Part of the joy of the yachting experience is enjoying the chef's culinary creations. To complement the work of these galley gourmets, one must have the right wine pairings at the ready. Enter the superyacht wine cellar, which simply cannot be overlooked when designing a yacht. Here is a sampling of the best superyacht wine and spirit cellars around.
A tipple on board AKYACHT’s 85 metre flagship Victorious is best enjoyed in the atmospheric gentleman’s club-inspired bar lounge. The cosy room styled by H2 Yacht Design features a glass-clad wine cellar and backlit shelves for showcasing rare vintages of whisky and cognac. Guests can enjoy a glass of wine with a cigar from the humidor in front of the magnificent marbled fireplace, or head out to the terrace to take in the views over an al fresco drink.
Emocean is the first explorer yacht from Rosetti Yachts and was built for an eco-conscious owner, designed with fuel-efficient engines and vegan interior furnishings in order to cruise the world with a reduced footprint. Well-prepared for longer voyages, the passageway to the dining room of the 38.15 metre superyacht features a crystal wine cellar that takes up the entire starboard wall, with space for storing 150 bottles.
Launched by Nautor's Swan in 2021, the 36.4 metre sailing yacht Audrey the First is the flagship of yard's Maxi line. Her award-winning interiors by Mark Whiteley have been designed in a “modernised classic” style that sets her apart from other performance cruisers. Living spaces feature mahogany and stainless steel detailing with Loro Piana and Linley furnishings, and the glass-fronted cellar and wine bar creates a transitional area between guest and crew spaces.
The 85 metre Amatasia features plenty of space throughout her interiors for entertaining, and a meal in her elegant beautiful dining room that seats 18 would not be complete without the perfect wine pairing. Launched by Lürssen in 2017 with styling by Winch Design, a unique wine presentation and storage area faces the dining room on the main deck and displays in full splendour the selection of vintages kept on board for owners and guests to enjoy.
The glass-clad wine cellar in in the main deck lobby of 49.9 metre Rossinavi yacht Aurora was a key focus during the design phase, described by her interior designer, Achille Salvagni, as "the heart of the yacht."
“Originally the layout had the wine cellar elsewhere, but every time we reviewed the layout [the owner] focused on the wine cellar, so I said: ‘Listen, this is too important to be relegated to the side.’ You have different light effects, according to the kind of wine, and because wine can be affected by light, we had to install a computer that can be codified according to the wine," says Salvagni.
The 47 metre Heesen superyacht Asya has wine storage with sensible racking and glamorous lighting. Launched in 2015, Asya features exterior design by Omega Architects with interiors by Bannenberg & Rowell, who describe her styling as simplicity in the ultimate form of sophistication. Asya was the second yacht to be launched in Heesen's restyled 47 metre class and features Far Eastern-inspired motifs throughout the interior.
Chic glass and chrome panels show off perfectly organised wine – and a humidor – on 49.9 metre Overmarine Mangusta yacht Apricity. This fast planing hull yacht can host 10 guests for an on board wine tasting and also proves that a high-performance Mangusta yacht can carry a complement of wine safely and stylishly while cruising at speeds of 35 knots.
Broadwater was first delivered by Feadship in 1994 but underwent an extensive conversion project at Royal Huisman from 2019 to 2020. The interior refresh of the 56 metre classic included the addition of a new ceiling-height wine cabinet in the dining room, alongside an amoeba-shaped dining table and organic pebble hardware inspired by the works of sculptor Alexander Calder.
Launched in 1986, the famed Feadship Highlander might be known for her exterior design by Jon Bannenberg, but she also hides some intriguing interior features, such as this ample wine cellar. Highlander has been used extensively for entertaining in her lifetime, hosting everyone from Heads of State to Royalty and the Forbes family. This wine cellar surely has come in handy for such soirees.
Gimballed storage spheres on 47 metre A2 are not just an artistic touch: they help protect the wine from cracks and bumps at sea. The clever and good-looking spherical wine storage on the beautifully rebuilt Feadship is just one of the classic yacht's many charms.
The owner wanted the looks of a classic Feadship with the benefits of a modern build, and post-re-build, she also features a much larger main saloon, better headroom and enhanced performance thanks to new MTU engines.