As disappointed as I was not to sail on this cruise, I was thrilled that my dear friend Lisa would be able to go. I knew Lisa would appreciate the cuisine, countryside and, of course, the wine. Here is her account of the trip – Jayne Withers.
The French Riviera was calling, and in the immortal words of John Muir: I must go.
For fun and profit, and by that I mean fun, I have a part time passion of teaching wine education tastings to groups of people all over. My Sommelier journey began way back in 2013, while living in Denver with my husband and two teenage boys. Couple that with a 20-year public school teaching career, and it’s easy to connect the dots on why I started drinking wine.
When Jayne approached me about AmaWaterways’ Essence of Burgundy and Provence river cruise, I was immediately giddy. After all, I could fill in a map of wine regions in France, tell you the virtues of the soil in Châteauneuf du Pape, and spend your money on French wines in Total Wine & More for your upcoming party. But it was still somehow lacking some authenticity. I had not stepped on land there for myself, breathed in the sweet lavender, or popped a cork on a bottle of white Burgundy in the very château where the wine was crafted.
Jayne, my friend and ILX Travel Advisor extraordinaire, had an offer from AmaWaterways that I simply could not refuse. I had booked two other European trips through Jayne in the past two years, (Viking and Windstar) so I knew my husband and I (as well as our friends) would be in good hands with all the details. Jayne advised it would be a shame not to go a couple of days early to visit Monaco before boarading the AmaCello in Arles. This checked a bucket list item for hubby, as he is an avid F1 race fan; seeing the track up close and personal was truly surreal. We also escaped the August heat by enjoying a leisurely, air conditioned lunch at the Salon Rose in the famed Casino de Monte-Carlo. Martini? Shaken, not stirred? Why yes, I believe I will.
By day three, we arrived by train to Arles to board AmaCello. There were only 90 passengers on board this particular week in August, and the personalized service we received was noticeable. We quickly bonded with several of the staff: Cruise Director Richard (from the UK), who was contagiously both kind and fun (proof: he owns a turtle named Luke Slowwalker); Pritan, our nightly server with his signature calm and comforting demeanor; and our pianist Cheyenne, who was tickling the ivories before dinner every night, then turned it up after dinner for a full on DJ dance party. I must also give an honorable mention to our young captain, Nicholas (from Romania), for his irresistible good looks, and for navigating one of our locks with only a 13-inch clearance. I also managed to get him up dancing on the last night. Hey Jude by the Beatles now holds a new, special meaning.
Each day was a new adventure, both in terms of walking tours (or, as my husband and our friend did one day, riding a bike to our next port!) and in terms of French dishes and wines. The dedicated wine server appeared each night at dinner with a selection of four wines to try (two white, two red) and they were spectacular. They were also included – no drink package needed on an AmaWaterways cruise. They know they are in the best regions for wine on the planet, and they are not about to forget to show them off!
Every passenger has the opportunity to sign up for the Chef’s Table experience. This was quite possibly the best overall food experience I’ve had to date – a seven-course tasting menu focusing on local flavors. I loved the soup course – a Jerusalem artichoke velouté with black truffle oil, crispy shallots and micro herbs. There was a depth of flavor that I could never replicate.
My favorite was the third course – Angus beef tenderloin, miso glazed carrots and broccolini over truffled celery purée, porcini soil, micro herbs, and smoked jus. In true European style, we took our time. It was so much food! We thought afterwards we should take a couple of laps around the upper deck. But Cheyenne was playing Bruno Mars in the lounge. We danced it off instead.
Another great day in the books.
We were fortunate to have a tour guide named Cathy two days in a row. She was raised in Texas, so for some cheeky fun she would espouse great knowledge of both history and wine, and cap it off with a resounding “y’all.” She said since we were all from the States, she felt right at home.
The excursion that was the pinnacle of the week for me was a tour of the 12th-century Château De Rully in the eponymous town on the Côte Calonnaise. After touring the home, Count Raoul de Ternay led us into the large kitchen and we tasted three wines. My favorite one went home with me, personally signed, for a worthy 50 Euros. Rully Premier Cru Clos la Bressande Monopole is an elegant, medium-to-full-bodied white Burgundy made from 100 percent Chardonnay. The Count even served us homemade cheddar biscuits that were still warming in his oven, and presented us with postcards with the recipe printed on them.
I believe I left a piece of my heart in France (and a piece of luggage in Spain, but that’s for another blog post!) and I have AmaWaterways to thank for it. Oh, and Jayne too. Thanks, dear friend!
Lisa K. Hastings is a Level Two Sommelier residing in Vero Beach, Florida. When she isn’t leading wine experiences locally (Hastings’ Tastings!), she travels to put her extensive wine knowledge to practical use.
