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James Suckling named cruise line’s new wine curator
US wine critic James Suckling has been named the new wine curator for American cruise company Holland America Line, a role which will see him lead the design and development of the fleet’s wine offerings.
The new wine list will be featured on all ships in the fleet, and Suckling will provide wine selection tips on the menus and wine lists of all shipboard dining venues and bars.
Holland America Line currently features more than 300 labels from over 30 countries, and Suckling is working with the cruise line to review and “craft a new vision for the wine programme”, the company said.
Wine consumption on a cruise trip is increasing. It is estimated that on a typical seven day cruise trip, every passenger will consume, on average, 2.1 glasses of Champagne and 8.7 glasses of wine, according to Ship Mate App.
A few cruise lines have also rolled out wine programmes to capture opportunities offered by the boozy holidaymakers. Norwegian Cruise Line, for instance, launched ‘Meet the Winemaker Cruises’ series for passengers to wine and dine with winemakers.
The wine list for Holland America Line, is expected to be launched at the end of 2018 and will include a large portion of wines rated 90 points or above by the wine critic.
“Wine is a big part of the cruise experience for many of our guests, and having the best wine list at sea, or anywhere, allows us to guide novices to find their new favourite label or indulge an aficionado who appreciates our deep selection from global wineries that can be hard to find,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line.
“It is an honour to welcome James Suckling as our wine curator, and we know he’s going to create an unrivaled list and further develop our wine-pairing program so our guests can have the perfect wine with every meal,” he continued.
“What better way to enjoy and learn about wine than on a cruise with Holland America Line,” said Suckling. “Wine is an experiential product that brings family and friends together and enhances life, just as the special travel experiences delivered by Holland America Line.”