Unacceptable Wine List

[May B]

1 hour ago, austinetc said:

I’m the originator of this thread. I once thought White Zinfandel was a fine wine. But after having tasted wines in over two hundred tasting rooms, I am now a bit more refined in my requirements AND more knowledgeable. Two (and a half) buck chuck is an interesting wine in that Trader Joe’s buys grapes from sources that have an excess. Sometimes they get great deals from great wineries. So it’s very possible to get surprisingly good wine. BUT, no one would call two buck chuck premium wine. I’ve been on Viking for six days now, tasting their $6 wines. None have excited me. At $25 a bottle none would be called premium wine by anyone who knows wine. I’m now drinking a fine $11 scotch. I’d rather be drinking a fine $11 wine. 

Actually our TJ’s is now $3.99. Your explanation does help me understand why sometimes we’re ok drinking it and other times it gets relegated to cooking.

[Cienfuegos]

Good thread.

 

I hope that Viking considers some of the many good observations in this thread. The company offers a premium cruise product to well heeled and well traveled customers. Including a branded premium wine package would seem like a no-brainer.

 

It's even something they could brand with a prominent wine importer or sommelier as unique to Viking. Somebody like Anna-Christina Cabrales, Andrea Robinson, Sally Mohr, etc. With the profit margins on wine,  they have an enormous flexibility

[KBs mum]

What's it matter what it costs? There's expensive wine I dislike, and inexpensive I do like. 

The drinks package just offers more choice at a set price. If you want something else you can not bother with the package then bring your own on board. 

I have no interest in what an 'expert' thinks I should like. After 40+ years of drinking I've got a good idea of grapes/regions and which I might like. At the moment we have 100+ bottles costing everywhere from £6 a bottle to £50, wine merchants do regular free tasting events. 

We have 80 different single malts, £25 a bottle to £600.

When on holiday I'm quite happy with a £6 a glass wine, or a £11 whisky, as long as it is one I like. Like any business, Viking will stock what sells. Expensive is OK, but which ones would they choose, given that the package only goes to 15 dollars a glass, which isn't that much, and limits it to the crowd pleasers in wine and whisky/whiskey

Edited April 29, 2022 by KBs mum

[Blackduck59]

I'm not sure that the OP is finding a lot of traction with their argument because it is based on price point.

They seem to be longing for Viking to crack the illusive $40.00 bottle so they can taste it. Unfortunately if price point is the telling factor that $40.00 bottle on Viking is less than $20.00 at the wine store. So less than $6.00 a glass. 

[Twitchly]

1 hour ago, Cienfuegos said:

Good thread.

 

I hope that Viking considers some of the many good observations in this thread. The company offers a premium cruise product to well heeled and well traveled customers. Including a branded premium wine package would seem like a no-brainer.

 

It's even something they could brand with a prominent wine importer or sommelier as unique to Viking. Somebody like Anna-Christina Cabrales, Andrea Robinson, Sally Mohr, etc. With the profit margins on wine,  they have an enormous flexibility

Love this idea.

[Blackduck59]

2 hours ago, Cienfuegos said:

Good thread.

 

I hope that Viking considers some of the many good observations in this thread. The company offers a premium cruise product to well heeled and well traveled customers. Including a branded premium wine package would seem like a no-brainer.

 

It's even something they could brand with a prominent wine importer or sommelier as unique to Viking. Somebody like Anna-Christina Cabrales, Andrea Robinson, Sally Mohr, etc. With the profit margins on wine,  they have an enormous flexibility

 

This is an excellent idea but the premium wine package should be offered as an extra cost option like Silver Spirits but for wine. Have a nice selection of fine wines by the glass only available with the package with no price point revealed. Also have a selection of better quality wine available by the bottle for those with the premium wine package. 

[Twitchly]

50 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

This is an excellent idea but the premium wine package should be offered as an extra cost option like Silver Spirits but for wine. Have a nice selection of fine wines by the glass only available with the package with no price point revealed. Also have a selection of better quality wine available by the bottle for those with the premium wine package. 

Sounds good to me. We’d probably buy it. 
 

Why no price point revealed? 

[KBs mum]

But what decides what is a fine wine? Cost? Appellation system? Grape variety? Region? Vintage? Producer? Snob factor? Random 'expert somellier' that most people won't have heard of? Nice coloured label? Bottle that can be turned into a table lamp?

Or, something you enjoy drinking? 

[KBs mum]

4 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Unfortunately if price point is the telling factor that $40.00 bottle on Viking is less than $20.00 at the wine store. So less than $6.00 a glass. 

A 20 dollar cost bottle would be likely be 16 a glass with Viking pour sizes

20 x 2.4 ÷ 3 

 2.4 is a fairly typical markup to cover cost, taxes, overheads, profit etc. 3 glasses to the bottle so devide by 3. 

 

[Blackduck59]

1 hour ago, Twitchly said:

Sounds good to me. We’d probably buy it. 
 

Why no price point revealed? 

Because it is about the wine not the price tag.

[Blackduck59]

4 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

A 20 dollar cost bottle would be likely be 16 a glass with Viking pour sizes

20 x 2.4 ÷ 3 

 2.4 is a fairly typical markup to cover cost, taxes, overheads, profit etc. 3 glasses to the bottle so devide by 3. 

 

I'm afraid you misunderstood my point.

The OP has said from the start that a $6.00 a glass wine is "not premium". And Viking should be cracking the $40.00 bottle so they can taste that "Premium" $40.00 a bottle wine by the glass. 

My point was that $40.00 a bottle wine on Viking is actually less than $20.00 in the wine store so actually that is $6.00 a glass wine, so by their price point definition of "premium" wine. It's not premium. 

[Selion]

After 60 posts, here are my takeaways...

1. Viking's wine-by-the-glass selection, hence the SSBP selection, of wines are rather limited.  All  wine choices are priced at $6/glass while SSPB includes up to $15/glass.
2. We'd like Viking to expand its wine-by-the glass selection to include more expensive wines, and thus more choices within the SSBP.
3. Whether if one likes a wine is not cost-dependent.  We like what we like, right?

[KBs mum]

10 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

My point was that $40.00 a bottle wine on Viking is actually less than $20.00 in the wine store so actually that is $6.00 a glass wine, so by their price point definition of "premium" wine. It's not premium. 

I was saying that the 20.dollar cost bottle that would be marked up by Viking for sale at 40 dollars plus would actually cost 16 per glass and thus be unavailable in the SSP. A wine available at 6 a glass would cost 7.50 a bottle  with trade discount, so would likely cost 10 in a store. Its very easy to get decent/good wine at that price point, particularly if you look towards South America and the Antipodes. French wine tends to have artificially inflated prices due to the appellation system, German whites are usually good, Italy and Spain are a good bet for reds and rose. 

Champagne is just fizzy chardonnay. Chile produces some good stuff that is £8 a bottle rather than the £30ish the French are after. 

Wanting more choice is reasonable, but getting hung up on cost as a guide to what is premium is a red herring. 

 

Viking could stock a variety of more expensive stuff, but I suspect not enough people would buy it to make it worth their while. The majority of people just want something 'nice'. Hence all the alcohol choices are crowd pleasers that will sell. If the top end choices in a wine list are not things I'm keen on, I buy something OK from the low end. How would Viking know what everyone would be prepared to spend extra on, they don't have room for an extensive cellar, or conditions aboard for long term storage. As you can bring aboard any bottle you like with free corkage, buy what you want ashore, and don't get the SSP. 

Edited April 30, 2022 by KBs mum

[Cienfuegos]

The suggestion to separate the wine from the spirits segment of the Silver Spirits package is a good one.  

 

I understand that Viking may be reluctant to open many bottles for sale by the glass, but I think they are missing a substantial opportunity.

[PasadenaDave]

No criticism of any post, but this thread like many others reminds my of a skit or portion of a Monty Python movie.

 

My Brain Hurts.

[KBs mum]

1 hour ago, Cienfuegos said:

The suggestion to separate the wine from the spirits segment of the Silver Spirits package is a good one.  

 

I understand that Viking may be reluctant to open many bottles for sale by the glass, but I think they are missing a substantial opportunity.

Not a good idea for those of us who drink both. 

Anyway, why not buy the bottle? It's only 3 Viking pours. Hardly a struggle to drink three glasses of wine when on holiday. Or indeed, at any other time😊

[KBs mum]

31 minutes ago, PasadenaDave said:

No criticism of any post, but this thread like many others reminds my of a skit or portion of a Monty Python movie.

 

My Brain Hurts.

Fun isn't it? Regarding wine, what did the Romans ever do for us? 

[duquephart]

9 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

Not a good idea for those of us who drink both. 

Anyway, why not buy the bottle? It's only 3 Viking pours. Hardly a struggle to drink three glasses of wine when on holiday. Or indeed, at any other time😊

 

You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six.

Yogi Berra

[PGI GUY]

Having sailed on Viking prior to COVID and recently completed two trips one of 14 days and 32 days I found that the number of included wines on the drink package had increased. There were at least 10 white and 12 red wines that were included. Prior to COVID there were maybe 3 or 4 included with the beverage package. What I decided to do is during some down time was to go to one of the bars and get the wine list and sit down and read the brief description of each wine and write down 4 or 5 of the included wines to try. If it was not busy at the bar I would ask for a small sample of some of the wine I was interested in.

The point I would like to make is that I found several that were in my opinion very good. I would also say that I like trying new and different wines from around the world and I don't drink or eat with my wallet.

I found many of the included wines presented a nice selection and variety of wine to be enjoyed.

[richanddi97]

On our last two Viking Cruises, one River and one Ocean, I felt the wines by the glass were good and I really enjoyed the wines by the bottle selection and value especially on the Ocean voyage. Does anyone have any feedback on the quality of the wines on the Octantis? We are boarding it this Saturday! Cannot wait and looking forward to a nice bottle at Manfredis

 

[May B]

3 hours ago, richanddi97 said:

On our last two Viking Cruises, one River and one Ocean, I felt the wines by the glass were good and I really enjoyed the wines by the bottle selection and value especially on the Ocean voyage. Does anyone have any feedback on the quality of the wines on the Octantis? We are boarding it this Saturday! Cannot wait and looking forward to a nice bottle at Manfredis

 

Bon voyage! We’re doing Milwaukee to Thunder Bay mid-July and have never been on Viking!

[richanddi97]

Enjoy!!

 

[stretchcruz]

13 hours ago, PGI GUY said:

Having sailed on Viking prior to COVID and recently completed two trips one of 14 days and 32 days I found that the number of included wines on the drink package had increased. There were at least 10 white and 12 red wines that were included. Prior to COVID there were maybe 3 or 4 included with the beverage package. What I decided to do is during some down time was to go to one of the bars and get the wine list and sit down and read the brief description of each wine and write down 4 or 5 of the included wines to try. If it was not busy at the bar I would ask for a small sample of some of the wine I was interested in.

The point I would like to make is that I found several that were in my opinion very good. I would also say that I like trying new and different wines from around the world and I don't drink or eat with my wallet.

I found many of the included wines presented a nice selection and variety of wine to be enjoyed.

I, also, enjoyed the wine. There were several wines that were not on the list that the sommelier suggested. I'm not a wine expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I found several that I enjoyed. Well worth $20 a day.

[Jim Avery]

12 hours ago, stretchcruz said:

I, also, enjoyed the wine. There were several wines that were not on the list that the sommelier suggested. I'm not a wine expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I found several that I enjoyed. Well worth $20 a day.

Us too.  I guess when you start out drinking Boone's Farm wine in college you don't get too overly picky...😱🍷😎

[duquephart]

12 hours ago, stretchcruz said:

I, also, enjoyed the wine. There were several wines that were not on the list that the sommelier suggested. I'm not a wine expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I found several that I enjoyed. Well worth $20 a day.

 

Apiece?