Chinese New Year began on Jan 23, 2012 and will go on until Feb 9, 2013 i.e. exactly one year from now. This year brings us the year of the dragon, a creature of legend, of power, and of fortune. People who are born under this most potent symbol can be intense and passionate, although at times a bit stubborn. But they’re standing on principle, not ego. They’re also loyal and giving, offering aid to others but never asking for help in return. It may take some time to get to know then, but patience will often be rewarded with a friendship of depth.  

Now lets look at from the Wine Horoscope point of view - If people are born in a dragon year were a wine, they’d be a Barolo, that fierce, vibrant, and robust red from northern Italy, renowned for its power and the patience needed to age it – a patience that will often be rewarded with a wine of depth.

The Mediterranean holds a special exotic charm, especially to us Indians.  From the very moment we learnt of the rich history of the lands surrounding it as children in textbooks, the sea itself held mysteries to unfold. Now, grown up in an increasingly shrinking world, and having travelled extensively through Europe & North American wine trails, this Old World region still entices me with its myriad cultures & awe-inspiring landscapes & seascapes.

Given that Indians are foodies at heart, we have taken quite a liking to the cuisine from the Mediterranean area quickly becoming the new “continental” food.

While I would love to just jump into a pan-Mediterranean wine appreciation hunt, I’ll keep that for another time.

Today, let’s focus on the seascapes. And wine, how can we forget!

To blend the two perfectly, we bring to you a handpicked list of our favourite Wine Cruises (yes, drinking aboard a luxury boat!) for you to plan your next vacation, birthday, honeymoon, anniversary, or name it any other occasion perfect to make the sea breeze, wine and food a special few days for you.

FOOD & WINE MAGAZINE'S VOYAGE

Cruising on Oceania Cruises’ newest ship, Riviera, you will enjoy an onboard wine education program hosted by Anthony Giglio (author of FOOD & WINE’s annual Wine Guide) and Spain’s top wine personalities. Events include private parties, tastings of 90+ rated wines and special winemaker’s dinners. Riviera was designed especially for the food and wine lover, so will be the perfect setting for this 12-day itinerary that visits six of Spain’s most beautiful ports as well as Morocco and Portugal. With the finest cuisine at sea overseen by Master Chef Jacques Pépin and wine & food focused shore excursions exclusively for you, hop aboard this dream cruise!

CALIFORNIA WINEMASTERS CRUISE

Join host, Allen Balik, aboard the Celebrity Solstice for an unforgettable wine cruise experience during a 12-night Mediterranean journey starting in Barcelona, Spain. A cruise with a twist, raise your glass to good wine and cruise for a good cause! The cruise starts on Oct 14 2012 and boasts of the most extensive wine lists at sea with over 500 selections, an impressively stocked wine cellar with over 10,000 bottles poured by a team of 23 highly trained, certified Sommeliers. They pride themselves in enomatic wine serving & preservation system and complimentary specialty cheese selection available for pairing in Cellar Masters.

CHAINE DES ROTISSEURS

Here’s a truly special Mediterranean cruise experience, as you sip wines on the luxury liner and stop by the Manco Grand Prix! Starting in Rome, this cruise  travels through Portoferraio, Portofino, cannes, St. Tropez, Monte Carlo and Nice while being served by Gold winners from the Internation Chefs and Sommeliers competition. On a glorious May summer day, what else does a wine lover want! May 20-28