For the 2020 season, Emerald Waterways has announced a more in-depth, culinary- and wine-focused itinerary with its new 8-day Flavours of Burgundy and Provence sailing, aimed at putting guests in the vineyards and farms that make this area so special. Now, they’re upping the ante even further for wine lovers with a wine-themed departure of this itinerary featuring New York City wine expert Sarah S. Looper.
This exclusive cruise, sailing roundtrip from Lyon July 11-18, is ideal for wine and food lovers looking to explore the region alongside a noted expert as they visit storied vineyards like Chateauneuf-du-Pape for private tastings, and take a tour of the lavish estate. Guests will be treated to onboard tastings, Q&A sessions, and wine master classes with Looper. In addition, guests will get to accompany her on an excursion through the breathtaking vineyards of Tain l’Hermitage. The sailing will also visit the Beaujolais province, an important wine-producing region in Burgundy known for the luscious and fruity characteristics of its produce and wine history dating to the 19th century.
Looper will give two master classes during this sailing. In her Rhone Rive Grapes class, guests take a nuanced dive into the wines of the North and South in this renowned region and come away with a better understanding of the subtle differences. In Vino Vocab, guests will learn how to calibrate their palates so as to identify wine’s structural elements, how to articulate how high or low these structural elements present in a wine, and how each element affects the final product.
Guests booking a suite (category C or above) on this sailing by March 31, 2020 will receive free roundtrip air to France. Those booking an Emerald Stateroom (category D or E) will receive roundtrip air for $295 pp.
A wine educator at Astor Center and Murray’s Cheese in New York City, Sarah Looper has worked the front lines of the wine world, including a recent stint as tastings director at “Wine & Spirits” magazine. She’s held the wine director post as well as other management positions at a number of Michelin-starred and top Zagat-rated New York City restaurants. She’s also been a wine buyer, has participated in wine harvesting and production, and currently teaches classes on wine tasting and wine and cheese pairing, among other specialized topics.
Emerald Cruises (part of The Scenic Group) is the parent brand of Emerald Waterways, and the newly formed Emerald Yacht Cruises. The Emerald Azzura, the first ship to launch under the Emerald Yacht Cruises brand, is a 100-guest super yacht that will ply the warm waters of the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Red seas when she sails in July 2021. Emerald Waterways features nine branded Star-Ships offering river sailings in Europe and on the Mekong, as well as the fully chartered river ships along the Volga River in Russia (MS Rossia) and on the Nile (MS Hamees).
For more information, visit emeraldwaterways.com.
