Whether your yacht is for private pleasure, business, or family reunions, you’ll want to indulge in the most refined foods and wines from around the world to enhance your experience. From the robust flavors of luscious cabernets to the refreshing nuances of light chardonnays and a plethora of world-class seafood, here’s a complete list of some of the most luxurious culinary delights to cultivate a truly extraordinary yacht outing in the Hamptons.
Brittany Lobster and Dom Perignon Veuve Clicquot
Lobster is a beloved dish by any seafood lover and ideal for a sophisticated flare served on deck. The crustacean features a deep blue carapace and is renowned for its bolder flavor. Enjoy it “a l'americaine” — served pan-fried with a fresh tomato and cognac sauce. The only wine to properly accent this dish is Dom Perignon’s Veuve Clicquot champagne. The wine’s gentle notes of vanilla balance the fishy taste of the lobster, and the bubbles lighten an otherwise rich meal. With one sip, this seafood course becomes a memorable occasion.
Coffin Bay King Oysters and Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling 1996
With their fresh, briny flavors, oysters complement any nautical adventure beautifully. Coffin Bay King oysters from South Australia are some of the best globally with their impressive size and distinctive tastes to savor. Serve them raw with a squeeze of lime juice while sailing the pristine waves of Sag Harbor — they need no further work to coax out the best flavors. Pair them with an aged riesling — Egon Muller Scharzhofberger’s wine is an excellent choice, as it’s mature enough to take on the meaty oysters with just enough acidity.
White Caviar and Screaming Eagle Sauvignon Blanc
Caviar has long been considered a lavish indulgence, and this has never been truer than for white caviar harvested from albino sturgeons in Northern Europe. Eat using a mother-of-pearl spoon for the purest taste, and pair it with the world’s premier Sauvignon Blanc – the Screaming Eagle winery in Oakland, California. The 2017 vintage, which comes of age in 2022, produced only 500 cases. If you can obtain a bottle, the bold aroma and sweeter honeycomb flavor will accent the saltiness of the caviar perfectly.
Alba White Truffles and Kantina Belba Chardonnay
Alba white truffles are a rarefied ingredient as they can only be found and harvested by trained dogs in Piemonte, Italy. The mushrooms have a rich, robust, earthy flavor best highlighted in traditional pasta dishes such as truffle-filled pachetti in a truffle cream sauce — the double use of the mushrooms layering the flavor for maximum impact. Pair it with a unique wine from Albania, the Kantina Belba Chardonnay, which is light enough to complement pasta but has a bit of heat to build on the creamy truffle sauce. These two choices make the perfect lunch combination while gazing at the sparkling blue waters of Sag Harbor.
Bluefin Tuna and Vina Cobos Chanares Estate Malbec 2015
Tuna is always a popular choice, but bluefin tuna is in a league of its own and is much harder to find. Enjoy it as a tuna steak, lightly seared, and served alongside sliced avocado and bold cilantro chimichurri. Typically, seafood must be served with white wine, but rules are meant to be broken to create something more magnificent. In this case, the rich Viña Cobos Chanares Estate Malbec wine from Argentina enhances the meatier texture of tuna and can compete with the spiciness of chimichurri.
Saffron and Codorniu 457 Gran Reserva Cava 2008
The most expensive spice in the world, saffron, features a potent sweet, floral flavor and is grossly underused in dishes. Delicious in risottos, stews, and even some desserts, take a different approach and combine saffron with your love of wine in a delightful cocktail. Add saffron, grapefruit juice, and rosewater with Codorniu’s 457 Gran Reserva cava for a bright, sparkling cocktail perfect for watching the sunset over along the waters of Amagansett.
Wagyu beef and Joseph Drouhin 2019 Clos des Mouches Premier Cru
There’s nothing like a lightly pan-seared Wagyu beef strip steak prepared in a rich red wine reduction. The perfect marbling adds flavor Angus beef can only aspire to, and the meat is exceptionally tender. Ensure your beef is marked as wagyu-style, as that confirms it’s imported from Japan and not America as the cattle are raised differently, which dramatically affects the quality and taste. Pair this dinner with a glass of burgundy wine, such as Joseph Drouhin’s Clos des Mouches Premier Cru. While a burgundy generally isn’t strong enough to compliment a steak, the combination of wagyu’s tenderness and the Clos des Mouches’ berry flavors and smoky notes blend into a sublime experience.
Percebes and Attis Bodegas y Vinedos Albarino
Otherwise known as goose barnacles, percebes are a Spanish delicacy that are surprisingly delicious despite their distinctive appearance. They are best served as an appetizer, lightly sauteed in quality olive oil and drizzled with fresh lemon juice to highlight their salty flavor. Pair them with a bottle of light Spanish Albarino wine. Bodegas y Vinedos vineyard in Galicia, Spain, produces a lovely bottle of Albarino featuring citrus and a hint of apricot flavors. The sweetness of the wine creates a perfect balance for the percebes.
Densuke melon and Chateau d’Esclans 2006 Garrus Rosé
The Densuke melon, also known as black watermelon from Japan, is a unique variety of fruit that commands a high price tag due to low supply. Often going for thousands of dollars, people love its aromatic sweet flavors. If you opt to try this luxury fruit, enjoying it in its original form is lovely, but even better is to make a watermelon feta salad — the saltiness of the cheese will highlight the sweetness of the watermelon, enhancing the flavor. The salad will be best enjoyed with Chateau d’Esclans Garrus rosé. The wine, one of the best of its kind in the world, originates from Côtes de Provence and features a bright citrus flavor and enough body to hold its own against the bold watermelon.
Moose Cheese and Stephane Bernaudeau Les Nourrissons Chenin Blanc
Nearly everyone loves a cheese course, but few have the opportunity to savor moose cheese. The product is produced at only one farm, the Elk House in Sweden, with three moose providing the milk for this delicacy. Try the white mold cheese served with water crackers for a sensory experience — the cheese is creamy and rich with a significant depth of flavor supported by the crispness of the cracker. While delicious, the taste isn’t robust, so it’s essential to pair it with a milder wine such as Stephane Bernaudeau Les Nourrissons Chenin Blanc. The apple notes of the wine and overall flavor profile are light enough to pair well with and enhance the cheese.
Ayam Cemani Chicken and Henri Jayer Echezeaux Grand Cru Côte de Nuits 1993
This Indonesian poultry is unique with its black skin and comparatively tender meat to its more common counterparts. Eat it curried and served over rice to enhance the bird, as when cooked, the meat is succulent and can carry a spicier sauce. Serve with a vintage pinot noir, like Henri Jayer Echezeaux Grand Cru Côte de Nuits. This wine has dark notes and a heady aroma that supports the curry and the richer flavor of the black chicken.
Patchi Chocolates and Castello di Ama L’Apparita Toscana Merlot
There's no reason dessert shouldn't be as spectacular as the rest of the culinary experience. While Godiva is often considered the gold standard of chocolate, for a truly indulgent choice, try Patchi chocolates. Fifty years of experience have provided the expertise to create incredibly decadent flavors few can resist. Pair the chocolates with a bold merlot, like Castello di Ama L’Apparita Toscana’s bottle. The peppery finish of the wine perfectly accents the rich, sweet chocolate.
Iberico Ham and Falletto di Bruno Giacosa Asili Riserva Barbaresco
Iberico ham is a unique form of cured meat derived from Black Iberian pigs in Spain. Their special diet, primarily acorns, causes the meat to develop a nutty flavor. Despite being cured in salt before the multi-year aging process, Iberico ham doesn’t take on salty nuance. Serve it thinly sliced on a charcuterie plate to enjoy it best, and pair it with an acidic red wine such as the lush Falletto di Bruno Barbaresco. The acidity of the wine balances the earthy, full flavor of the meat, and the pairing is ideal for an appetizer or a food pairing for an aperitif.
If you’re looking to learn more about luxury wines and foods to enjoy on your yacht or about houses for sale in Sag Harbor, please contact The Schiaffino Team. Lori Schiaffino and her team would love to show you homes for sale in Sag Harbor, Amagansett, and the surrounding Hamptons communities.