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What Four Wines to Bring Aboard?


sminfiddle

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Yes yes. That is one reason I posted well in advance.

 

Let me say I have started those experiments (MWAH-hah-hah-haaaa :D ) and have learned a great deal since I started the thread. It astounded me that champagne was so versatile.

 

  • Still looking for personal recommendations and rationales.
  • VERY glad others are having fun with it too!

Rick

(fun fact - my last name begins with "Op" and I am called Rick Op by coworkers)

 

In the spirit (is that a pun) of helping out the OP we have decided to do some of our own tasting research :). Now if we can just keep our "experiementing" to one bottle per day !

 

Hank

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At least two bottles of Muehler Vineyards' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($30 - 40 when you can still find it) will be in the bring-aboard. Tried this one on Christmas Day and well, it will do the job with a nice marbled Crown Grill ribeye or thick porterhouse!

(or tamales, or our hearty sausage&rice stuffing as I discovered)

 

Costco's Kirkland champagne has a 90 on Wine Spectator (or the other one, not remembering) this year and was also shared on Christmas. It did not disappoint and I'll bring some for in-the-cabin toasting and my wife's Mimosas. We'll probably buy the ship's champagne in the dining room / restaurant when the menu calls for it.

 

U-Haul sells 6-bottle and 12-bottle (also 1, 2, or 3) wine shipping boxes. May be overkill since we are driving to port but will be handy for the return trip I imagine. Hmmm, 6 or 12? ;) Five of us are cruising, but one is 18 years old.

 

Rick

And if you're wondering, YES I will be bringing some Moxie :D

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I would not bring the Chateaunerf-du-Pape but would buy this wine onboard after you've finished your 4 bottles. I have found the $30+ CDPs have the lowest if any mark-up vs. land prices.

The $160+ Opus One is priced below land prices:) It's $229 at Total Wine and that's the cheapest I've seen. Typically $300+ at finer restaurants.

 

Opus One is over priced and over rated. It's worth about $50 a bottle. By the way, Canals has it for about $175--still not worth it though. Seriously, compare it to other Napa Bordeaux blends and I can name 10 off the top of my head that are better for a lot less money. For that matter any 2nd Growth is better and many of those can be found for 70% less.

 

If I was to bring 4 bottles aboard, they would be quality $25+ California/Napa reds as they seem to have the largest markups. Onboard, I would choose french reds and champagne.

 

Or you could bring things that aren't or are very under-represented--High end Syrah or anything from Washington State or South Africa.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Bring a Niagara ice wine to have with cheese and dessert. I'm contemplating this for my next cruise. It is a local wine for me. I'd be quite willing to share at the table, especially with those who have never had the pleasure of drinking ice wine (skip the ice wine with brandy blends though)

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Eh, Ice Wine and any of the stickies (especially Tokaji) aren't for everyone. I don't care for them, even the famed D'Yquem. If someone hasn't had ice wines before, that is not a bottle I'd suggest using up a meager allocation to carry on. Of course if it's something they've had and enjoy, then it might be a wise choice.

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  • Taking a 7-day cruise on Princess next Spring
  • Four adults means four bottles legitimately allowed
  • First dinner is at Crown Grill so one will be enjoyed there

I don't know much about nicer wines, or wine/food pairings but I do know there are some impressively wine-savvy cruise-goers here. We have a great store here, Spec's, which seems to be able to get pretty much anything.

 

:confused: Open to all suggestions, especially things that the sommelier will appreciate. I know they like to have some when a passenger brings something good.

If you can give reasons, that will help the most.

 

Just want to bring out the best in our meals, and make it worth the corking fee.

 

Rick (knows about coffee and computers)

I am also going on a Princess 17 day Cruise in April and I would like clarification is it only on embarking the ship for the first time that you can bring your bottle per person or is it allowed at each port you stop off on route. Thought I would try finding a wee off license store so that we could keep stocked at reasonable prices throughout the cruise.

 

Thanks

 

Ali x

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I am also going on a Princess 17 day Cruise in April and I would like clarification is it only on embarking the ship for the first time that you can bring your bottle per person or is it allowed at each port you stop off on route. Thought I would try finding a wee off license store so that we could keep stocked at reasonable prices throughout the cruise.

 

Thanks

 

Ali x

My trip is in March; I will buy both rum and wine in port and post my results here.

I seem to see people saying the liquor is taken for safekeeping when you re-board from a port of call, but wine and beer are allowed to be carried on.

 

At least two bottles of Muehler Vineyards' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($30 - 40 when you can still find it) will be in the bring-aboard.

Oh my, wish I had proofread that post - it is the Buehler Estate 2004 Cab, and it is very nice! Can't wait to have some properly decanted...

 

I appreciate all the advice and feel like I at least have a clue now. CC members gave me a great starting point and I am enjoying our experimentation!

 

Rick

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Rick

 

Rick, you might be pleased with some our own Texas wines, I've recently discovered a red - the wonderful Tempranillo wines made with grapes grown in Texas from wineries like Inwood Estates, Fall Creek, Cap*Rock, Haak, Landon, Llano Estacado, Messina Hof, McPherson, Pedernales Cellars, Texas Hills, and others.

 

Most of these wines are available in SPEC’S (most stores).

 

Pair your Texas Tempranillo wine with a Texas steak hot off the grill.

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  • 5 weeks later...
Rick, you might be pleased with some our own Texas wines, I've recently discovered a red - the wonderful Tempranillo wines made with grapes grown in Texas from wineries like Inwood Estates, Fall Creek, Cap*Rock, Haak, Landon, Llano Estacado, Messina Hof, McPherson, Pedernales Cellars, Texas Hills, and others.

 

Most of these wines are available in SPEC’S (most stores).

 

Pair your Texas Tempranillo wine with a Texas steak hot off the grill.

 

Too funny - you beat me to the punch!

 

Did you know there are 28 wineries in the Great State of Texas? Plan a couple of wine country weekends in the hill country and taste the local fare. You might pleasantly surprised.

 

Wine tastings like this are a great way to figure out which properties in a wine you prefer - so even if a particular label is unfamiliar to you the description may be helpful in determining if it something you would enjoy.

 

IMHO - you can not go wrong with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label!

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