Savoring vacation time together

We spent two weeks aboard the Caribbean Princess traversing many islands and enjoying a smorgasbord of adventures. But Mrs. GoGirlfriend and I have the fondest recollections of our 3 hour dinners over a bottle of wine each night.

Adam and GoGirlfriendWe had the pleasure of building a relationship with Adam, the ship's Sommelier, and challenging him with our tastes and price limitations - finding that "Big Red." Adam talked, coaxed and made recommendations that we enjoyed each and every night.

Each of our 14 dinners was a different wine experience and a lesson in understanding elements of the varietals, wine regions and the subtleties of each wine's character. Arriving at the Palm Dining Room, we pulled our chairs side by side (much to the chagrin of Alina and Simo, our excellent servers) held hands and focused on each other.

But we looked forward to Adam's arrival and the time spent with him picking the wine for that evening.

Wine Recommendations

Great WinesOnboard the ship, the wine choices were separated by the usual white, red, sparkling and by price per bottle - $25, $35, $45, and special reserve. With 14 days on the ship we had a budget, so our wines started in the $25 and $35 groups and evolved to the $45 and one foray into the special Reserve for the Chilean Don Melchor that was well worth the extra price.

Here are a few of the wines we enjoyed, each recommended by Adam as we bantered about the tastes and subtleties of each one:

• Silverado, Napa Valley, USA - Cabernet Sauvignon
• Nikiara, Paso Robles, USA - Meritage
• Seghesio, Sonoma, USA - Zinfandel
• Spellbound, California - Petite Sirah
• Cotes-Du-Rhone, Chapoutier, Cote-Rotie, France - Rhone blend
• Artesa Elements, Napa Valley, USA - Meritage
• Chianti Classico Riserva, Toscana, Italy - Sangiovese
• Don Melchor, Concha Y Toro, Chile - Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Sommelier

Now this, to me, is a sweet gig! Sampling, tasting and re-tasting wines for the subtle nuances of berry, oak, licorice, spices and mentally sorting through the hundreds yet to sample - sweet!

Onboard the Caribbean Princess, the ship's Sommelier is responsible for the wine enjoyment of more than 3000 passengers of varying degrees of knowledge and experience. All Princess Sommeliers are certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers, and require extensive training and knowledge. Adam's detailed knowledge and charming personality were well suited to satisfy our palate's gustatory desires.

Cruise Ship Dining - Yum!As we challenged him to come up with a wine for the day, he rolled the wine options through his mind, pulling tastes and smacking his lips to recall each wine's flavor and subtleties. He asked questions and paired wines with our mood and meal courses. Each selection was a new moment and, Adam, we were never disappointed.

Our personal wine knowledge has grown, our knowledge of new areas and varietals to try (beautiful new deep Zinfandel's are now part of our wine choices) has blossomed, and we are richer for the talents of an experienced Sommelier.

Thank-you Adam!

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