Included wines

[lincslady]

It is not a package, just a choice by Seabourn of included wines; quite a long list.  There is also  a list of wines for purchase.  It is sometimes  hard to get a printed  list of included ones, as it changes quite a bit - sometimes the easiest way to try them is to ask the wine waiter for a grape variety,  possibly also a country, as in 'any New Zealand sauvignon blanc'.  If you find a few of them you like, ask for them by name if you don't want the original offer.

[florisdekort]

So I know this is nerdy but we’ve been using an app called Vivino for years. You key in a wine, and it gives you its average retail price, a rating and many reviews. When we board Seabourn, I always go to The Square to get the list of included wines, and then I “vivino” the average retail price for all wines on the list, and then I calculate the average of that - so I know what Seabourn, on average, spends on a bottle of included wine. When we first cruised Seabourn in 2015, that was $34. Right now, on Sojourn, despite 8 years of inflation, that is $23.

 

 

[lincslady]

I am surprised to read that, florisdekort, as my impression is that the standard of included wines has remained pretty well unchanged.  I would appreciate it if someone who has been on board recently posted with a few names of them, as I have not been on board since Covid.  Is there still Villa Maria sb or Oyster Bay, for instance?

[Techno123]

5 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

We haven’t been on Seabourn yet. We truly do enjoy nice wine. We always upgrade our package. I guess what I am hoping for is that the upgraded package is a step above grocery store? Yes, I admit to being a bit picky. And I am okay with that. if not, we can shop in Venice prior and bring some on board. No problem.  

If it is the same as last time we were on Seabourn it is not so much an upgraded package, you are buying the wine that you want - less expensive than if you bought in a restaurant, more expensive than if you bought in a store.

[dalliowner]

For new sailors the thing to remember is although the restaurants will say what wines are served that day you can have any of the included wines any day and in any restaurant. The thing to do is go to the Seabourn square on your first day and ask for the current list of included wines and they will print you an up to date list and then request at the table what you fancy that time . There are usually approx 10 reds , 10 whites together with rose`s etc, we always find exceptable  wine.

[margbem]

This is from last week on the Ovation. There were a couple of additional wines, one being a Valpolicello Ripasso. 

[Dunnedg]

Never had a problem with the wine on Seabourn. Tend to avoid the ‘recommended’ wines of the day but they are always happy to provide a taste for you to make up your own mind.

As for champagne I actually prefered the Nicolas Feuillatte to the Montaudon currently served which I understand comes in cheaper. Isn't it great that we all have different tastes.

 

[Vineyard View]

Thank you for for all of this information. It’s truly quite helpful. 
We gravitate towards pretty full red wines. There were only 4 reds on this list. A little surprised at that. They range in price from $10-$25. It is good to know this beforehand. 2 Pinot, 1 Bordeaux, 1 ($10) Zin. Oh, and plus the Valpolicella. Not a wide variety, but likely a couple that would be nice. If anyone has the wines available for purchase recently, that would be appreciated. Possibly it’s an extensive list and too much to post.
 We may pick up some wine before boarding and in ports. We are always interested in trying wine in various parts of our world.  Since Seabourn allows you to bring on board that is a bonus. 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Vineyard View

[saminina]

24 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

 
We gravitate towards pretty full red wines. 

Now you know why we purchase off the premium list.   Even if you have the list today, it does not mean the wine you look forward to buying will be available.  My favorite purchase was the Caymus Reserve cab that Sojourn had on the list for at least four months without inventory.   Quite upsetting to be told that "we just sold the last bottle yesterday" repeatedly.   Fool me twice and I begin to research the root cause of the lie.

[Vineyard View]

Nice Cab! 
Cabernet a favorite varietal we gravitate towards. The list would just give me an idea of the wines available, and their price points, knowing it is flexible. 
It is fun to explore new wines when traveling. Our itinerary will provide that so will take advantage. Looking forward to trying some Croatian wines  - 

[cruiseej]

Yikes, only four red wine on the included list?! That seems like a significant change from our past experiences on Seabourn. (There were 8 reds on the list I have from a cruise last year, and 13 on a cruise just before the Covid shutdown.)

[Vineyard View]

24 minutes ago, cruiseej said:

Yikes, only four red wine on the included list?! That seems like a significant change from our past experiences on Seabourn. (There were 8 reds on the list I have from a cruise last year, and 13 on a cruise just before the Covid shutdown.)

That seems more in line with what I had thought I would encounter on Seabourn for the first time. It is for sure more in line with how they present themselves from a marketing standpoint. 

[SLSD]

9 hours ago, florisdekort said:

I “vivino” the average retail price for all wines on the list, and then I calculate the average of that - so I know what Seabourn, on average, spends on a bottle of included wine. When we first cruised Seabourn in 2015, that was $34. Right now, on Sojourn, despite 8 years of inflation, that is $23.

 

 

Oh dear though.  I just looked up one of the wines from the Ovation included list and this is what I found:  

 

Empire Wine

Cline Cellars 'Old Vine' Lodi Zinfandel 2020

In stock

30-day returns

 

$8.95

Edited March 1, 2023 by SLSD

[Vineyard View]

It’s bottom barrel zin. Winery isn’t far from here but on the ‘tourist tour’ list - i think in part because of their low price points (for a reason IMHO)…..not on any of the locals visiting or member list!  

Edited March 1, 2023 by Vineyard View

[SLSD]

Here's what I pulled up for the Nine Hats Pino Gris

 

2021Pinot GrisColumbia Valley

Sourced from Headquarters Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, where a constant breeze moderates temperatures to capture fresh flavors and give the wine its vibrant mouthfeel. A light squeeze of the grapes on the press and a cool fermentation is used to enhance the Pinot Gris’ racy character. This medium-bodied Pinot Gris offers vibrant aromas and flavors of white peach, orange blossom, honeysuckle and ripe citrus that lead to a pleasantly crisp finish.

$15.00 / Bottle

PURCHASE

[caviargal]

On 3/1/2023 at 2:11 AM, florisdekort said:

So I know this is nerdy but we’ve been using an app called Vivino for years. You key in a wine, and it gives you its average retail price, a rating and many reviews. When we board Seabourn, I always go to The Square to get the list of included wines, and then I “vivino” the average retail price for all wines on the list, and then I calculate the average of that - so I know what Seabourn, on average, spends on a bottle of included wine. When we first cruised Seabourn in 2015, that was $34. Right now, on Sojourn, despite 8 years of inflation, that is $23.

 

 

 

On 3/1/2023 at 2:11 AM, florisdekort said:

 

 

I use Vivino all over the world as well as at home.  It is a great source of flavor profiles as well as ratings. 

Edited March 2, 2023 by caviargal

[caviargal]

21 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you for for all of this information. It’s truly quite helpful. 
We gravitate towards pretty full red wines. There were only 4 reds on this list. A little surprised at that. They range in price from $10-$25. It is good to know this beforehand. 2 Pinot, 1 Bordeaux, 1 ($10) Zin. Oh, and plus the Valpolicella. Not a wide variety, but likely a couple that would be nice. If anyone has the wines available for purchase recently, that would be appreciated. Possibly it’s an extensive list and too much to post.
 We may pick up some wine before boarding and in ports. We are always interested in trying wine in various parts of our world.  Since Seabourn allows you to bring on board that is a bonus. 

We will definitely be shopping in port for regional wines and enjoying them onboard. From this post, it appears the included selections are much more pedestrian than I would expect from Seabourn.

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, caviargal said:

We will definitely be shopping in port for regional wines and enjoying them onboard. From this post, it appears the included selections are much more pedestrian than I would expect from Seabourn.

Many guests are fine with the included wines. 

We all have different tastes. 

[nancygp]

I had the included Crossbarn Chardonnay on the quest last fall.  I was very pleased with this wine.  It’s available at my local grocery store and the price is just under $25 USD.

 

Nancy

[frantic36]

@nancygp they have Crossbarn as well here in Quest as some other good included white wine choices. I found the 9 hats red wine to be very good. They also picked up some Argentinian Malbec which apparently was very nice.

@Vineyard ViewWe are onto our third package for this cruise. We take the Sommeliers package because it allows us to have a good variety. Unfortunately my husband has become allergic to red wine so I can't help you much with that selection as we stick with white wine. Though occasionally I get a glass of red to enjoy. 

[Vineyard View]

57 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

 

@Vineyard ViewWe are onto our third package for this cruise. We take the Sommeliers package because it allows us to have a good variety. Unfortunately my husband has become allergic to red wine so I can't help you much with that selection as we stick with white wine. Though occasionally I get a glass of red to enjoy. 

Thank you for this tip. I will also look at that option. Of course knowing wines on board change regularly with most lines, knowing what is offered once on board helps steer the direction. We will bring a few when we embark and take it from there. Cannot wait to finally sail again!

[margbem]

4 hours ago, nancygp said:

I had the included Crossbarn Chardonnay on the quest last fall.  I was very pleased with this wine.  It’s available at my local grocery store and the price is just under $25 USD.

 

Nancy

We really liked the Crossbarn Chardonnay too. And the Nine Hats Pinot Grigio is actually very nice. It's a "proper" Pinot Grigio!

[twochromic]

On 3/1/2023 at 9:56 AM, SLSD said:

Here's what I pulled up for the Nine Hats Pino Gris

 

2021Pinot GrisColumbia Valley

Sourced from Headquarters Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, where a constant breeze moderates temperatures to capture fresh flavors and give the wine its vibrant mouthfeel. A light squeeze of the grapes on the press and a cool fermentation is used to enhance the Pinot Gris’ racy character. This medium-bodied Pinot Gris offers vibrant aromas and flavors of white peach, orange blossom, honeysuckle and ripe citrus that lead to a pleasantly crisp finish.

$15.00 / Bottle

PURCHASE

Living in Eastern Washington, I wouldn't consider Nine Hats a "fine" wine, and there are dozens of better wines at the same price range. I think is sometimes reflects the cruise suppliers' purchasing power and need for a large load of a given wine. 

On a recent SB, another diner suggested I do what they do -- have them decant the bottle, even for the modest wines. I did, and it works.

[lincslady]

Pinot grigio tends to be regarded in the UK as a bit of a second class grape; people I know (including me) generally would rather drink  a chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, if opting for an inexpensive wine.  Rather like prosecco has become a bit second class in many people's eyes, certainly to some of the French fizzies or cava.  Just pour me some Krug and I am a happy bunny (but  it is not included, sadly).

[Vineyard View]

1 hour ago, twochromic said:

 I think is sometimes reflects the cruise suppliers' purchasing power and need 

This triggered a thought because it makes sense. I wonder what wines are being offered on HAL and Princess