Calling wine experts!

[sillybutt]

Hey all,

 

I'm trying to purchase a bottle of wine on the Dawn. I don't know much bout wine but DO know that i enjoy white, not so dry, sweet wine. Can someone assist me w/ my selection. Here's the wine list for DAWN

 

So far i'm torn b/t the Riesling, Arthur Mets and Liebfraumilch, Peter Merten. Here's the wine list: http://www.ncl.com/more/wine_list.htm

 

 

Suggestions anyone?

 

- Sillybutt:)

 

 

PS My budget is $20 - $30

[randyat1001]

You might try a Pinot Grigio the #234 is a good example. The P.G.'s are a happy medium not too sweet, not too dry and the Italians are usually our favorites for reasonable cost to good taste wines, though Robert Mondavi makes a nice Pinot.

Good luck, Randy

[crystalloubear]

on our recent Dawn cruise, we dined at Le Bistro and had Ivan as our waiter. We explained to him what we liked and disliked about wines and he picked a good one to complement our meal. He will work within your budget as well. Just an idea if you want to try something. I usually drink white pinot grigio type wines and with the beef that I was ordering Ivan recommended this red one based on what I told him about my likes and dislikes. I was very pleased.

 

Any good somilier on board should be able to assist you in this way.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Hi, Sillybutt.

 

I noticed that there's a viognier on the wine list (this one by Fetzer). Viogner has become my very favorite white wine. We sampled a viognier at a B & B last year in Healdsburg (Sonoma County, California), where all the guests were raving about it. Since then we have tried a number of them, all them pretty darn good. I honestly cannot remember whether we have tried the Fetzer viognier.

 

Here's an article from the Wine Spectator magazine (their archives) about viognier.

 

http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,1232,00.html

[JerseyMom]

So far i'm torn b/t the Riesling, Arthur Mets and Liebfraumilch, Peter Merten. Here's the wine list: http://www.ncl.com/more/wine_list.htm

 

 

Suggestions anyone?

 

- Sillybutt:)

 

 

PS My budget is $20 - $30

 

It's been awhile since I've had German wine but I believe that the Liebraumilch is the sweeter of the 2 so you might like that one more. In the meantime, why don't you print out the list and take it to your local wine store. Explain to them what you like and ask for suggestions. They may even have some of them and call sell you a bottle or two so that you can sample them (at a much cheaper price) before you sail.

[mmceachn]

I'm not an expert but enjoy Chardonnay

On the Dawn would suggest Kendall Jackson Chardonnay

Santa Barbara Meridian

Fetzer Sundial

For a red Meridian Merlot

all under 30.00 on the Dawn

Keep your reciepts in case they run the special where if you purchase 5 bottles you get the sixth one free

[gouda]

If you like something on the sweet side, go for the Riesling. It will be sweet, but not overly so. Whatever you do stay away from the white Burgundy and Chardonney, while not especially dry, is a very heavy, buttery white with a little too much body for someone who leans towards sweeter wines.

 

If you want something very light a pinot grigio or Fume Blanc might be nice. If you're feeling adventurous and want to try something less sweet I'd pick the Chilean Fume Blanc, #272. I think you'd be happy with it.

 

You've got 7 days, so you can try more than one;) !

[sillybutt]

Thank you ALL!!!

 

Thank you for the wonderful suggestions. I might just end up getting more than one bottles. But, i will take the list to a wine store and see what they tell me. Thanks again!

 

- Sillybutt:)

[gardencat]

Cruise more often

 

I'd give the viognier a try too. I discovered it a few years ago when in California and like it but it has, to me, a distinct character and seems to be one of those wines that people either love or hate. Also, although some of them have an almost floral aroma, they are actually surprisingly dry. Do you think sillybutt might find it too dry?

 

Maybe the reisling would suit better?

 

As someone else said, its a 7 night cruise, why not try more than one.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Hard to tell, Gardencat. Wine is so personal. We always have a bottle of it available for "special" occasions--like any Saturday, for instance. We are so lucky to live in Sonoma County, with vineyards and wineries all around us, and we tend to stick with Sonoma or Napa wines. And there are a lot of them on NCL wine lists, both red and white. Gardencat, where did you travel when you were in California?

 

I see that someone suggested Fume Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc, neither of which are too sweet. I personally don't like the heavy oakey taste of most chardonnays, but they are very popular.

 

Yes, a vacation is the perfect time for experimentation. It's so nice that you can order a bottle of wine, and if you don't finish it, they will keep it for you for another meal.

 

Enjoy!

[taszmom]

Rule of thumb...the higher the alcohol content the dryer, the lower, the sweeter. You can tell how "sweet" a wine is by it's alcohol content. You will see most Cabernet Sauvignon's around 15%, while some sweeter German whites around 10%.

 

Wine is like everything...a matter of taste. Try going to a wine tasting and try different wines to see what you like. Our local wine & liquor shop has them every few months. It's a great way to try something new.

[gardencat]

Cruise more often

 

 

We started in Sonoma (stayed a few days in Occidental) and checked out some of the Russian River area then down through Napa and slowly back to San Fransisco. I found a lot of nice wines but unfortunately most of them are not available in Canada and importing them is a big headache so I came back with a very few bottles which are long gone now :( and some pretty good memories. So many vineyards, so little time.

 

PS I do like velvety oaky Chardonnays. As you said it is so personal.

[gouda]

Right, the Fume and Sauvignon blancs aren't sweet, but they're innocuous so I'm guessing that someone who doesn't like a dry wine might like something with less taste altogether? Just a thought....My rule of thumb is, try them all;) !

[gardencat]

Hey sillybutt,

 

You've started a pretty lively discussion here so now, I hope you realize, we are all counting on you to take notes and come back and report to us what you did and didn't like.

 

See what you've done now:eek: you've turned this into a working vacation!

[gouda]

Cruisemoreoften,

 

Have you been to Araujo vineyards? Dh, who is a vinophile, got ahold of 2 bottles and you would have thought he struck gold. Apparently it's some major coup just to be able to buy some. Anyway, that's the latest addition to our cellar, but he just loves to talk wine. He's the expert, I just know what I like;) !

[Cruise_More_Often]

No, Gouda, we haven't been to Araujo. I just went to their website (which is beautiful) to see what you bought. They must be very popular. I noticed that they have a mailing list of consumers to whom they sell most of their wines, and the mailing list is currently closed. It's too bad that they don't have a tasting room. We'd be on our way there next weekend, because we also like Cabernet (and also Pinot Noir and Zinfandel). Word of mouth is the best salesperson.

 

Gardencat, sounds like you had a nice trip. We always like meeting people in the tasting rooms and finding out where they're from. We've never been up your way, but we had an absolute blast in Vancouver at the end of our cruise this spring. We left so much money up there! And we can't wait to go back next summer.

 

Whatever you decide, Sillybutt (I can hardly type that without laughing!), you're bound to have a good time trying the wines on your cruise.

[gardencat]

cruise moreoften

 

If life puts you in a position to find yourself somewhere near southern Ontario in the future you should plan to visit the Niagara wine area.

 

I may get blasted by Ontario wine supporters for saying this, but IMHO the red wines from this area are not up to the standards of the California cabs or the Australian shirraz but we have some, to me, really good whites and some vineyards are experimenting with different grape varieties which makes for interesting tastings if not always wine you want to drink a lot of!

 

Plus there is always our renown ice wine to try.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Are you pulling my leg, Gardencat?

[gardencat]

Cruise More Often

 

Nope no leg pulling. Are you unfamiliar with ice wine or do you just doubt it is produced in this area?

[Cruise_More_Often]

Gosh, Gardencat, I have never heard of it. What is it? CMO

[Cruise_More_Often]

Just did a Web search and found lot of info about ice wine. I truly had never heard of it, but now I'm going out to find some. It sounds delicious! CMO

[gardencat]

WARNING TO CRUISE MORE OFTEN

 

It is delicious but not cheap. A half size bottle(375ml) of the Inniskillin brand was running about $50 last time I checked (that was a couple of years ago.) Of course that was Canadian dollars so probable about $2.95 US:D

 

I have been fortunate to have been gifted with a couple of bottles in the last year so that I didn't feel the need to buy any.

 

If you like blue cheese it is great (IMHO) slightly chilled with a nice piece of blue cheese. The differences in flavour sort of play off each other and zing your taste buds back and forth. If you don't like blue cheese I'm sure you'll find something else.

I found this description somewhere else but I think it does a pretty good job of capturing the idea.

 

The wine ends up a golden color, or a deep, rich amber. It has a very sweet (of course) taste. The flavor is a combination of apricot, peach, mango, melon or other sweet fruits. There is often a nutty smell to it as well. It is usually drunk as a dessert wine, chilled for one or two hours. It is usually served in small cordial glasses.

[didan]

Sillybutt,

I'm certainly far from a wine expert - as a matter of fact, there are few wines I do like. However, I would describe my taste in wine the same as you and find I like a white Zinfandel. Just another suggestion. Enjoy your cruise and your wine selection.:)

[Cruise_More_Often]

We went to the same site, because that is exactly the description I read. Boy, at $2.95 :D, I could afford a couple bottles. I'll be curious to see how difficult it is to find here. Thanks for the suggestion. I love to try new things.