Viking Wine List..anyone got a photo or PDF?

[remydiva]

We are doing a new Rhine Rhapsody cruise April 2015. This will be our third Viking Cruise but the last one on the Danube I was not impressed with the included wines with the Viking label.

 

Just to be clear, I am not a wine snob but I know what I like. In Canada I don't spend over $20 per bottle and when I winter in Calif, I rarely spend over $10 per bottle.

 

I found the Viking house wines so unpalatable, that I started to buy glasses of wine from their wine list...which weren't cheap either 8E minimum per glass. And I didn't care for the three choices I made.

 

Granted I was not familiar with the wines and when I asked the servers for recommendations, they were clueless and couldn't offer any help. There was no sommelier that I knew about; if there was, I missed him.

 

I tried to give them an idea such as 'I like a full bodied cab' or ' I like a dry sauvignon blanc' to give them an idea of possible choices.

 

I took photos of the wine list on our Danube cruise with the thought of trying to find here at home but none of the wines are available here.

 

To give you some idea of what I DO like:

REDS---I like Calif JLohr Seven Oaks Cab Sav, Avalon Cab and even Apothic. Also some Argentina Malbecs.

 

WHITEs--New Zealand Marlbourgh Sauv Blancs like Oyster Bay, Kim Crawford or Nobilio.

 

Does anyone have a photo of the wine list that Viking is using in Europe 2014? Did anyone else find the included 'Viking label' wine to be poor?

Any suggestions from the wine list given my preferences as listed above?

 

When in Europe I look forward to enjoying wonderful regional wines I can't get at home. And even tho it is 'free' on the ship, I would enjoy it much more if it was good!

[tipsygirl]

One thing you might consider is buying wine onshore to drink on the ship. Viking is very open to this and does not charge corkage.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[remydiva]

One thing you might consider is buying wine onshore to drink on the ship. Viking is very open to this and does not charge corkage.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I had considered doing that and may well go this route

 

Do you know if Viking is able to keep the opened bottle recorked to use another nite like I do on the ocean cruises?

 

hubby doesnt drink so a bottle would last me 3-4 nites :rolleyes:.

..ok at least 2 nites.:o.

 

..but definitely more than one nite :eek: HONEST!

[pinotlover]

Keep the cork and take it back to your room and use the fridge there. 90% of the wine we consumed on our last Viking cruise was wine we bought a shore and brought to the meals. After about Day 3 of our cruise, probably 75% of the tables had (multiple bottles of ) wine brought in. Viking's phlonk is unpalatable.

 

Also, the quality of European wines you can buy there at prices up to a third less than what is charged in the US is amazing. Take away the ocean transport fees, US tariffs on alcohol, importer profits, distributer profits, retailer markups, and any local excise and sales taxes, and you'll be amazed at finding that bottle of nice wine that is $15 in the States costing $4-5 over there! Don't expect to find American wines there cheap though. We drank large there last summer during the cruise, buying incredible wines for $25-$35 that cost $60-$100 over here retail, twice+ that in restaurants.:D

[remydiva]

thank you pinotlover for your comments and support about the 'quality of Viking's wine' (really, that is an oxymoron...quality and Viking)

 

I do not expect nor want to find inexpensive American wines in Europe; when in Rome drink what the Romans do. I find it unbelievable that Viking doesn't serve better wine given the regional supply readily available.

 

I recall how a server tried to make a point about the quality by showing me the bottle and said 'see? it is Viking's own label!'....huh? so?:confused: doesn't mean it is any good!

 

My first river cruise in 2001 was just when KD merged with Viking and the wine was regional and FAB -U-LOUS. :). Uniworld's house wine is drinkable at least.

 

Maybe Viking thinks we North Americans don't know good wine and are happy with Two Buck Chuck quality.:confused:

 

Viking...I know you read these threads so PLEASE either change your 'house brand' to something that is drinkable OR change your wine list so I can conveniently buy a good wine from your wine list; either way you make money off me. Otherwise, I shall do what others have suggested and bring my own.