All aboard: what drinks to take on a water trip
Admiring the wonderful views of the city from the deck of a boat or yacht is already a pleasant pastime in itself, but with a glass of delicious drink it becomes even better. We've created a selection from several categories of wines and spirits that will help you navigate their diversity and make the right choice.
Sparkling wine
In the summer season, it's particularly hard to imagine a water trip without sparkling wine.
🍾 For lovers of light and refreshing
Prosecco is perfect for those who prefer weightless wines. The aroma contains notes of apple, pear, acacia flowers and minerals. It has a fresh taste with fruity notes, good acidity and a harmonious, pleasant aftertaste.
🍾 For those with a sweet tooth
You can choose Lambrusco with delicate peach and honey tones in the aroma. In its refreshing taste, you'll sense weightless hints of sweet white fruits and flowers.
🍾 For connoisseurs of classics and structure
For those who prefer a rich style, sparkling wines made using traditional technology are excellent. Due to the prolonged aging time on yeast sediment, they acquire good structure and body. If you enjoy notes of brioche, butter and white fruits, then you should choose Champagne or Franciacorta.
🍾 For lovers of berry nuances
Cava and Crémant will suit you, especially rosé versions, which have hints of strawberry, raspberry and red currant.
🍾 For seekers of the unusual
If you want to experiment with sparkling wine and try something new and unusual, then pet-nats are your choice. These wines are made using an ancient method with a single fermentation that finishes in the bottle. Some producers make pet-nats in a more natural style, often without filtration, so sediment at the bottom of the bottle is a common occurrence. Such wines have bread, herbal and citrus hints that transition into spicy bitterness in the taste.
White wine
Another indispensable drink for water trips is white wine. As with sparkling wine, the choice depends on your preferences and mood.
🥂 For fans of weightless wines
The best options would be weightless Pinot Grigio and delicate Vinho Verde with pleasant bubbles in the taste. These wines with tones of peach, citrus and white flowers in the aroma seem specially created for leisurely water journeys.
🥂 For those who love invigorating acidity
Sauvignon Blancs and Rieslings with bright character and tones of tropical fruits, citrus and herbaceous nuances. They will provide the desired coolness even on the hottest day. In a similar style, you can also choose wines from Albariño and Grüner Veltliner varieties. They will be more restrained in aroma, but will also refresh perfectly due to their minerality in taste.
🥂 For connoisseurs of sophistication
The next category of wines is a true refined guard with noble origins. In such wines you can feel complexity, and with each sip new shades appear. The most famous representatives of this style are considered to be wines from the Chablis and Gavi regions. The best wines from these appellations have tones of white stone fruits, orange zest and herbaceous nuances in the aroma, and in taste demonstrate a creamy texture with a refined citrus note. Perfect meditative wines for meeting the sunset to the sound of waves.
Voyages in St. Petersburg
Discover St. Petersburg from the water and create unforgettable memories with a glass of your favorite wine. From hour-long canal cruises to grand journeys to Peterhof, Kronstadt, and Oreshek Fortress — we have voyages for every taste with the option of wine and snack delivery on board.
Learn more
Rosé wine
Rosé wines are among the most versatile of all categories. If you're planning to go on a voyage with a large group and don't know the guests' preferences, then rosé wine will be the option that everyone will like.
🌹 For universal choice
Let's start with the classic of the genre, namely the elegant rosé wines from the Provence region. In their aroma you can detect hints of raspberry, strawberry, peach and spring flowers, while in the soft taste you can feel pleasant citrus notes.
🌹 For connoisseurs of refinement
Refined rosés are also produced from Pinot Noir, with the region of origin not mattering. In France, such wines exist in Sancerre, a region famous for its delicate and elegant wine style. Their aroma is fragrant with tones of red currant and candied cherry with light nuances of spices. Excellent rosé Pinot Noirs are also made in Germany. They have a more intense aroma with notes of wild strawberry, raspberry and other red berries. In taste they are piquant, with citrus-berry freshness.
🌹 For lovers of characteristic wines
If you like rosés with character, then pay attention to wines from Italy. Local grape varieties, which form the basis of practically all wines in the country, add unique shades to them. For example, rosé from Sangiovese opens in the aroma with tones of cherry, mulberry and strawberry, while in taste with notes of red berries with a citrus nuance. Characteristic rosés also exist in France, they are produced in Tavel, in the south of the country. As a rule, such wines have a rich pink color, and in aroma and taste demonstrate a bright fruit-berry style with exotic hints of spices and minerals.
Strong drinks
Wine is not the only drink for a water trip, strong alcohol can also be an excellent option. The choice of specific spirits depends primarily on the format of the event.
🥃 For leisurely gatherings in a close circle
If you want to spend time in a close circle of friends, slowly sipping your drink, then you should pay attention to strong alcohol aged in barrels. Whiskey, cognac, brandy, rum and calvados - the assortment is quite wide. These drinks don't tolerate haste, as over time in the glass they reveal their best aromatic and flavor characteristics.
🥃 For quick parties
As for unaged drinks, they are more intended for parties where alcohol is consumed quickly. One of such "fast" drinks is considered to be tequila, which is consumed in shots with lime and salt. Vodka also belongs to this category, but unlike tequila, it is often accompanied by numerous snacks in the form of all kinds of pickles, boiled potatoes and herring.
🥃 For long conversations
Probably the most "slow" clear alcohol can be called gin, which is often mixed with tonic to soften the juniper character of the drink.
You probably noticed the absence of red wines in this list. The reason is that there is an unspoken rule saying that on board you should avoid coloring drinks and food. The furnishing of a yacht or boat is mostly light-colored, and when rocking on waves drinks can spill, leaving indelible traces. Therefore, certain traditions have developed when choosing drinks for a water trip.
If you need help choosing drinks or want to completely entrust the preparation to professionals, our managers will be happy to consult and take care of every detail of your journey on a boat or yacht.
If you need help choosing drinks or want to completely entrust the preparation to professionals, our managers will be happy to consult and take care of every detail of your journey on a boat or yacht.
Elena Demenkova
- author of the article
Sommelier, wine blogger, and founder of the WineCompass online school. Author of more than 350 articles on alcohol-related topics. Made wine her profession.
