CELEBRATION OF WINE

WINE TASTING, RÜDESHEIM VINEYARDS, GERMANY

Celebrate wine as you toast your way through renowned vineyards uncovering the time-honored traditions of winemaking from the winemakers themselves—and taste the fruits of their labor. Discover the differences between a Moselle Riesling from Germany and an Alsatian Riesling from France on the Rhine & Moselle Splendors river cruise. Or be treated to an in-depth explanation of the differences between Bordeaux’s Left Bank and Right Bank wines as you taste your way through Bordeaux. How about visiting the Gems of Southeast Europe, discovering centuries-old winegrowing regions dating back to the Romans?

PREMIER VINEYARDS AND CELLAR TOURS

One of the most delightful aspects of our Wine Cruises is visiting Europe’s unique vineyards and wineries. Walk through France’s Saint-Émilion and then visit the 14th-century Château de Montaigne, the former residence of French philosopher Michel de Montaigne. Visit the historic and majestic Burg Clam, located high above the nearby village of Clam, Austria. Or taste some of Hungary’s revered Tokaji wines while in its Szekszárd region. These are only a few of the amazing places you will experience.

AUTHENTIC ENCOUNTERS

Authentic encounters add to the rich tapestry of local culture, always making for memorable experiences. Walk alongside artisans and vintners through the same fields in which their ancestors toiled. Learn how best to pair decadent chocolate with wine; discover how olives transform into the Mediterranean’s prized nectar, olive oil; or be tempted by everything made from Austria’s Wachau Valley apricots including jams, strudels and apricot brandy.

THE MAGIC OF WINE CRUISES

Ryan Levy and Ian Eastveld of Nice Winery are certified sommeliers, wine educators and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chefs. We interviewed Ryan about food, wine and how he creates magic and wonder for guests on board.

What are the best wines to toast a special occasion with? You can never go wrong with a bottle of bubbles. Alsatian wines are also great. The bottles are tall and slender and evoke a feeling of celebration.

What’s your go-to dish that has that “wow” factor? Ian and I do a lot of collaborative cooking and what we’re most famous for is braised beef short ribs made with our Malbec wine. Braising is a lost art of cooking, and using it with one of our favorite wines for makes a spectacular pairing.

How do you know when a wine will complement a dish? Wine pairing is now driven more by flavor intensity than the protein. You can have red wine with fish, if the seasoning and preparation of the fish is powerful enough to stand up to the complexity of the red wine. One rule of thumb is to pair flavors of similar intensity together: light flavors with light-bodied wines and bold flavors with full-bodied, such as pairing our Nice Yakima Cabernet Sauvignon with a cowboy cut ribeye or a hunk of Maytag blue cheese.

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