Wine on Viking

[suspaul]

karen11g, sorry if I misled you, I didn't realize you could enjoy wine, beer, that you purchased while on shore on the sun deck. I assumed that since they had a full bar onboard they wouldn't want you to bring your own drinks into the lounge area, etc away from meal times, maybe I'm wrong. We've travelled with Viking 6 times with #7 later this year, and while we have brought schnapps or wine we had not brought them into the lounge or sun deck. You learn something new every day.

[smokinmike]

We were impressed with the wine selection Viking offered during their inaugural Bordeaux cruise year. We opted for their beverage package and used that as an opportunity to have pairings at each meal. Worked fine for us and we heard no complaints from fellow passengers regarding the wines offered.

[zitsky]

If you don't like the standard wines and you don't buy the beverage package, is it easy to ask for the by the glass list and just pay one at a time? I am a bit of a wine snob so now I'm a little worried about Viking quality. :confused:

[jrkstl]

If you don't like the standard wines and you don't buy the beverage package, is it easy to ask for the by the glass list and just pay one at a time? I am a bit of a wine snob so now I'm a little worried about Viking quality. :confused:

 

I don't believe that there is a by the glass wine list...

 

Which cruise are you taking? I didn't think that the standard wines were terrible at all, and I too am a bit of a wino. The wines on the Bordeaux cruise were better than our Danube cruise, but I like wines from the Bordeaux region better that I like the wines from Wachau Valley. I believe that they use wines from the cruise region, and on both cruises they changed depending on the country/region we were visiting that day.

 

Don't forget that you are free to purchase local wines and enjoy them with your meal.

 

Jeff

[zitsky]

I don't believe that there is a by the glass wine list...

 

Which cruise are you taking? I didn't think that the standard wines were terrible at all, and I too am a bit of a wino. The wines on the Bordeaux cruise were better than our Danube cruise, but I like wines from the Bordeaux region better that I like the wines from Wachau Valley. I believe that they use wines from the cruise region, and on both cruises they changed depending on the country/region we were visiting that day.

 

Don't forget that you are free to purchase local wines and enjoy them with your meal.

 

Jeff

 

I'm on Viking, southern France, Avignon to Lyon. Found the answer, I think. The bar menu says "For a larger selection of wine, we will be delighted to present you our international wine list." It doesn't say anything about wines by the glass though. It could mean bottles only.

[caviargal]

We often order a bottle at the bar before dinner and have a glass and then come back after dinner for another. I assume that this would not be an issue with Viking.

 

Also, we have always had the option on the lines we sailed with to order from a by the glass menu as well as the bottle selection. Again, no experience with Viking.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Currently on Viking Gefjon....Budapest to Amsterdam

Included wine has been better than we anticipated. I can post specific wines offered when I get home.

 

Pics below are of the wine list.

 

 

 

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[suspaul]

suzyluvs2cruise, thanks for posting! Hope you're enjoying your cruise with Viking.

[garycarla]

Post #20 and #32 show they do indeed have wine by the glass on the menu.

[Mark_T]

Anyone recall if Viking ships have a Hard Cider available?

 

Just as a cultural reference, if you order a cider in Europe it will contain alcohol unless specifically listed as alcohol-free.

 

So you need to reverse the USA approach and just order cider if you want the alcohol or ask for a non-alcoholic cider if you want one without alcohol (not too many around).

 

Asking for a 'hard' version of something may cause confusion as it isn't a term in common usage outside the USA.

[pontac]

Wine lover and wine snob are not the same thing, IMO.

 

The 'free' wines you get on Viking depend on which trip you are on. Some are IMO better than others. The Bordeaux tour in particular is a wine specific tour.

 

Douro has some pleasant local wines along the way.

 

Looking at the wine lists I have never thought the wines available on the Silver package make the package worth having for wine alone.

 

On all trips you pass through areas with shops selling local wines and as a wine lover I like to buy them to drink on board.

[auldlassie]

Hi pontac, you said in the thread :-

 

"Bordeaux is a wine focused tour, and wine is the focus here, and wines from appellations visited are served with unlimited third growth Margaux Ch. margaux on the included dinner."

 

I just want to point out that you may well have been served a 3rd growth Margaux at dinner, but it will certainly not have been Chateau Margaux (as you seem to state) which is a 1st growth and one of the world's finest (and most expensive) clarets.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We are spoiled in the US with a wide choice of wines from every wine-growing region in the world. So when a ship offers wines that reflect the region you are sailing in, the selection may seem very limited. [Full disclosure: I have asked for this policy in the past, until I realized what it would mean to my daily choices!] I found the red wines on the Rhine cruise quite lacking -- luckily the white wines form that region are very good and I am [somewhat] flexible! On the Rhone cruise, the red wines were much better -- but nothing like the fruit-forward California reds I normally drink. On a Bordeaux cruise [which I haven't taken], I would be afraid of getting the cheap crus that gave rise to the word "plonk." OTOH while Portugal doesn't have a great reputation for red table wine, I have been drinking a lot of Portuguese reds lately [all great value here in NY] and haven't found a bad one yet.

[zitsky]

Thank you for the wine list Sue!!! :)

[caviargal]

OTOH while Portugal doesn't have a great reputation for red table wine, I have been drinking a lot of Portuguese reds lately [all great value here in NY] and haven't found a bad one yet.

 

Good to hear, Jazz, and I will post my thoughts about the reds and ports we experience on our Douro cruise next month when we return.

 

My exposure to wines produced in Portugal is quite limited. We drink reds almost exclusively (with an occasional rose) and favor wines from Tuscany and Puglia in Italy and the Rhone region in France. Mix in a few Aussie favorites and we are in business. :)

Edited July 29, 2016 by caviargal

[philw1776]

Great suggestions here about buying local wine for on board dinner consumption. will do in France.

We enjoy wine but are not aficionados so the Viking selections have worked for us so far.

I recommend listening to the wait staff as several nights they offer (included) special wines from the area you just toured. These have always been great.

We also always order the entre selection locally featured when available. I see this as a Viking strength. Our Southern France cruise 'Tastes of France' specialty lunch out on the aquavit terrace was outstanding.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

This is the Viking Europe Bar Menu. I don't see cider.

 

http://wpc.475d.edgecastcdn.net/00475D/PDF/EuropeBarMenu_440204009.pdf

 

On our recent Grand European cruise a Gin/Tonic with Beefeater Gin was 6.50 eu. Martini and Long Drink prices vary according to the brand of liquor you choose. A Grey Goose martini was 9.50.

[beanpittsburgh]

Pontac did not say we had Margaux first growth wine. I took the same cruise he did with Viking and we stopped at a 3rd Growth Margaux appellation winery called Chateau Kirwan where we had very generous pours of their lovely wines.

 

On our cruise, Viking had different Bordeaux wines every day. While none of them were over the top, they were very drinkable. I believe from looking at the pictures of the wine lists that wine by the glass is only house wines (post 20) and with the premium "Silver Spirits package" (in post 32).

 

Regardless, if one is truly a wine lover, one would be better served buying a favorite bottle in port and bringing it on board. We found the wines served with dinner to be good. The wine steward would decant and pour the wines we purchased in town for our late evenings in the lounge.

 

We also did a Rhine River cruise with Viking and the wines were not as good as we would have hoped. Basically, I thought Viking could have poured more local wines with dinner instead of what seemed to be their house wines. Again, a simple solution -- purchase some wine in the quaint little towns you visit each day.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Some of the included wines on Viking Grand European cruise. They were rotated with a red and a white offered each night. I didn't get the names but there was also a Franconia white and red one night.

 

Malbec, Enrique Vollmer, Mendoza

Sauvignon Blanc, Enrique Vollmer, Mendoza

Altum St Laurent, Winery Vollmer, Pfalz

Blauer Zweigelt, Winery Morwald, Wagram

Riesling, Winery Dr Loosen, Pfalz

Gruner Veltliner, Winery Morwald, Wagram

[garycarla]

Less we forget, there is a difference between:

 

(A) Wine Lover

and

(B) Wine Aficionado

 

I have extensive in experience with (A) and very little with (B). My understanding of "wine pairing" is two bottles. And "corkage" is what one may be called after two many pairings.

 

 

LOL!

[suspaul]

[emoji485] well said garycarla, Prost!

[pontac]

Hi pontac, you said in the thread :-

 

"Bordeaux is a wine focused tour, and wine is the focus here, and wines from appellations visited are served with unlimited third growth Margaux Ch. margaux on the included dinner."

 

I just want to point out that you may well have been served a 3rd growth Margaux at dinner, but it will certainly not have been Chateau Margaux (as you seem to state) which is a 1st growth and one of the world's finest (and most expensive) clarets.

 

Thanks for pointing that out. You are quite correct.

 

my post was intended to say "with unlimited third growth Margaux Ch. Kirwan on the included dinner."

 

I can only apologise; I was writing that on a tablet on the Viking GET Budapest to Amsterdam trip and while I can't explain how a lower case 'margaux' came to appear I can only imagine it due to was editing on the touch screen -- but I should have checked afterwards. Again, apologies to all.

 

The Kirwan was excellent, and prior to that we'd visited and tasted at Ch Giscours. also a 3rd growth Margaux

[Harley0711]

I just posted a question and then I found this,,, We are on the Romania to Amsterdam - 23 day - July 5, 2017 == Just rebooked and got the drink package for free and wanted to see a wine list... Looks good, great chance to try them all..

 

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

Currently on Viking Gefjon....Budapest to Amsterdam

Included wine has been better than we anticipated. I can post specific wines offered when I get home.

 

Pics below are of the wine list.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Harley0711]

I am also a beer drinker - May I ask what types other than good ole American beer they offered on the drink package?

 

 

 

 

Currently on Viking Gefjon....Budapest to Amsterdam

Included wine has been better than we anticipated. I can post specific wines offered when I get home.

 

Pics below are of the wine list.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[ganski]

BEERS

Bitburger draft, Budweiser, Benediktiner Weissbier, Beck’s non-alcoholic

 

These are the beer's that are served on the Viking Cruise's that i have been on. The Budweiser is the real beer from the Czech Republic