Pre-Crossing Wine Preparations - Winter Wines
18/10/2021If you are heading to warmer waters this winter then I am sure you have a to-do list that grows longer by the day…
A wine top-up might not be high up on that list but, if you are anticipating a busy Winter season, it really should be!
Provisioning in remote places is never easy and, although we are able to send wines to (pretty much…) anywhere in the world, it is not always possible if you are working to a tight turnaround or on a limited transport budget.
A Super Yacht braving the open ocean
Bottles arranged for storage in a cellar
It seems like an obvious point to make, but, European wines are cheaper to buy in Europe.
Your house rosé is almost certainly from Provence and your Champagnes are from … Champagne… in France. If possible, it makes sense to buy these high turnover wines in bulk prior to leaving Europe. Anything you buy elsewhere in the world will have additional transport and Customs fees added in to the price making them much more expensive and you may even only be able to find older vintages of some wines.
Charter preferences are always harder to anticipate but having a small selection of “house” wines on board is always a good idea:
· A crisp Chablis, usually a 1er Cru, is a MUST
· Pinot Grigio or Gavi are great whites for daytime sipping and are also fantastic for pairing with lighter dishes such as salads and delicate seafood
· A richer, medium bodied Chardonnay is always a firm favourite – we would recommend going for a Chassagne-Montrachet or Puligny-Montrachet. These are names that most Guests are used to seeing and would expect to find on most wine lists.
· Pouilly Fumé, Sancerre or a bright and fruity New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc are guaranteed crowd-pleasers!
· A light red such as Pinot Noir – classic Red Burgundy is the go-to choice here. The most frequently requested are; Gevrey Chambertin, Nuits-St-Georges, Pommard & Volnay.
· A good Bordeaux that won’t break the bank is a great addition to any list. Going for one of the big-guns could put off some Guests so stick to something recogniseable like Lynch Bages, Chateau Beychevelle or Chateau Giscours.
· A heavier red is not essential but is always welcome. Anything from the Rhone Valley will hit the spot here – Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the most recogniseable the world over but there are also great wines available from Vacqueyras, Rasteau and Gigondas.
· A fresh & crisp rosé from Provence is a given – we recommend stocking up on the classics like Ott, Whispering Angel or Minuty Prestige although our new favourite is the beautiful Ultimate Provence…
· Champagne is a little easier as you will, more than likely, have a “house” Champagne & “house” Rosé Champagne on board – never worry about buying too much Champagne, these bottles will age extremely well and a bit of fizz never goes out of fashion!
· Prosecco is another that is easy to stock up on – very few guests will have a brand preference and it’s always good to have a cheeky case in reserve for Aperol Spritz afternoons!
If you would like any help getting your wine stocks back up to Guest ready then we will be happy to help!
For more information contact us at: stuart@worldwineservices.com
Stuart Lancaster
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