Seabourn Searches for the Right Bubbly
We are currently working with experts on site in Italy to select the perfect sparkling wine to use for anointing Seabourn Odyssey when she is named in Venice in June. The consensus seems to be a prosecco, since that varietal is grown extensively in the area of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in the Veneto-Treviso near where Odyssey’s sleek hull was constructed at San Giorgio di Nogaro. That region is in the foothills of the Alps, and the cooler weather seems to create ideal conditions for the prosecco grapes. Prosecco wines are one of the oldest varietals in Italy, and were the original sparkling wine ingredient in the popular Bellini cocktail. They are made in various styles, which are categorized along the model of Champagnes as brut (driest), extra dry or dry (sweetest). They also come in different intensities of sparkle, from tranquillo or calmo (still) to frizzante (slightly fizzy) to the most sparkly: spumante. Prosecco does not ferment in the bottle, like Champagne, so it should be drunk young, preferably less than two years old. We will be looking for a fine prosecco spumante brut, and we will need a case of magnums (we need to practice to be sure the bottle will break when we give Odyssey her name.) Frizzante prosecco is even sold in cans like soda pop in Italy, but of course those won’t work for our purpose!
Have you ever tasted prosecco? What did it taste like?
March 24th, 2009 at 3:43 am
Prosecco ? For a 5 star luxury cruise line the only thing considered should be champagne and nothing than champagne ! Or did the economic crisis hit Seabourn that hard ?
March 24th, 2009 at 6:05 am
I hope this announcement about the prosecco is not a move of Seabourn to start offering prosecco instead of Champagne on board. Champagne costs at least double than prosecco, and has far more style, class and elegance than a prosecco.
March 26th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
What’s wrong with Champagne?
Prosecco is a cheap poor substitute
Come on Seabourn do it properly
March 27th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Actually, Mr. Brooks, it is quite traditional to anoint a vessel with wine that is either produced in the country where it is built or its flag state. (Not aware of any Bahamas bubbly). Captain Mark Dexter sent me an email saying that he actually prefers a good prosecco to Champagne. It’s true that there is a lot of ordinaire prosecco, but then, I’ve had some real plonk Champagne, too!
March 29th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Whats wrong with Champagne? If Seabourn Odyssey is raising the bar – ie billing itself as the world’s finest vessel -, then a Dom Perignon double magnun (or similar, Roederer Crystal or Krug) should be the order of the day. Prosecco would be a big mistake!
April 8th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Wow! Some folks are really opinionated about what sort of wine we should use to anoint Odyssey. The choice of prosecco is about the origin of the hull, and we just need it for the blessing–we aren’t going to ask you to drink it if you don’t want to. More for Captain Dexter!
April 9th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
I don’t think that many of the worlds finest vessels would have been launched with a bottle of prosecco and I do not recall any ships being launched from the H & W shipyard in Belfast with a bottle of Guiness.
April 10th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Hello Mr. Brooks.
Well, Seabourn has never been known to do things exactly like everyone else, and a lot of people are thankful for that. I was at a naming at Southampton where they used a bottle of British wine, and nobody seemed to mind that. Granted it wasn’t Guiness, but still…
April 10th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I love the idea of christening the ship with a bottle of fine local Prosecco. Champagne may have long held a monopoly on great sparkling wine, but they’re no longer the only game in town. Many regions around the world are producing interesting high-quality sparkling wine these days. Indeed, I would hope on my cruise around Greece that a Greek sparkler or two will be offered on board. It also would be a shame to waste a truly great bottle of Champagne by breaking it against a ship (however luxurious the vessel). I think a crisply elegant Prosecco can indeed rise to the occasion, and I see, for example, that Collalto offers (eminently breakable) Jeroboams of Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene.
April 11th, 2009 at 12:42 am
I was especially pleased to read the last comment by bgood. It sets an appropriate and gracious tone for what we all expect will be a spectacular sendoff for this magnificent ship. Seabourn’s choice of a particular wine for the ceremony is entirely keeping with the spirit and mood of the occasion. The ship builder will be gratified and so will all of us who will be lucky enough to join the celebration. I look forward to this inaugural cruise with great anticipation!
July 7th, 2009 at 8:48 am
After all this discussion, I’m curious to know what bubbly Seabourn ended up using to christen the Odyssey. Did you use a bottle of Champagne or did you opt for the more local but more controversial Prosecco?