My Crash Course on Wine

Did you know that every evening during a Uniworld cruise, the Sommelier onboard does a presentation? I didn’t, but I quickly came to look forward to them after my first Uniworld cruise. Now I’ve been on a few, and the format is always the same. They happen right after the port talk—a quick discussion of the destination and excursions for the next day—and right before dinner. After the Cruise Manager is done speaking, the sommelier waltzes up to the center of the room, often to some applause and cheering.

One thing I’ve learned from the few Uniworld cruises I’ve done so far, is that the Sommelier and the Bar Team are popular guest favorites. Of course, they’re pouring you free drinks all day, so it makes sense!

As someone who casually enjoys wine, I wouldn’t call myself a connoisseur by any means, but I feel like I’ve been learning so much more just by listening to these Sommelier presentations. It’s fun to be able to look out for the notes they describe, and debate with my friends at the dinner table over whether or not we can catch the “stone fruits” and “white flowers” in the aroma. It’s practical knowledge too, since I’ve discovered things like the fact that I prefer my rieslings “off-dry” and my chardonnay not to be aged in oak barrels. Next time I go out for dinner, ordering off the wine list won’t feel like a shot in the dark.

The best part is how much care the Sommelier’s put into selecting wines that pair perfectly with the dishes being served for dinner each night. For example, one night during the Venice cruise I just returned from, the Sommelier presented a pinot grigio and a pinot nero as our white and red options for the evening. I opted for the white option—my usual—and immediately caught on to the floral notes our Sommelier told us to look out for. It wasn’t until I tucked into the fish (seared John Dory in capers and tomato sauce atop a bed of ricotta polenta) that I understood what he meant about the wine’s “minerality,” though. I wouldn’t call it salty, per se, but there was a hint of something drying out the mouth that made the richness of the polenta and the briny, sharp tomato sauce on the fish that much more satisfying.

For fun, I had asked for a small pour of the pinot nero to try with my friend’s wild mushroom and truffle risotto. The difference in trying the wine with and without food was even more pronounced there. I’m not typically a red wine drinker, so I can’t say it was love at first sip. It was a little too tart for me... until I tried the risotto. After I had a bite, my next sip was like a different wine entirely. The fat from the risotto completely rounded out the flavors. Now the wine was smooth, and I could appreciate the notes of black currant and vanilla our Sommelier told us about.

Now I’m home and missing my daily crash course in wine, but I also feel a bit more empowered to keep learning about it on my own.

In what I’ve found is a signature move for Uniworld’s Sommeliers, every presentation ends with a little joke about wine. In that spirit, I’ll leave you with this little gem from the Sommelier aboard the S.S. La Venezia:

Want to know the secret to enjoying a good bottle of wine? First, open the bottle. Second, let it breathe. Third, if it doesn’t look like it’s breathing, give it mouth to mouth.

Note: The contents of this article are accurate as of the publication date. Uniworld itineraries and inclusions are subject to change at any time.