Anthony Giglio has written about wine for Food & Wine for years, and he doesn’t think you need fancy vocabulary or a rulebook to enjoy a glass. Next August, the sommelier is taking that view to sea on a Mediterranean cruise, where you can test it on wines from Tuscany to Montenegro.
Atlas Ocean Voyages, the cruise line bringing Giglio aboard, calls his approach entertaining and unpretentious. James A. Rodriguez, the company’s president and CEO, said Giglio can “make wine approachable through the stories of the people and regions behind every bottle.”
Giglio Has 11 Books to His Name
Giglio is a longtime contributing editor at Food & Wine. He’s also a wine educator. His 11 books include the annual “Food & Wine Wine Guide,” “Passport to Italian Wine” and “Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide.”
Atlas named him a guest wine expert for its 2027 Epicurean Expeditions, a series of culinary sailings. He’s joining World Traveller’s nine-night Livorno to Dubrovnik voyage, which departs Aug. 20, 2027.
The Wine Regions Along the Route
The Livorno to Dubrovnik route offers a broad introduction to Mediterranean wines, according to Atlas. Here’s where the ship stops:
- Tuscany: The voyage departs from Livorno, the port for Florence and Pisa. Tuscany’s vineyards are among the wine highlights Atlas lists for the route.
- Corsica and Sardinia: The ship calls at Bonifacio on Corsica and Porto Cervo on Sardinia. Atlas singles out the distinctive wines of both islands.
- Sicily: Giardini Naxos sits near Taormina and Mount Etna. Atlas highlights Sicily’s volcanic terroir.
- Montenegro: Kotor is the last port call before Dubrovnik. Montenegro’s wine traditions are emerging, according to Atlas.
What Giglio Does on Board
The Food & Wine editor’s program includes tastings and discussions, with food-pairing tips along the way. He encourages guests to trust their own palates. According to Atlas, his sessions explain how geography and local traditions shape the wines you’re drinking.
Each Atlas yacht has fewer than 200 guests aboard. The company says that size lets guests talk with its visiting experts directly.
A Pastry Chef Joins the Same Sailing
Anna Wilamowska, a pastry chef and master chocolatier, is also aboard the Aug. 20 voyage. She trained in Michelin-starred restaurants and French pastry boutiques.
Together, Wilamowska and Giglio give guests a look at how chocolate and desserts relate to the wines of Italy and the Adriatic, according to Atlas. She’s back for three Atlas sailings in 2027. Only one of them puts her on the same ship as Giglio.
Before You Book
If you’ve ever nodded along to a sommelier without following a word, keep this sailing in mind. Giglio appears on just one voyage in Atlas’ 2027 lineup, so look for the Aug. 20 departure from Livorno by name.