Malta to Nice on Le Ponant - 4th - 11th July 2019

Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours

Smooth sailing, tantalising tastings

Malta to Nice on Le Ponant 1

4th - 11th July 2019 | from ÂŁ6,750

Luxury & indulgence await Cruise between glorious islands aboard your own luxury yacht, stepping off only to immerse yourself in vibrant local culture, take a dip in the beautiful surrounding waters and pay visits to revered wineries and restaurants alike. Experience sumptuous tastings of regionally produced wines – and also one of local olive oil – that range from biodynamic to traditional, take part in an authentic cookery class while in Amalfi, and spend time wandering the charming streets of towns we make stops in along the way.

For more information visit arblasterandclarke.com or call today:

01730 887341

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View of Positano

The Ship

Indulge in the flavours and sights of the Mediterranean from the comfort of a luxurious, privately chartered yacht

Important cabin information and deck plan Le Ponant will take you on a voyage of discovery – under full sail, gliding over the sea, you are sure to fall under the ship’s spell. Experience the fine life wherever you are: in your charming cabin, sat in one of the comfortable lounges, or relaxing on the sun deck.

We step off only to immerse ourselves in vibrant local culture, take a dip in the beautiful surrounding waters and pay visits to revered wineries and restaurants alike. Experience sumptuous tastings of regionally produced wines – and also one of local olive oil – that range from biodynamic to traditional, take part in an authentic cookery class while in Amalfi, and spend time wandering the charming streets of towns we make stops in along the way.

the internal dining room, reception and boutique, where the bar area leads out to another covered deck space and the swimming platform. Marie-Galante, or the lower deck, houses the remainder of the cabins with either fixed double beds or detachable double/twins.

All cabins have above water port holes, meaning that no cabins are below the water line.

The very nature of small ship cruising makes this trip unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues or who is unsteady on their feet. As well as plenty of stairs on Le Ponant, often access to shore is via a smaller boat, so passengers must be able to transfer from Le Ponant into a smaller vessel whilst at sea.

Arblaster & Clarke Wine Cruises are exclusive small parties, so we have reduced the maximum number of passengers on board this luxurious, privately-chartered yacht from 64 to just 48. By limiting our number of guests we can make sure that you receive the friendly, informal house party style that makes our A&C small ship Wine Cruises unique.

Enjoy the privilege of a relaxing cruise aboard a vessel crafted to respect the tradition of famous sailing yachts. On board you will enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and relative ease of mooring, as well as the ability to drop anchor for an impromptu swim, and having a single sitting for leisurely lunches and dinners often out on the open deck. Our small size also allows for swift and easy disembarkation – giving us all the more time to explore the lovely port towns and wine regions on our route.

The four decks aboard Le Ponant comprise of a Sun Deck, the Antigua Deck which accommodates cabins one to five, the bridge and an open-air dining room. Saint-Barth is the main deck where you’ll find the comfortable air-conditioned lounge and bar,

Cabin

Price £PP

Cabin No.

Fixed Double 15.3 square metres

£8,995

5

Fixed Double 12.3 square metres

£8,750

1-4

Double/Twin 13.5 square metres

£7,750

8, 10, 12, 14, 25, 27, 29

Double/Twin 11.3 square metres

£6,750

11, 12a, 15-21, 30

Double for Sole Occupancy 11.3 square metres

£8,250

22, 24, 26, 28

Double for Sole Occupancy 10.8 square metres

£7,750

7, 9

Double/Twin 12.6 square metres

£8,800

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Itinerary Cruise the glorious Tyrrhenian Sea | 4th - 11th July 2019 View of Valletta, Malta

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London to Valletta | 4th July

Upon arrival in Valletta we are treated to a drinks reception, before boarding our luxurious private yacht, Le Ponant. In the evening, we will sit down to our first group dinner, which will be a delicious exploration of regional cuisine, paired with Maltese wine made from their indigenous gape varieties, Gellewza (red) and Ghirgentina (white).

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Marsala | 5th July

Today we visit our old friends, De Bartoli, who have single handedly restored the fortunes of Marsala wine. We then move on to Donnafugata and enjoy their wines over lunch. This afternoon there is some free time to explore the lovely town of Marsala. We have dinner on board this evening, teamed with a tasting of Sicilian wines led by our wine guide.

Natural arches on Palmarola Island, Italy

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Aeolian Islands | 6th July

We arrive into Salina today and our first visit is to Carlo Hauner, who is seen as the “godfather� of wine production on the Aeolian Islands. As well as his excellent Malvasia, he produces a full bodied red and a mineral driven white. Lunch is on board today, and this afternoon we fit in a swim stop and a visit to the island of Lipari. Here, we explore the 15th century castle before our final tasting at Tenuta di Castellaro.

Dinner will be on board Le Ponant this evening.

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Amalfi & Capri | 7th July

We get a little hands-on this morning with a cookery class ashore the Amalfi Coast, learning to make classic Campanian dishes, which we then enjoy for lunch. There is some free time this afternoon to wander through the small town of Amalfi before we set sail for the island of Capri. Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant which offers spectacular sea views.

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Pontine Islands | 8th July

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Today is all about relaxing at sea, enjoying the tranquility of being aboard a luxury yacht. We start our day by leaving the little known island of Ponza, stopping for a swim in the crystal clear waters. Before lunch, our wine guide will introduce the wines of central Italy over a tasting of Tuscan and Umbrian wines.

After stopping for lunch on board, we set sail for Palmarola where there is time for another refreshing swim and the opportunity to explore the rock cathedral and grottoes. Dinner will be on board this evening, accompanied by a selection of Italian wines.

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Bonifaco & Corsica | 9th July

White Wine in front of Calvi Marina, Corsica

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Today we discover the hidden treasures of Corsica, starting with Domaine Pero Longo. This rustic estate boasts hectares of great vineyards and olive groves, and produces some great wines.

When we return to our yacht for lunch, we will be presented with a Corsican menu and the hours that follow will be spent at leisure, taking in the charms of Bonifacio. Our evening wine-tasting is set to focus on Sardinian flavours and styles, and we will also enjoy another fantastic dinner aboard the fabulous Le Ponant.

Bonifacio & Elba | 10th July

Our final full day on this magnificent tour begins at Tenuta La Chiusa, a farm and wine estate that also produces renowned olive oil. During our visit here, we will be privileged to sample both before returning to the yacht for lunch, which includes a traditional Italian fish stew called Cacciucco. We arrive into Elba late this afternoon, where there is free time to explore the charming harbour town of Portoferraio. Tonight is our final dinner on board - the Captain’s dinner - an opportunity to dress up and enjoy an aperitif on deck, before sitting down to a selection of Italian dishes, accompanied by the wines of Tuscany.

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On an Arblaster & Clarke wine cruise, travelling by sea means crossing new frontiers with a view to finding new favourites. Discover little-visited regions, remote vineyards in breathtaking locations, and passionate producers making outstanding wines. They all dot coasts and islands across Europe, and we know just where to look…

A&C offer anything but the typical cruise experience… we specialise in ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences. See the world’s wine destinations from a new vantage point — the luxury sailboat Le Ponant. We sail leisurley on the azure Mediterranean taking advantage of the rare opportunity to admire Europe’s golden coastlines from a different perspective.

• 7 Nights aboard a private yacht • All meals included with wine • Visits and tasting as per itinerary • Services of a Wine Guide and a Tour Manager

Nice - London | 11th July

We disembark early this morning and fly back to London.

Included on tour

Panoramic view over Portoferraio town, Italy Guests aboard Le Ponant

www.arblasterandclarke.com | 01730 887341 5

Food & wine The wines of the Mediterranean Islands are extremely varied and with our own Master of Wine on board, the wines tasted on this trip will showcase the best the regions have to offer. The food on board Le Ponant has been consistently rated as the very best out of all A&C cruises and the meals on this trip will be no exception. A gourmet chef and an outside dining area, which is used whenever weather permits, make for some very memorable dining occasions.

Wine

Food

Experience

We taste a full range of wines on this trip from full bodied, ageworthy reds to steely whites as well as wonderfully unctuous sweet wines. Our wine visits ashore will be augmented by on-board tastings.

Food and wine go hand in hand, and as much attention is paid to featuring classical dishes from the regions we visit, as it is to the wines that accompany them. Discover how flavours showcase the destinations.

The culture at each stop along the way is explored not only through tastings and winery visits, but through authentic and traditional encounters.

From a cookery class to a castle visit, we experience it all.

A tempting on-board snack

Wood-fired pizza in Italy

Wine & cheese

Regional Dishes • Whilst Malta may be less well known for its cuisine than some of the other regions we visit, there is a pride among the Maltese for their traditional dishes such as rabbit stew – slow cooked over several hours in plenty of sweet, flavoursome Maltese tomatoes.

• The cuisine of Sicily and the Aeolian Islands is as much influenced by the Greeks, Spanish and Arabs as it is by mainland Italy. We enjoy such dishes as arancini and stuffed courgette flowers.

• Delicate buffalo mozzarella, sun ripened tomatoes and of course pizza are the staples of Amalfi, along with wonderful lemon ice cream.

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A typical Italian feast

Our favourites Wines of Campania Vineyard in Tuscany

Campania is home to several interesting native varieties, of which there are over one hundred.

For white wines Falanghina comes into its own in Campania, giving whites with subtle, heady fragrance and honeyed notes. Both Greco and Fiano produce dry wine of excellent quality. Full bodied and complex reds from the Aglianico grape show great ageing potential.

Wines of Corsica There has been a move by the top quality producers to rediscover the island’s traditional varieties, which grow very well in the rocky hills. The red Nielluccio grape is widely planted in the north of the island and produces some of Corsica’s best long lived red wine.

Vermentino comes in both highly aromatic to steely, crisp examples and the Sciaccarello grape can produce excellent rosé.

Dinner on board Le Ponant Wines of Sicily Sicily has a long history of wine production and there is a huge range of grapes grown from native varieties such as Nero d’Avola and Nerello Mascalese through to international varieties. Marsala, is Sicily’s classic fortified wine, in which Grillo is often the main grape.

There are excellent Malvasias from the Aeolian Islands.

Waiter on Le Ponnant

Guide by Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler, MW Qualifying as a Master of Wine in 1996 and picking up a Villa Maria Viticulture Award along the way, Nicola has become a specialist not only in South African wine, but the classic French regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, too.

It was her time in Italy during her twenties that ignited her passion for their wine (and language), resulting in her broad knowledge of both subjects. Having started her wine career in 1987 with Majestic Wine Warehouses, she then moved on to Corney & Barrow, moving up from helping to set up the broking department to becoming the company’s wine buyer. She has most recently set up Private Cellar, where she buys wine.

Nicola is a true specialist and asset to the Arblaster & Clarke brand.

www.arblasterandclarke.com | 01730 887341

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Travel with us in 2019 Chile & Argentina

10th - 25th February

New Zealand

15th February - 3rd March

A&C South Africa

26th February - 9th March

Early Spring Champagne

16th - 18th March

Douro Vineyard Walk

15th - 20th April

Reserve Piedmont

22nd 26th April

Early Spring Champagne - April

27th - 29th April

Introduction to Chablis & Burgundy

7th - 11th May

Original Alsace

20th - 25th May

Barcelona & Cava

10th - 14th June

Malta to Nice on Le Ponant

4th - 11th July

Wine & Opera in Verona

3rd - 7th September

Original Rioja & Ribera

16th - 21st September

Walking the Burgundy Vineyards

16th -21st September

Crete & Santorini

19th - 24th September

Pre-Christmas

21st - 23rd September

English Walk

27th - 29th September

Canada - Ontario & the Finger Lakes

29th September - 7th October

Walking the Rhone Valley

7th - 13th October

The Story of Friuli & Slovenia

13th - 18th October

Original Bordeaux

18th - 23rd November

Original Tuscany

18th - 22nd November

Melbourne & Tasmania

29th November - 9th December

Pre-Christmas Champagne

30th November - 2nd December

New Year in Carcassonne

30th December 2019 -3rd January 2020

For more information visit our website

arblasterandclarke.com or call our team today 01730 887341