Sip and Sightsee During Wine on the Water

What would you enjoy more: spending an evening tasting fine wines, or cruising the Indian River Lagoon aboard a pontoon boat?

What if you could do both at once? And what if you were supporting local environmental projects at the same time?

That’s the idea behind the Environmental Learning Center’s Wine on the Water events. As both a wine columnist and a nature writer, I was pleased to be invited to an evening cruise at the end of July. In fact, it was my first time attending a wine tasting with binoculars around my neck!

As I awaited our departure time, I strolled around the ELC grounds near the visitor center, in an area where trails and butterfly gardens seem interwoven. In the warm air, nearly a dozen atala butterflies flew around me; on the black velvet backdrop of their wings, their iridescent blue spots glimmered like tiny patches of sky. I felt thankful that this beautiful species had been rescued from the brink of extinction.

The time arrived for the voyage to begin, and our group set forth aboard the ELC’s pontoon boat, aptly named Discover. Two brown pelicans, an adult and a juvenile, watched us closely from a nearby mile marker. With Captain Jim Chester at the helm, we began to explore the lagoon. The sky was cloudy and the waters correspondingly blue-gray, but the prospect of a summer storm, which earlier had threatened our plans, was now dissipated. And so the wine tasting began, presented by Liz Yerian, the ELC’s program coordinator, who has an extensive background in the wine industry. 

The theme for the evening was sparkling wine, with five regions from around the globe featured. Yerian began with a Grand Cru Champagne. Not only did that provide a flamboyant start, it made sense historically, given the international influence of French methods for making sparkling wine.

In casual conversation, “champagne” is often used synonymously with sparkling wine despite being a regional and highly protected term. (A perfume maker was once taken to court for releasing a fragrance called “champagne.”) In contrast to casual usage, a Grand Cru represents the Champagne region at its finest. The phrase “Grand Cru” literally means “great growth,” and it is used in the key wine regions of France as a mark of special distinction. 

The Champagne, a De Saint-Gall, was poured, and Yerian noted that the bubbles are likened to “delicate pearls.” The flavor profile was likewise delicate and nuanced, with hints of pear, green apple, and brioche. As the guests sampled approvingly, Yerian observed wryly, “Napoleon said that in victory, one deserves champagne; in defeat, one needs it.” It is a quip that was also favored by Sir Winston Churchill, who further observed, “A single glass of champagne imparts a feeling of exhilaration. The nerves are braced, the imagination is agreeably stirred, the wits become more nimble.” And if the champagne wasn’t enough to spark all those reactions, at that moment a pod of dolphins arrived.

Their quicksilver forms seemed to glide in and out of the water. Among them were a mother and her calf. I set my glass of Champagne aside and lifted my binoculars instead, as I was eager to see more of our playful visitors. The dolphins followed the Discover, frolicking near its wake; perhaps they were curious about us, too. Or perhaps they wanted some Champagne.

As the wine tasting continued, Yerian introduced an Italian Prosecco from the Veneto, the mainland area near Venice. Given that Venice is not only a city of ethereal beauty but a historically great seafaring port, this seemed an appropriate choice for a boat trip. 

Originally, both the sparkling wine and the grape varietal from which it is made were named Prosecco. In 2009, the name of the varietal was changed to Glera, and it wasn’t just because that had a certain ring to it. The name change was made so that Prosecco, like Champagne, could be a protected regional term. Otherwise, people could plant the grapes anywhere, make wine, and call it Prosecco. By any name, however, the Vandori Prosecco that Yerian offered was a light, refreshing choice that fit the atmosphere of the summer evening.

The next wine provided an additional splash of color, as it was a rosé: Marques de Monistrol Rosé Cava, Prestige Cuvée. As is often the case with European wines, the name is long but meaningful. Cava is Barcelona’s answer to Champagne. Monistrol is the Catalan name for the principal varietal used for this particular Cava; in Spanish, it is known as Monastrell, and in French, Mourvedre.

By any name (even the French one, which sounds like a villain in a Sherlock Holmes story) this varietal has vibrant, spicy qualities. Having often enjoyed Monastrell as a Spanish red wine, I was pleased to observe that its spice notes remained apparent here, giving this rosé nuances of freshly ground black pepper and allspice—a pleasant counterpoint to the black cherry characteristics provided by the other varietal used in the blend: Pinot Noir. (It’s a 70–30 blend in favor of Monistrol, for those keeping score.)

As we enjoyed the Cava, a natural landmark of the lagoon came into view: a large and impressive nest. It was an osprey nest, and one of the birds was in residence as the Discover pulled up for a closer view. With its white and russet plumage, hooked beak, and keen yellow eyes, the osprey had a regal and dignified presence, and its nest displayed instinctive wisdom in engineering.

The next wine served reminded me of an experience I had on a different voyage, a longer one on a much larger vessel. Two years ago, I was aboard the Queen Mary 2, sailing from New York to Quebec City, and I had the opportunity to interview several head sommeliers. One of the questions I asked was this: “Which wine region or country do you think is the most underrated?” I was not surprised when one of them chose South Africa as a hidden gem. Yerian agrees, and she included Neethlingshof Cap Classique Brut, a South African wine from a vineyard that dates back to the 17th century, on the ELC cruise.

This South African sparkling wine is made from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Off-dry with nuances of tropical fruit, it brought an exotic touch and made for a fascinating contrast with the other wines. The Neethlingshof estate has been recognized as a World Wildlife Fund Conservation Champion for sustainable practices, making it a particularly apt choice for an ELC expedition.

The last wine of the evening was from the United States, yet it, too, may have been a surprise to guests. Rather than choosing a wine from California, Yerian went with Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The wine was Argyle Brut, and it had a crisp, bracing quality. Like the South African selection, it is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, although in this case, with a dash of Pinot Meunier. It is of interest, however, that the two wines were markedly different in character. The contrast underscores the importance of terroir, a French term that encompasses a key observation in winemaking: that each portion of earth is unique, leaving its own impression upon the vines that grow in it and the wine that is made from their fruitage.

As the Discover returned to the ELC dock, it was clear that all aboard had enjoyed the evening. It was also clear to me that our readers would want to know how to sign on for future voyages, so I spoke with Heidi Leone Royals, the ELC’s director of philanthropy, about that question.

She explained that ELC Wine on the Water evenings are charter boat scenarios. “If you are interested, you can host your own, paying for the boat and inviting your friends. Or you can invite everyone you want and have them pay their own way. It’s just a matter of how passengers divide the cost.” And however it’s divided, the fee benefits the ELC, so guests can feel good about a wine tasting on the water.

Leone Royals also notes that cruises will often go by Pelican Island, making for wonderful views of the nation’s first wildlife refuge. Although it was cloudy the day I was on board, cruises in fair weather conclude with a sunset toast. Guests can also request wine themes, regions, and so on. “We anticipate planning many more of these special boat excursions over the coming months,” she adds. “There are so many options for tastings that we would love to explore.”

Indeed, with wine and with nature, there is always more to discover.