AmaWaterways Announces New Wine Hosts for 2021

It won’t be long now until we’re sipping wine on board a luxurious river cruise and to help with the anticipation, AmaWaterways has released a new list of wine hosts for their 2021 cruise season. The list includes notable wine experts, certified sommeliers, and vineyard owners who help guests gain a deeper appreciation for wine through lectures, tastings and shore excursions. 

The cruise line also released details on two brand-new itineraries centered around the famous Burgundy and Normandy regions of France. 

Celebration of Wine River Cruises

AmaWaterways curates more than 60 Celebration of Wine River Cruises throughout Europe. It’s the job of each host to hand-select wines to serve during a special meal, tastings or seminars, all included in the price of the cruise. Wines are selected based on the history and culinary traditions of each unique river and region. We reported earlier this year that AmaWaterways bookings were up so perhaps that has something to do with the expanded itinerary offerings. 

“As demand continues to grow for our wine-themed sailings, we are happy to welcome back some very popular wine hosts and also very excited to introduce engaging new hosts,” said Kristin Karst, AmaWaterways’ executive vice president and co-founder. “Our intimate Celebration of Wine River Cruises provide an added dimension to the river cruise experience as guests are able to explore both New World and Old-World varietals through the lens of an esteemed wine expert while traveling through Europe’s most renowned wine regions.”

Here is the complete list of hosts and their sailings provided by AmaWaterways: 

• Dr. Douglas Garman, wine expert from Europa Village Winery, on the July 8 Impressions of the Seine & Paris sailing
• Jason McClain, owner of McClain Winery, on the August 5 Essence of Burgundy & Provence sailing
• L. Paul Vezzetti II, co-owner of The Vineyard at Hersey, on the August 12 Essence of Burgundy & Provence sailing
• Peter Marks, Master of Wine, on the November 4 Essence of Burgundy & Provence sailing
• Jody Elsom, owner and winemaker Elsom Cellars, on the November 4 Impressions of the Seine & Paris
• Kevin Gott, wine expert and educator for Wente Vineyards, on the November 11 Essence of Burgundy & Provence sailing

“While on board, our knowledgeable wine hosts take our guests on a journey between the Old World and the New World of winemaking. Through wine tastings, exclusive vineyard tours and wine-paired dinners, our guests are completely immersed into the fascinating world of wine,” Karst continued. “Some of my absolute favorite travel memories are on board our AmaWaterways specialty wine cruises, and we look forward to sharing these one-of-a-kind epicurean experiences with our guests in 2021.”

Essence of Burgundy & Provence

The first of the two new itineraries takes guests to France’s Burgundy region, which has long been considered a top destination for wine-enthusiasts thanks to places like Côte-d’Or where the most sought-after Burgundy wines are produced. The ship departs from Chalon-sur-Saône for seven nights cruising the Rhine and Saone rivers. The trip includes a number of walking or biking tours through French cities like Lyons, Avignon and Tournus along with wine tastings and food pairings. There are even cooking classes for guests to hone their skills in the kitchen for when they get home. 

Impressions of the Seine & Paris

The second new itinerary immerses guests in what is perhaps the most famous city in the world, Paris. Though their style was considered heresy by art critics in the city at the time, the impressionist movement in the late 1800’s established the style as a force in the art world. Painters like Monet, Renoir and Manet left their mark on the ‘City of Light’ and guests will visit some of the sites made famous in their art. The ship leaves from Paris along the Seine river and visits iconic French towns like Vernon, Mantes-la-Jolie and Le Havre. 

Have you been on a European wine cruise? Let us know what you thought about it in the comments!