and went up in $200 lots up as high as $2000

 

Inneresting! We'll be going on our 15th Silversea trip in January and never realized they offered wine packages. Part of the reason for this lack of knowledge may be that we often bring our own wines on board.

 

How do the packages work? For a flat fee the sommelier chooses the wines or does it open up the entire Connoisseur's wine list?

[DCCruiser57]

CASHIPman - we actually got a flyer with a listing of the various packages. See my separate post for a list of the packages and the cost.

[wripro]

To tell the truth most of the people they label "sommeliers" are waiters to whom they've given a bit of wine training, mostly about what they have on board. They would be hard pressed to carry on a real conversation about wine in general if they had to. SS used to always have at least one true sommelier on each cruise but haven't seen one lately. This could just be my bad luck as they may still be around.

[CASHIPman]

To tell the truth most of the people they label "sommeliers" are waiters to whom they've given a bit of wine training, mostly about what they have on board. They would be hard pressed to carry on a real conversation about wine in general if they had to. SS used to always have at least one true sommelier on each cruise but haven't seen one lately. This could just be my bad luck as they may still be around.

 

You're absolutely correct with this. SS used to always have a pretty competent sommelier on board. Nowadays sometimes it seems to be whoever best fits the jacket. I don't think any of us expect Georges V expertise but SOME expertise would be welcome.

 

We did have a sommelier on our last cruise who was, by no means an expert but REALLY wanted to learn more and would study wines on his off time. That was nice to see.

[wripro]

Craig,

 

I'm sure Will was happy to educate him as best he could.

[spotlottydog]

I will be VERY upset if there is no complimentary NZ Sauv on board The Cloud next month, as it is all I drink. (Oh except champagne of course.) It does not have to be expensive - I am happy with Villa Maria, I dont need Cloudy Bay.

I am off to email my TA now!

 

 

Just had confirmation that there are 2 NZ sauvignon currently being served (complimentary) on the Cloud. Phew - panic over