ESTONIA. Leading Baltic Sea cruise ferry company Tallink Grupp has unveiled an exclusive collection of wines and beers available to purchase onboard the company’s vessels and in its onshore restaurants and online store until 2026.
The Silja Line Ship’s Wines and Beers collection comprises six private label wines and two craft beers from Europe’s premium producers.
The selection is based on the results of a competition involving both blind tasting and a technical analysis by a panel of experts, including sommeliers, wine and beer experts, and both onshore and onboard restaurant managers.
Tallink Duty Free Head Aimar Pärna commented: “We are pleased to present our brand-new Ship’s Wines and Beers. The collection is featuring six excellent, organic and sustainably grown wines from Europe: Italy, France and Germany.
“For the beer lovers, we present two finest craft beers from Estonian breweries. Our Ship’s Wines and Beers are traditionally very popular with our guests and I hope that our customers will really enjoy this exciting new collection, which we have carefully chosen from all over Europe reflecting the fine craftmanship and the trends of the industry.”
The wines were handpicked from among 130 from six European countries across five categories: Champagne, sparkling wine, white wine, red wine and rosé wine.
Tallink Duty Free Category Manager Annamari Nikkel, also a member of the judging panel, said: “This year, we will surprise our customers with a high-quality and exciting wine experience with our Ship’s Wines more than ever before.
“New private label Champagne is really special as it is a white Champagne made entirely from red grapes and therefore super aromatic and powerful. All other wines are certified organic as sustainability and offering the purest wines is a topic very close to my heart.
“Ship’s sparkling wine is, after some time, again a cava and next to a white cava we have selected a rosado version also to please all our rosé-loving customers. Rosé still wine is also part of the Ship’s Wines new range and this Italian rosato will create a summer feeling every time you smell or taste it.
“White wine is from cool Germany, and it is our customers’ most-loved grape – Riesling, juicy and vibrant. With the red wine we have gone in a bit of a different direction – instead of a super full-bodied appassimento in high-alcohol style, we have chosen a classical Chianti, filled with red fresh berries and an elegant, lean body.”
The Ship’s Beers were chosen from among 36 entries to the competition, including 21 lagers and 15 porters from breweries in Finland, Sweden and Estonia.
Tallink Duty Free Category Manager for Beer Birgit Ummer, who was also on the judging panel, said: “The new Ship’s Beers include two craft beers from Estonian brewers: lager by Pühaste and porter by Põhjala. Both are bold and high-quality beers, brewed with selected flavours, ingredients and brewing techniques to highlight the best qualities of beer.
“Both craft beers are great to be enjoyed on their own and also pair well with a variety of dishes throughout the four seasons. Try the lager with roasted chicken and salmon, flavoured with Mediterranean herbs or burgers and light pasta dishes, or spicy Mexican food. The porter pairs well with roasted duck fillet with cherry sauce, smoked pork ribs, cheese selection with fig jam, tiramisu and French chocolate cake. Or why not enjoy a smooth silky stout as a dessert on its own.”
Tallink Silja Line Ship’s Wines and Beers:
Ship’s Sparkling Wine – Palau Brut Organic Cava & Palau Rose Organic Cava
Described as fine and elegant, these are fresh cavas with toasted notes and aromas of peach and grapefruit.
Origin: Spain
Region: Penedes
Brut Organic Grapes: Parellada, Xarel-lo, Macabeu
Rosado organic grapes: Garnacha, Pinot Noir
Ship’s Champagne – A&J Demiére Blanc de Noirs Brut
A white Champagne made entirely from red grapes. It is fresh and round with elegant complexity, fruity flavours and a balanced aftertaste.
Origin: France
Region: Champagne
Grape: Pinot Meunier 70%, Pinot Noir 30%
Ship’s White Wine – Weingut Frey Grenzhügel Riesling Organic
An elegant and wonderful mineral Riesling, with tastes of citrus fruits, apple and apricot.
Origin: Germany
Region: Rheinhessen
Grape: Riesling
Ship’s Rose wine – Terre di Chieti Rosato Organic
A medium-bodied, savoury rosé with a fresh and fruity aroma and soft red berries in taste.
Origin: Italy.
Region: Abruzzo
Grape: Montepulciano
Ship’s Red Wine – Villa Paradiso Chianti Organic
A well-structured red wine that boasts a velvety smoothness, gentle tannins and discernible red fruit undertones.
Origin: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Grape: 95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot
Ship’s Lager Beer – Pühaste Pootsman 4,8%
An easy-going lager with balanced flavours for a refreshing character and light body. Malty brioche and toasty biscuity flavours are balanced with the subtle hoppy bitterness.
Origin: Estonia
Ship’s Porter Beer – Põhjala Must Kuld 7,8%
A rich porter with smooth honey notes. It is brewed with lactose for an extra silky texture and contains barley malt. Recommended to be enjoyed on its own or as a dessert at the end of a decadent meal.
Origin: Estonia ✈
