Crystal AirCruises has announced a new partnership with Wine Spectator magazine to produce a specialized program for its upcoming Savoring the Winelands itinerary, taking off June 1, 2018.
Guests of the journey will board Crystal’s fully customized Boeing 777 to head to the world’s most celebrated wine regions while being treated to a variety of wine tastings and educational experiences, all inspired by Wine Spectator magazine. On board the aircraft with the travelers will be expert sommeliers and wine lecturers who will conduct the educational segments and wine tastings through out the trip.
Before touching down, guests will expand their knowledge of wine through sommelier-guided wine tasting sessions as well as through certificate courses offered by Wine Spectator School.
During the experience, Crystal guests will explore vineyards and their surrounding cities that wine connoisseurs from the magazine helped select, including Bordeaux, Champagne/Paris, Tuscany, Mendoza, Santiago and Cape Town. Guests will experience a Chianti tasting at the 16th century Castello della Paneretta winery, dine at the Michelin-starred La Torre, go truffle hunting with the local Savini family, and explore the surrounding landscape by Vespa through Tuscany.
Other highlights of the 16-day itinerary include exploring Chateau Margaux and Pomerol, a hot-air balloon ride over Saint-Émilion, dining at Gordon Ramsay’s Michelin-starred Le Pressoir d’Argent and Phillippe Etchebest’s Le Quatrieme Mur in Bordeaux.
In Champagne and Paris, guests will roam the vineyards and underground cellars of the Montagne de Reims, receive exclusive access to the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles, and dine at the Michelin-starred restaurants Le Fouquet’s and Victoria. In South Africa, the guests will learn the art of blending at Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate and embark on a cooking safari at Cape Malay that will showcase the local cuisines of Cape Town.
Throughout the trip, guests will have access to more wine discoveries thanks to editions of the magazine’s tasting reviews aboard the aircraft, a dedicated Wine Spectator app on personal iPad devices, and additional tastings in an exclusive tasting lounge. Also in-flight will be Michelin-inspired cuisines and renowned vintages stored within the Skye Cellar.
Savoring the Winelands, presented by Crystal AirCruises in cooperation with Wine Spectator, is the only private-jet tour offering expert guided in-flight wine tasting in the comforts of an expansive, on board lounge and Skye Cellar. The tour, starting at $73,000 per person, is available to book now.