For the wine connoisseurs

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Petoonya said:

Thanks very much.....was specifically looking for French wines that I might find shopping in Papeete. I probably didn't make that well understood in my lengthy post. But thank you.

 

 

Sorry did not know you only wanted French wine 😉

My point that I was trying to make but failed 

Try some of the ones on the ship as well  you may enjoy them by the glass rather than taking bottles or get  a Bin end wine you may not enjoy

 

 

[Petoonya]

Just now, LHT28 said:

Sorry did not know you only wanted French wine 😉

My point that I was trying to make but failed 

Try some of the ones on the ship as well  you may enjoy them by the glass rather than taking bottles or get  a Bin end wine you may not enjoy

Hit the nail on the head! Have a plan that includes all you mentioned and everyone's help. Thanks so much.

[Clutj]

Most Costcos do a fine job with wines.  Great pricing.  Don't know about Hawaii, though!

[Petoonya]

1 hour ago, Clutj said:

Most Costcos do a fine job with wines.  Great pricing.  Don't know about Hawaii, though!

We have a home in Maui, and Costco has a nice selection just like on the mainland. Whole Foods too 🙂

 

[Aloha 1]

3 hours ago, Petoonya said:

 

 

There is another piece to this. On an 18 day cruise, the 10th day will be in Maui. We can easily replenish there at a wine store. Even go to Costco- we do pretty well there. So if I bring 2 bottles I may only need 3-4 more to get us to Maui. I think even at that we can splurge and by what the O wine steward recommends.

 

And yes- we are used to pricing in grocery stores in FP. Have never looked at wines though ans hoped it could be a little different.

The Maui COSTCO has a great wine coordinator!  I've found many top shelf wines there at reasonable prices. Also, they have great prices on a few single malt scotches like Lagavulin for $54 - normally north of $85 anywhere else. 

[pinotlover]

Petoonya;

 

Since you are familiar with FP, here is a hint for you. The best prices with a solid inventory of wines we found was not in Papeete, but on Moorea. There is a major grocery store along the main route. It sets at the bottom of the hill with the Matoui “juice/rum/spirits “ facility farther up the hill as you head towards the Hilton. From the Hilton it is towards the main town and the ferry docks about a mile or so. Hope that helps! I think it’s right in the inner tip of Cook’s Bay.

[Clutj]

7 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Petoonya;

 

Since you are familiar with FP, here is a hint for you. The best prices with a solid inventory of wines we found was not in Papeete, but on Moorea. There is a major grocery store along the main route. It sets at the bottom of the hill with the Matoui “juice/rum/spirits “ facility farther up the hill as you head towards the Hilton. From the Hilton it is towards the main town and the ferry docks about a mile or so. Hope that helps! I think it’s right in the inner tip of Cook’s Bay.

Is it called Super U Are?

[Petoonya]

54 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

Petoonya;

 

Since you are familiar with FP, here is a hint for you. The best prices with a solid inventory of wines we found was not in Papeete, but on Moorea. There is a major grocery store along the main route. It sets at the bottom of the hill with the Matoui “juice/rum/spirits “ facility farther up the hill as you head towards the Hilton. From the Hilton it is towards the main town and the ferry docks about a mile or so. Hope that helps! I think it’s right in the inner tip of Cook’s Bay.

 

46 minutes ago, Clutj said:

Is it called Super U Are?

Yes, I know Super U Are. Was just there last December on Wind Spirit. Unfortunately this trip we have no stop in Moorea and not in Papeete long enough for a ferry trip. But thanks to both of you 🙂

Edited December 30, 2019 by Petoonya

[rialannah]

5 hours ago, Petoonya said:

Once again thank you! Writing the names down as they will never commit to memory.

Not quite understanding. If I find bin end wines I like can I make my own 7 bottle package? or are are the wines in bin ends what is used for the 7 bottle package?

Thanks for the names of the special ones.

 

There is another piece to this. On an 18 day cruise, the 10th day will be in Maui. We can easily replenish there at a wine store. Even go to Costco- we do pretty well there. So if I bring 2 bottles I may only need 3-4 more to get us to Maui. I think even at that we can splurge and by what the O wine steward recommends.

 

And yes- we are used to pricing in grocery stores in FP. Have never looked at wines though ans hoped it could be a little different.

 

We far prefer to bring wine onboard.  If your stop in Maui is Lahaina, Tamura's is a really excellent wine store.  Likely prices will be higher than Costco but the range will be wider.  We used the store a couple of months ago.

[Petoonya]

1 hour ago, rialannah said:

 

We far prefer to bring wine onboard.  If your stop in Maui is Lahaina, Tamura's is a really excellent wine store.  Likely prices will be higher than Costco but the range will be wider.  We used the store a couple of months ago.

We have a home there and visit about 4x a year. Costco is where we usually buy as we drink little other than when entertaining. Have visited Tamura's as it's near home, and agree it is excellent! Thanks very much for your suggestion 🙂 Have never had Kahului as a port but that's where O is visiting this time surprisingly, and Costco right on the way back to the ship. Think NCL is trying to save a buck where they can. 😉

Edited December 30, 2019 by Petoonya

[drkitkat123]

11 hours ago, Petoonya said:

From a wine dummy.

I truly know nothing about wine other than I'll drink reds and whites. Embarrassed to say that we usually just go with what is recommended at Trader Joe's- primarily cabernets and chardonnays. And on Oceania drink about 90% white California as we know it best.

 

Also know I'm better off bringing my own onboard. Except that I'm leaving from Papeete and don't see carrying wine in luggage from Portland Oregon.

To buy in Papeete I'd have to purchase mine at the one wine store a short taxi ride from the port, or at Carrefours market (which I'm told has a nice selection of French wines). But since I know nothing about French wine don't know about this- a shot in the dark.

 

We do like wine with dinner and on an 18 day cruise that's coming up, we'd probably drink 8-10 bottles. Again embarrassed we to say typically drink low end- $50-60. I've considered the package this time, but as advised here sounds like better to buy our own than choosing what the ship is trying to get rid of. But then maybe we're better off with the wine package since we're cheapskates anyway? Or just buying off the list rather buying an unknown from in Papeete and the $25 corkage. For as little as we know about wine and our tolerance for decent not great wine it sounds like we could go either way. Or go for the unknown- buy in Papeete?

 

I've left from Papeete about 5 times in the last 8 years and bought from the list onboard. Anyone have any comments, pointers? Please be gentle as I am an admitted  wine dummy.

 

Thanks very much.

 

Nancy

 

I also know very little about wine other than red and white but I must be totally deluded. To me a low end wine is $10 not 50-60..... am I totally off?

Edited December 31, 2019 by drkitkat123
correction

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, drkitkat123 said:

I also know very little about wine other than red and white but I must be totally deluded. To me a low end wine is $10 not 50-60..... am I totally off?

Well, that depends on all sorts of factors.

 

But. For $50-60 retail, one should be able to get some quite nice wines. 

Of course, $50-60 on the ship is another story. 

 

BTW. I can't remember the last time I actually bought a $10 bottle of wine - unless it was as a gift for someone I didn't like! (Just kidding)

 

[Petoonya]

4 minutes ago, drkitkat123 said:

I also know very little about wine other than red and white but I must be totally deluded. To me a low end wine is $10 not 50-60..... am I totally off?

You're not off. I was talking $50-60 buying from the ship's wine list. With a huge markup that $50 bottle of wine I could probably get at my local grocery store for $18. Otherwise bringing my own onboard a $15 bottle of is $40 with corkage. Compared to some of the experienced wine enthusiasts here my budget is low end. One of the happiest bottles I buy here at home is $10 and love it 😉

[Petoonya]

8 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

BTW. I can't remember the last time I actually bought a $10 bottle of wine - unless it was as a gift for someone I didn't like! (Just kidding)

FF, Trader Joes own brand Cab Sauvignon is $10 and very good (from a wine dummy's point of view). I drink little but I could drink it all night.

Edited December 31, 2019 by Petoonya

[Mura]

We haven't taken any super-long trips, and most recently we've been in a suite that gives lucky passengers the 6 bottle set-up in the room.  But I have taken to bringing along 3-4 bottles (one of vodka, three wines) and I manage to get them there without breakage, even on a long flight.  I doubt I'd try that if my flight has more than one stop, however!

 

Occasionally -- but ONLY occasionally -- I've bought something at a port.  That's mostly because it wasn't always easy in a port.

 

Someone earlier mentioned buying in a grocery store or the like ... I wouldn't suggest that for Tahiti and environs!  But when we were going to the ship in Lima our driver stopped at a local wine shop and I picked up a few bottles of wine for consumption on the way home.  They were very reasonably priced and quite drinkable --not that I am a true oenophile!  I like what I like, which is usually dry reds or whites.  In NYC buying wines in grocery stores is a no-no ... but I know that in Los Angeles you can get excellent wines in a liquor store!  So it can certainly depend on which port you are in.

 

When we were in a Central American port (I'm too rushed right now to see which one it was) there was a huge duty-free store next to the ship.  And I got some good liquor prices there.

 

Mura

[Flatbush Flyer]

30 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

......bringing my own onboard a $15 bottle of is $40 with corkage. 😉

So, you'd rather carry a $15 bottle of wine with you that will end up costing you $40 with corkage than buy a $50 bottle onboard (of probably the same quality)?

 

I notice from your profile that you are in Oregon(?). Why not splurge on a really good Willamette Valley Pinot Noir for about $60. With corkage, that would cost you $85 for a bottle that, onboard, might set you back well over $200.

 

Of course, there's one catch: Once you drink that Pinot, it's possible that Trader Joe's $10 wine will no longer work for you. 😉

[Petoonya]

22 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

So, you'd rather carry a $15 bottle of wine with you that will end up costing you $40 with corkage than buy a $50 bottle onboard (of probably the same quality)?

 

I notice from your profile that you are in Oregon(?). Why not splurge on a really good Willamette Valley Pinot Noir for about $60. With corkage, that would cost you $85 for a bottle that, onboard, might set you back well over $200.

 

Of course, there's one catch: Once you drink that Pinot, it's possible that Trader Joe's $10 wine will no longer work for you. 😉

Heh-heh, about TJ's!

Actually we do stop in the Willamette Valley to bring nice Pinot Noir to our kids in Portland, but it's just not our thing. A puzzle to our kids. 😉  My neighbor brings wine that they sell for $150/bottle from their Healdsburg vineyard, but it's lost on us. My husband really doesn't care one way or another. So I drink it myself and that's no fun!

 

Yes, I'd probably carry that $10 TJ on Air Tahiti Nui with me I like it so much lol. But you're right it makes a lot more sense to buy the $50-60 onboard than drag a two  $15-20 bottles with us. (I know I like those bottles tho....) BTW, I posted on the Tahiti board asking about Papeete Carrefours. Sounds like we'd do fine, but others like you have me convinced to stick with O's wine.

Edited December 31, 2019 by Petoonya

[aquidneck1]

Hi,  we missed each other last year? when you cancelled your Oceania cruise.  We were just on the Riviera and we took the wine by the glass with meals package as our benefit choice.  The wines were actually fine and we each found something acceptable.  There was a nice drinkable french chardonnay, a nice rose and a couple of reds that we enjoyed.  We did bring a few special bottles for some of the specialty restaurants.  It was pretty painless.  Switch your bottles from your luggage to your carry on if you think that they will sit in the hot sun for long in Tahiti.  Enjoy!  

[Petoonya]

2 hours ago, aquidneck1 said:

Hi,  we missed each other last year? when you cancelled your Oceania cruise.  We were just on the Riviera and we took the wine by the glass with meals package as our benefit choice.  The wines were actually fine and we each found something acceptable.  There was a nice drinkable french chardonnay, a nice rose and a couple of reds that we enjoyed.  We did bring a few special bottles for some of the specialty restaurants.  It was pretty painless.  Switch your bottles from your luggage to your carry on if you think that they will sit in the hot sun for long in Tahiti.  Enjoy!  

 

Yes....we ended up doing the 17 day Wind Spirit Tahiti instead. It was glorious!

Thanks for your thoughts and did consider doing the wine by the glass option. But since we don't drink wine at lunch and usually just go through barely a bottle and a half every 2 nights at dinner, it didn't seem worthwhile.

Doing the Papeete-Hawaii-SF in April with a few people from your cruise who tell me how much I missed. Wish we could have done both. Best wishes to you! 🙂

PS. Decided not to drag wine with us. Husband will want a small bottle of scotch for preparing for dinner but aside from a few bottles off the wine list think we'll be good.

Edited January 1, 2020 by Petoonya

[MamaFej]

@Petoonya, thank you for starting this thread. We will have our first and second Oceania cruises in March and April of 2021: 10 days in Tahiti, followed by the 18 day to San Francisco. We will be flying up from New Zealand after a couple of months of cruise/train/camper van  time throughout the South Pacific, and I've been wondering about wine for the cruises. This thread helped me to learn quite a bit. I'm leaning toward bringing some NZ and/or Australian wine with us on the plane on the way to Tahiti. 

 

Our taste in wine is not nearly as sophisticated as that of many. We do have a favorite SoCal winery (5 time State Fair Best CA winery) and their stuff ranges $12-$30 a bottle for wine club members. One of my favorite wines is a red blend that sells at Costco for around $8. I like it better than most $60-$80 wines I've tried.

 

That was more information than you needed. I really just wanted to say thanks and happy new year!

[Hawaiidan]

On 12/30/2019 at 5:29 PM, Petoonya said:

You're not off. I was talking $50-60 buying from the ship's wine list. With a huge markup that $50 bottle of wine I could probably get at my local grocery store for $18. Otherwise bringing my own onboard a $15 bottle of is $40 with corkage. Compared to some of the experienced wine enthusiasts here my budget is low end. One of the happiest bottles I buy here at home is $10 and love it 😉

Then  there is carlo-rossy    chard   in the handy 1 gallon jug  for $8.99  It is not all thatbad

[pinotlover]

21 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Then  there is carlo-rossy    chard   in the handy 1 gallon jug  for $8.99  It is not all thatbad

😩🤮🤮

 

we can sell you some Ripple at $5.99 per bottle! Just think , only $30.99 after corkage. If your palate, or lack thereof can take Carlos Rossi, it can handle Ripple! 😂

[Petoonya]

5 hours ago, MamaFej said:

@Petoonya, thank you for starting this thread. We will have our first and second Oceania cruises in March and April of 2021: 10 days in Tahiti, followed by the 18 day to San Francisco. We will be flying up from New Zealand after a couple of months of cruise/train/camper van  time throughout the South Pacific, and I've been wondering about wine for the cruises. This thread helped me to learn quite a bit. I'm leaning toward bringing some NZ and/or Australian wine with us on the plane on the way to Tahiti.

 

Hi Mama!

Interestingly we're doing the Papeete-Hawaii-SF run in April. Did the same in 2018 as well as a 17 day in Tahiti. You'll love it! You may have already visited Tahiti but if not you're in for pure bliss. I may be on your cruise in 2021 as it's become a sweet habit. (Maybe we can share our $8 and $10 bottles, lol!!!!) Happy New Year to you too!

[Shawnino]

Re: "we can sell you some Ripple at $5.99 per bottle! ..."

 

The 'sad' thing is is that, in Portugal, I can find good bottles of wine for EUR 10.

[Hawaiidan]

12 hours ago, pinotlover said:

😩🤮🤮

 

we can sell you some Ripple at $5.99 per bottle! Just think , only $30.99 after corkage. If your palate, or lack thereof can take Carlos Rossi, it can handle Ripple! 😂

By the way..... the secret jug wine  of Napa/Sonoma  is  " Liberty School"     its the over production of Caymys....    Only sold in the county as a vin du pays........    Dont knock the jug...         Do you think they would charge corkage on box wine?????       There is no real bad wine...only bad  opinions.    Happy new year.... I am popping my Rodier C   and a 05 L' Evangile................    I like em' all