Best food and wine pairings at sea - expert sommelier shares 3 top wines

Regent Seven Seas Cruises features wines from all over the world, offering an incredible selection of whites and reds, and serves around 400 bottles per night during a voyage.

Arthur Lingat is the Head Sommelier at Regent and he is able to share some of Regent’s favourite wines that are offered across their luxurious fleet.

Here are three of his top bottles of plonk and what their optimum food pairings are.

J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon

I highly recommend this beautiful J Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon which has a deep purple colour and it’s thick-bodied and hearty. For example, if you swirl the wine, it will reveal large bubbles of wine suspended in the glass.

Aromas & Flavours

This wine showcases layered aromas of black currant, blueberry, and cherry – accented by an authentic barrel bouquet of hazelnut, cocoa powder, and dark roasted coffee.

- READ MORE: What's it like to sail on Regent Seven Seas Splendor? -

The palate offers fresh aromas of black currant, elderberry, lilac, pepper and charcoal lead into a rich palate of cassis, oak and charred beef, all lifted by herbs and peppercorns.

Food pairings

J Lohr pairs well with some aged hard cheese like Gouda, and also holds up nicely with grilled meat like barbecue, especially spareribs, duck, burgers and lamb.

Gray Slate Riesling

Another recommendation is the beautiful, full-bodied and dry (trocken) Gray Slate Riesling from one of the world’s best Riesling producers, Dr Loosen, which is one of my favourites because of the intense minerality which has a warm and enveloping smell and taste.

- READ MORE: Ultimate guide to Regent Seven Seas Cruises suites -

Aromas & Flavours

This wine opens with enticing aromas with a nose that reveals notes of citrus fruit and a mineral touch. You can also taste peach and citrus. On the palate it displays a good acidity that balances well with the light sensation of sweetness.

Food pairings

Gray Slate Riesling pairs well with spicy and Asian food in general and it's very well paired with chicken, salmon and tuna.

Châteauneuf du Pape

This is one of my all-time favourite wines because it can present itself in several shapes, sizes, colours and flavours. A delicious, well-paired glass of Chateauneuf du Pape never goes out of season or style!

I chose Chateauneuf du Pape as it showcases opulence juxtaposed with elegance. The deeply concentrated, beefy bottlings of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are the undisputed royalty of the Rhône’s southern ‘cru’.

Aromas & Flavours

Distinctive aromas include fresh red and black cherries, strawberry, kirsch, black pepper, black raspberry, spice, earth and garrigue, which are the fresh herbs that are grown in this region.

- READ MORE: What you need to know about California wine cruises -

The textures can be lush, lusty and luscious when young, and take on silky characteristics with age.

Food pairings

The diverse array of styles, coupled with the natural freshness and spicy quality of the red Chateauneuf du Pape make it perfect to serve with everything from grilled beef, veal, pork, game, duck, sausage and lamb, to stews, and braised dishes, cassoulet or rich seafood dishes.

Chateauneuf du Pape is also easy to pair with many different Asian dishes.