Whether your preference is for Cristal, Château Margaux, Dom Perignon, or Domaine Leroy, your passion for the finest wine will, no doubt, be an integral part of any superyacht experience for you and your guests. Combining a love of the most expensive wines with yachting in grand style is a de rigueur pairing and one that can be achieved thanks to today’s innovative wine storage solutions.
Mega yacht designers recognise that dedicated wine storage is a necessity, providing yacht owners and guests with this five-star amenity. As fine dining goes hand-in-hand with the most expensive wine, oenophiles are finding ways to source, store, and enjoy the finest wines on mega yachts.
For an enhanced gourmet experience, you’ll want to have these wines on hand for the duration of your time at sea. That can be a tricky business, however, if the wines are not stored properly. Fortunately, there are options for sourcing and storing the finest wines on superyachts, from a wine wall to a full climate-controlled wine cellar with your personal collection or a sommelier’s selections.
Sourcing the most expensive wines
The crew aboard any superyacht will likely include a sommelier who can source the most expensive wines that suit your taste, as well as several bottles that he or she recommends. The sommelier not only has extensive knowledge of wines, but will also know how to locate hard-to-find wines in the world’s most popular superyacht ports, and the logistics of ensuring prompt delivery.
The sommelier may also select from among the finest wines in the region, in addition to others on the guests’ preferred list. Professional sommeliers say certain wines, including Champagnes and rosés, are among those that hold up well onboard.
Innovative onboard storage for fine wines
Innovations in design and technology have made it possible for a majority of mega yachts to have a dedicated wine cellar or wine fridge onboard. While not all superyachts may have actual wine cellars, many will have an expansive, industry-standard wine cooler customised to meet the requirements for keeping the finest wines onboard.
Taking into consideration that the flavour of even the most expensive wines may be affected when they are subjected to fluctuations in light and temperature, as well as movement and vibrations, designing proper storage is a delicate and precise operation. With wines that are jostled about a bit too much, there may be sediment or loss of flavour. To ensure wines are kept in optimum conditions, storage options include a glass-clad wine cellar with computer codes for each wine; gimballed storage spheres; wine cabinets and display cases.
Innovative superyacht design
Producing the best, whether the finest wine or a superb superyacht, requires meticulous research, careful attention to detail, and knowledge of the craft. Mega yacht builders are incorporating all of these aspects, taking advantage of new technologies and designing innovative wine storage solutions for the most superb superyachts. Enjoy the finest wines, now paired with the ultimate in luxury superyacht cruising.
