How Good is the "House Wine" on QM2?

Since being informed of our upgrade from P1 to Q6 I have many questions... We like wine but are frugal... Was planning to bring a few bottles on board to enjoy in cabin before dinner... Now wondering if the "House Wine" provided in the Queens Grill Suite Mini Bar will be a better "value." I mean, it is Cunard. Please help us decide.

Since being informed of our upgrade from P1 to Q6 I have many questions... We like wine but are frugal... Was planning to bring a few bottles on board to enjoy in cabin before dinner... Now wondering if the "House Wine" provided in the Queens Grill Suite Mini Bar will be a better "value." I mean, it is Cunard. Please help us decide.

Last time I was on QM2 the house wine (red) that I drank was good. It had the QM2 logo on the bottle. Others may have more recent experience. Of course your own you bring on board is always good.

Unfortunately for you being in the QG now, you will miss out on your supply of Pol Acker, which can be used for removing nail polish, getting the tarnish off your spare change, or in a pinch, lubricating your car's brakes.

Regarding the "house wine"; my experience in the past years has been that it was quite palatable. But last year, when I asked for a glass of the 'House White Wine, Chardonnay or Sauvignon blanc please' the wine waiter said Cunard no longer offers a "House wine', and I was offered the wine list from which to select a glass of wine.

That is only my personal experience. If there is a Cunard house wine on offer, I'd welcome it.

Just to note, I have a simple palate and a wallet that will not support the finer wines.

-S

Unfortunately for you being in the QG now, you will miss out on your supply of Pol Acker, which can be used for removing nail polish, getting the tarnish off your spare change, or in a pinch, lubricating your car's brakes.

We have always been given the Pol Acker as well as the champagne in the QG. Last time, for some inexplicable reason, we were given two bottle of PA. We left both behind!

If you choose the cheapest wine (red in my case) you will be served the equivalent wine that I buy from Asda for making gravy.

If i want anything similar to what I drink at home (priced at around £8/9) I need to choose from the mid price range on Cunard.

Like most resteraunts the mark up is very large, but then we are not paying just for the wine.

David.

If you choose the cheapest wine (red in my case) you will be served the equivalent wine that I buy from Asda for making gravy. ... David.

You put wine in gravy? :) , Yum, I'm on my 'round asap :) . I'm boarding tomorrow morning, so any chance you can squeeze me in for a roast' today? :) .

Doesn't everyone put wine in gravy?

You are of course welcome any time.

Do you eat much?

David.

Gravy as in tomato sauce or gravy as in the stuff one puts on meat?

I have heard the term used for both.

Doesn't everyone put wine in gravy?

You are of course welcome any time.

Do you eat much?

David.

Thank you, most kind :) .

Well... most of the pallets of provisions loaded in the morning will be just for me...

(It is however, embarrassing, when I'm leaning on the promenade rail and an announcement says "Would Mr xxx please return to the centre-line of the ship to correct the list, thank you" :o ).

Best wishes :)

Gravy as in tomato sauce or gravy as in the stuff one puts on meat?

I have heard the term used for both.

Gravy is what you serve with roast beef, pork chops, rack of lamb, lamb chops, roast chicken etc. Never heard of it in relation to tomato sauce this side of the pond.

The traditional English Sunday dinner (eaten around miday) sadly not cooked too often now, roast beef, Yorkshire Pudding, roast potatoes, sprouts or other veg and always gravy, served in a gravy boat.

David.

We have always been given the Pol Acker as well as the champagne in the QG. Last time, for some inexplicable reason, we were given two bottle of PA. We left both behind!

The two times we were were in QG we also received the Pol Acker with a note that it was from the Cunard World Club to thank us for our loyalty. Thanks a lot :rolleyes:.

The house wines used to be fantastic and very good value. They were from a Californian winery called Wente.

Now they come from a Sicilian winery and to my taste are not nearly as good.

I always put on my comment form at the end of the cruise if they could bring the Wente back.

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I don't know what wine they stock for Grills pax, and I can't recall seeing anything in August referred to as "house" or Cunard-labeled wine on the lounge and restaurant menus. To my taste, the low cost wines by the glass were only fair. However, I felt there were any number of well-priced good to better bottle choices on the extensive restaurant wine list.

If you are in a position to board with your own, Cunard's liberal policy allows you to carry on as many bottles as you like. If you happen to be departing from New York and are flying in, I discovered two wine shops near the port (although one may not be open in time--call ahead). The URLs for both shops are shown in my review here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2087639

Bon Voyage!

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The house wines used to be fantastic and very good value. They were from a Californian winery called Wente.

 

Now they come from a Sicilian winery and to my taste are not nearly as good.

 

I always put on my comment form at the end of the cruise if they could bring the Wente back.

 

 

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I remember that wine! I was so excited when that became the house wine because we'd been to Wente and liked their wines. On one of our last QE2 trips, I asked for our bottle so that I could soak off the label as a souvenir. The wine steward said he'd soak it for me, and came back with labels from both my red and also a white.

On our last TA this spring, I don't remember seeing a "house wine" on the list. Is it not on the list, or have they stopped carrying it?

The wine menu, bar menus and coffee menus for QM2 can be found here: http://www.cunard.com/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/bars-and-lounges/

Gravy is what you serve with roast beef, pork chops, rack of lamb, lamb chops, roast chicken etc. Never heard of it in relation to tomato sauce this side of the pond.

 

The traditional English Sunday dinner (eaten around miday) sadly not cooked too often now, roast beef, Yorkshire Pudding, roast potatoes, sprouts or other veg and always gravy, served in a gravy boat.

 

David.

Hi David. My Italian-American friends also have a traditional Sunday dinner. I remember the first time I was invited to dine with my best friend's family - what a feast! The 'gravy' was like nothing I had ever tasted before (being from Northern European heritage). Fresh tomatoes, simmered for hours with subtle spices - a hint of garlic, basil and oregano...olive oil, and a dash of Chianti - that's gravy !

I was lucky enough to grow up in Brooklyn, where so many neighbors cooked the most wonderful meals for various special occasions, and were kind enough to invite me to their table.

But as you mentioned, our family Sunday dinner was also roast beef etc., but Yorkshire pudding was never on the menu...and that is the story of my yewth. :)

If you are in a position to board with your own, Cunard's liberal policy allows you to carry on as many bottles as you like. If you happen to be departing from New York and are flying in, I discovered two wine shops near the port (although one may not be open in time--call ahead). The URLs for both shops are shown in my review here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2087639

What a great idea! Had never occurred to me to venture off the ship after lunch and before departure to shop for wine. We are flying in and I was considering packing a couple of bottles in our checked luggage. Looks like the shops are less than 10 minutes from the ship. When do I need to be back on board?

What a great idea! Had never occurred to me to venture off the ship after lunch and before departure to shop for wine. We are flying in and I was considering packing a couple of bottles in our checked luggage. Looks like the shops are less than 10 minutes from the ship. When do I need to be back on board?

3.45-4pm normally, the security on the gangway will give you current times for that day.

Hi David. My Italian-American friends also have a traditional Sunday dinner. I remember the first time I was invited to dine with my best friend's family - what a feast! The 'gravy' was like nothing I had ever tasted before (being from Northern European heritage). Fresh tomatoes, simmered for hours with subtle spices - a hint of garlic, basil and oregano...olive oil, and a dash of Chianti - that's gravy !

 

I was lucky enough to grow up in Brooklyn, where so many neighbors cooked the most wonderful meals for various special occasions, and were kind enough to invite me to their table.

 

But as you mentioned, our family Sunday dinner was also roast beef etc., but Yorkshire pudding was never on the menu...and that is the story of my yewth. :)

I feel compelled to tell you that you had a deprived childhood! Yorkshire pudding is delicious. I'm starting to be eager for cooler weather when Sunday dinner moves from the grill to the oven and we will want roasts (with YP!) again.

I grew up on Northern European cooking traditions, too. But our next-door neighbors were Italian, and she cooked everything from scratch, even the lasagna noodles! (And this is before the days of pasta machines) The first time I had "gravy" at her house, I was surprised that it was red, not brown. According to her, the sauce was "gravy" if it was prepared with meat (like for spaghetti and meatballs), and "sauce" if it didn't have meat in it.

I don't particularly care for champagne at any price, but I did notice that the champagne left in our room was not Pol Acker. I don't remember what it was but it was definitely not Pol Acker.

I do particularly like red wine, but except for the 1994 Chateau Margaux that we were drinking freely in the Concorde Lounge in London, I haven't noticed that there is much relationship between the price and the quality of red wines.

My very favorite wine is Viñas Chilenas Reserva Merlot which sells at Trader Joe's for $3.49 or 2.12£. Often when flying first class on Lufthansa or Emirates drinking their hoity toity first class wines, I am longing for my Viñas Chilenas.

When we were in France we bought a bottle of local red wine in St. Maxim for $1.99 and took it to a fancy blind wine tasting in Cannes and it won. :D

It's all just what you like.

My old mum allways told me if it's not good enough to drink it's no good for the gravy.

My old mum allways told me if it's not good enough to drink it's no good for the gravy.

Precisely! I always use the same wine for cooking that we plan to use for drinking, except for Sherry. I use a bit of Sherry in my gazpacho and I couldn't stand to drink it.

I feel compelled to tell you that you had a deprived childhood! Yorkshire pudding is delicious. I'm starting to be eager for cooler weather when Sunday dinner moves from the grill to the oven and we will want roasts (with YP!) again.

 

I grew up on Northern European cooking traditions, too. But our next-door neighbors were Italian, and she cooked everything from scratch, even the lasagna noodles! (And this is before the days of pasta machines) The first time I had "gravy" at her house, I was surprised that it was red, not brown. According to her, the sauce was "gravy" if it was prepared with meat (like for spaghetti and meatballs), and "sauce" if it didn't have meat in it.

Hi 3rdGenCuarder. Wow, I didn't know I had a deprived childhood :eek:

But I understand what you are saying about Yorkshire Pudding. While it was not part of my meals as a child, I have tasted it in restaurants in New York and London. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant in London that served a very tasty Yorkshire Pudding, but it was not something that I noted with great interest.

But as a tasty treat as part of an occasional meal, I have no doubt that Yorkshire Pudding can be delicious. Eat the traditional meal as described every Sunday from childhood to adulthood, and make good friends with a cardiologists - just a suggestion :)

Hi 3rdGenCuarder. Wow, I didn't know I had a deprived childhood :eek:

 

But I understand what you are saying about Yorkshire Pudding. While it was not part of my meals as a child, I have tasted it in restaurants in New York and London. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant in London that served a very tasty Yorkshire Pudding, but it was not something that I noted with great interest.

 

But as a tasty treat as part of an occasional meal, I have no doubt that Yorkshire Pudding can be delicious. Eat the traditional meal as described every Sunday from childhood to adulthood, and make good friends with a cardiologists - just a suggestion :)

My father poured gravy over EVERYTHING and he made it to 91, so I'm not too worried. I don't eat a lot of gravy, and I do "penance" with lots of veggies. A friend jokes that we grew up on "a brown, a white, and a green," meaning meals consisting of meat, a starch and a veg.