La Dame- $160 pp or $320 for dinner for 2!!!!

[lincslady]

Me too - although I have not managed to have Yqem as yet.  A pate/terrine is just not the same, but the real thing, with maybe a fruity sauce and brioche to accompany it is just heaven, even if one should not really be allowed to eat it.  And no problem to go back to savoury courses after.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Whinenowine said:

And, as much as Climens and Rieussec are tasty, I have to (somewhat snobbily) say that none can touch d'Yquem.  I just wish they were still at 2013 prices, rather than 2023.

Nothing snobby about it.  Every time I've tried C Rieussec, it has been lacking in acidity.  My analogy is sweet & sour pork without the sour.  Some climates (or microclimates) just won't support it.  The acidity drops too fast as the sugar goes up.  And the weather in a given year doesn't always help, either.  Even C d'Y can't make it happen every year.

[Rothko1]

2 hours ago, Whinenowine said:

This was me, too....until I had the pan seared foie gras at the French Laundry about 20 years ago...the Somm at the time was a friend of mine and he insisted on a sauternes...to this day it's the best food/wine paring I've ever had. And luckily I found switching back to dry wine wasn't a problem....at least I THINK it wasn't a problem...we did go through 5 bottles that night so my recollection is a bit muddled! 

 

And, as much as Climens and Rieussec are tasty, I have to (somewhat snobbily) say that none can touch d'Yquem.  I just wish they were still at 2013 prices, rather than 2023.

 

Not even the 2001 Rieussec?  I'm sitting on a bunch of that.  

[Whinenowine]

2 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

 

Not even the 2001 Rieussec?  I'm sitting on a bunch of that.  

I think all the '01s are plenty good (to my palette)..but for me the others just can't match up to d'Yquem.  Then again, '01 Climens is less than half the price of d'Yquem in the auction market (and the others are even cheaper), so QPR should count for something.

[Whinenowine]

1 hour ago, canderson said:

Nothing snobby about it.  Every time I've tried C Rieussec, it has been lacking in acidity.  My analogy is sweet & sour pork without the sour.  Some climates (or microclimates) just won't support it.  The acidity drops too fast as the sugar goes up.  And the weather in a given year doesn't always help, either.  Even C d'Y can't make it happen every year.

True, not ever year....but ALMOST every yr!  😉  Over the last year or so I've been lucky enough to have '86, '89, '90, '95, '96, '01 and '03 d'Yquem. Clearly some vintages were stronger than others (you can guess which), but ALL were at least excellent with the top 2 or 3 being sublime.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Whinenowine said:

True, not ever year....but ALMOST every yr!  😉  Over the last year or so I've been lucky enough to have '86, '89, '90, '95, '96, '01 and '03 d'Yquem. Clearly some vintages were stronger than others (you can guess which), but ALL were at least excellent with the top 2 or 3 being sublime.

Of those, the '01 was, to my taste, absolutely 101% spot on.  This one has the requisite acidity to balance the sugar, and allow to cellar for the REALLY LONG haul  too.  It'll still be drinking perfectly when we're long gone!

[drron29]

OMG. This thread has turned into the wine equivalent of the Silversea dress code on formal nights.

 

And to really upset the wine purists when I first met Rojaan in 1970 I already had a wine cellar. She did not drink wine only drank cocktails. That habit was too expensive for me so I introduced her to wine. However she would only drink sweet wines at first. And she insisted our dinner wine was Chateau d'Yquem. Now I don't remember the price only that it was cheaper than my preferred port which was Seppelts Para Port 1927 which cost $A2 a bottle. In those days we got ~ $US1.30 for our dollar.

[Dolcevita Diva]

 

To take this off into another tangent 😄 - did you know that one of Dior's skincare lines (L'Or de Vie) includes sap from the Yquem vines, as well as various Yquem extracts?

At $800 for a 1 oz. bottle of the serum, I do believe it would be more cost-effective simply to splash that lovely wine on my face. 

[lincslady]

Make sure to keep your mouth open a little.

[Kathy2023]

Hi,

We are booked on the Nova for October, Lisbon to Lisbon sailing, and also booked La Dame before the price rise was announced.

 

Can anyone let me know which social media Barbara Muckermann spoke on when she said that the earlier bookings for La Dame would be honoured?

 

Thanks

Kathy 

 

 

[Mayflower1]

Having Seen the La Dame Menu displayed by a Guest on the Siver Nova News Board, I am somewhat disappointed to see that it is little changed from what we have become used to over a number of Years - The same Basics remain with minor changes to the Souffle etc.

Whilst it is clearly a Personal opinion I cannot see what extra value is being offered for the substantial Price hyke.

[cotto22]

I will admit that I stopped reading this thread when it went awry, off topic, etc. We booked La Dame on our September cruise on the Cloud because we were give SBC and were told it was $60 pp. Is the price increase just for the new ship? Does it affect prior bookings? And do I have to wait until we are on board to check the price? Sorry if these have been answered in the midst of other posts.

[lincslady]

I seem to remember reading that it was thought that the new price might include special wines to go with the food? Maybe?  That is the only explanation that would make some sense, IMO.

[taxatty]

2 hours ago, cotto22 said:

I will admit that I stopped reading this thread when it went awry, off topic, etc. We booked La Dame on our September cruise on the Cloud because we were give SBC and were told it was $60 pp. Is the price increase just for the new ship? Does it affect prior bookings? And do I have to wait until we are on board to check the price? Sorry if these have been answered in the midst of other posts.

No effect on the Cloud, at least for now.

[A Tucson Guy]

We are having dinner on the Nova tomorrow, Wed., and I will report first hand.

[Mr Luxury]

14 hours ago, lincslady said:

I seem to remember reading that it was thought that the new price might include special wines to go with the food? Maybe?  That is the only explanation that would make some sense, IMO.

Being charged for dinner on an all inclusive luxury line makes no sense at all to me.

Limit it to one dinner per cruise but include it in the whole cruise price.

That's what Seabourn do with Thomas Keller Grill.

[Codecow]

On 7/26/2023 at 11:15 AM, canderson said:

Silver Oak (Alexander) was my go-to cab for many years, but the character changed when Duncan took over in 2001.  To my mind, 1997 was the last of the best.

I think there was also a lot of difference between early 2000s say till 2008 or so and the more modern.  I stopped drinking it, and I agree that the older vintages were the best.

[A Tucson Guy]

We are going to Nova LaDame in 45 minutes and I will report back my ROI or return on investment opinion.

[Rothko1]

9 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

Being charged for dinner on an all inclusive luxury line makes no sense at all to me.

Limit it to one dinner per cruise but include it in the whole cruise price.

That's what Seabourn do with Thomas Keller Grill.

 

But then how do you make more money?  😆

[Mr Luxury]

29 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

 

But then how do you make more money?  😆

Get the Sommelier to go hard on the upsell 😀

[Lois R]

10 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

Being charged for dinner on an all inclusive luxury line makes no sense at all to me.

Limit it to one dinner per cruise but include it in the whole cruise price.

That's what Seabourn do with Thomas Keller Grill.

I have never sailed Seabourn but I definitely agree with your assessment. I won't be paying the extra charges and I am sure SS doesn't care. 60 bucks is one thing.........160.00? No thank you. 

[Dolcevita Diva]

59 minutes ago, Rothko1 said:

 

But then how do you make more money?  😆

Ah, the challenges of a publicly owned company...

 

29 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

Get the Sommelier to go hard on the upsell 😀

 

Two thoughts:

1) Egads! Don't let the bean-counters start adding larger markups to the Connoisseur's List wines.

2) Let's hope that they don't start taking the approach used by the mass market lines of reducing the quality levels of the included food and wines to encourage more "upsells" to specialty restaurants and the Connoisseur's List.

[Mr Luxury]

2 minutes ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

Ah, the challenges of a publicly owned company...

 

 

Two thoughts:

1) Egads! Don't let the bean-counters start adding larger markups to the Connoisseur's List wines.

2) Let's hope that they don't start taking the approach used by the mass market lines of reducing the quality levels of the included food and wines to encourage more "upsells" to specialty restaurants and the Connoisseur's List.

I think they can still make it work without increasing the revenue wine list.

Regent and Silversea manage to include tours in the cruise cost,why not all of the food on board also.

I know everything is free on Regent.

Sorry for trying to mislead anyone.

[jpalbny]

5 hours ago, A Tucson Guy said:

We are going to Nova LaDame in 45 minutes and I will report back my ROI or return on investment opinion.

 

The suspense is killing us!

 

Are you (a) still at dinner 4+h later? Or (b) did they make you sign a gag order? Or (c) Did they ply you with so much wine that you can't see straight to post on CC?

 

Just kidding (sort of); I hope your dinner was great and we will patiently await your further comments.

[Dolcevita Diva]

8 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

 

The suspense is killing us!

 

Are you (a) still at dinner 4+h later? Or (b) did they make you sign a gag order? Or (c) Did they ply you with so much wine that you can't see straight to post on CC?

 

Just kidding (sort of); I hope your dinner was great and we will patiently await your further comments.

Hopefully #3 !