Decadence at sea, dinner with vintage Dom Perignon on Oceania Cruises

Chefs pair three champagnes with six-courses

By David G. Molyneaux, editor TheTravelMavens.com

Three Dom Perignon vintage champagnes and desert on Oceania Riviera (Photo courtesy of Oceania Cruises)

In the latest extravagance at sea, Oceania Cruises has introduced a six- course Dom Perignon dinner that pairs three vintage champagnes with a remarkable chef’s tasting menu.

 

The meal, during voyages on Oceania Marina and Oceania Riviera, is a splurge at $295 per person, plus gratuities, but the price is equaled by the decadence of the menu and the opportunity to drink amazing champagne.

For those of us who sip sparkling wine mostly as a ceremonial toast or an occasional aperitif, this Oceania Cruises dinner is a revelation of tastes. Not only do diners drink from generous pours of three Dom Perignon vintages — from 2006, 2009 and a special 2004 rosé — but also taste a series of ingredients in a chef’s menu that was designed to pair and interact with these champagnes.

I experienced the two-and-one-half-hour presentation aboard Oceania Riviera earlier this year. Chefs and waitstaff explain the best sequence for drinking and eating during the six courses.