Monday, May 23, 2011

A Cruise "Down Under" That's a Honeymooning Wine Lover's Dream

Words by Courtney Kellar

Words and photo by Courtney Cox

Today’s blog features an amazing travel opportunity for all you wine lovers out there. Even if your destination wedding doesn’t conveniently fall right before these travel dates, it’s worth delaying your honeymoon for this “Down Under Wine Cruise.” Food & Wine Trails has announced a 2012 wine cruise deigned to bring together Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon wine drinkers.

Food & Wine Trails is a Sonoma County California wine tour company which has planned a 16-day cruise hosted by Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood Winery, and Gustavo Gonzales, the winemaker for Robert Mondavi Winery. Cabernet and Zinfandel are two of California’s most popular red wines and are believed to attract different kinds of drinkers. This is why they are considered the “Yin and Yang” of red varietals.

The 16-day cruise will attempt to bring together these different wine drinkers on an Oceania Cruise Regatta. The 650 passenger cruise ship departs February 5 from Auckland, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia. Along the way a series of private tastings and two winemaker dinners are planned. Guests will also be given the opportunity to visit the top wine estates in each port of call.

The “Down Under Wine Cruise” includes free airfare from 20 US cities, a series of onboard private parties, wine tastings and winery dinners. Participants will also have the option of doing shore tours of the top wine estates in the regions visited. Prices start at $5,349 per person which include the 16-day cruise and roundtrip air. Early books will also receive free pre-paid gratuities which are valued at $432-592 per cabin.

This is not only the experience of a lifetime, but the deal of a lifetime. If you and your future hubby/wife are wine lovers, then this might be the perfect honeymoon experience for you. Enjoy the best of California’s “Yin and Yang” wines while cruising through the amazing New Zealand and Australian scenery. For more information, visit Food & Wine Trails’ web site.