Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Mondavi, Ferragamo among experts for Norwegian's 'Meet The Winemaker' series

242c50e7ca027cdbcae7781668b5b448
Intimate wine tastings and educational seminars will be hosted by each expert in The Cellars, a Michael Mondavi Family Wine Bar
Michael Mondavi, Banfi Vintners' Bill Whiting, television chef and James Beard award winner Aarón Sánchez and Salvatore Ferragamo are some of the wine experts scheduled for Norwegian Cruise Line's new 'Meet The Winemaker' series.

During these cruises on Norwegian Escape and Norwegian Dawn, passengers have the opportunity to wine and dine with leaders and legends in winemaking. The full series was revealed during the first Winemaker Dinner cruise of the season, held this week on Norwegian Escape and featuring Antonio Hidalgo, president of Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana.

Norwegian’s Winemaker Dinner series is hosted on board in The Cellars, a Michael Mondavi Family Wine Bar, in partnership with the Mondavi family and other beverage partners, including Moët Hennessy.

Mondavi, founder of the Michael Mondavi Family Estate, co-founder of Folio Fine Wine Partners and co-founder of The Cellars, represents the third generation of the prestigious family of wineries in Napa Valley. He'll be aboard Norwegian Dawn's Sept. 22 cruise.

Ferragamo, heir of the famous Italian fashion house and owner at Il Borro Winery in Tuscany, will join Norwegian Escape's Oct. 28 sailing.

Whiting, director of wine education at Banfi Vintners in the Brunello region of Tuscany, and grandson of the founder, will sail on Norwegian Escape's Nov. 4 cruise.

Sánchez, ambassador and spokesperson for Terrazas de los Andes wines and one of the world’s leading contemporary Latin chefs, will join Norwegian Escape's Dec. 2 sailing.

And Gerard Bertrand, renowned vintner of Languedoc-Roussillon, will be aboard Norwegian Escape's Feb. 17 cruise.

'Given the incredible reception of Michael Mondavi’s past visits aboard our ships, we are excited to expand upon this concept to provide our guests the opportunity to get up close and personal with renowned experts within the winemaking industry,' said Norwegian's Mark Kansley, svp hotel operations.

Passengers will have several opportunities to engage with the experts via seminars and activities. The second day of each cruise will feature an open-forum question and answer session in the ship's atrium. Afterward, passengers can purchase featured wines selected by the winemakers and varietals from the ship’s wine list, meet the expert and have their bottles signed to take home. The event is complimentary and open to all.

The more intimate wine tasting and educational seminar hosted by the vintner in The Cellars features wines hand-picked by the expert and brought on board for the seminar. Pricing is $19.95 per person. The gourmet Winemaker Dinner, hosted by the expert, consists of five wine-paired courses and is priced at $59.95. Reservations are available only on the ship.

Norwegian Dawn sails to Bermuda through October and to Canada/New England in September and October from seasonal homeport Boston. Norwegian Escape serves the eastern and western Caribbean from Miami. In April 2018, the ship will reposition to New York for Bermuda cruises.