When I imagine a cargo sailboat I think back to the 1700s & 1800s. A sail powered cargo boat in 2026 is the last thing on my mind in regards to wine transit, yet this is how wine has been transported for hundreds of years prior to the Industrial Revolution.
But as they say, whats is old always becomes new again. In true modern fashion, Grain De Sail has officially entered the chat and they’re not leaving. In fact, their sail powered cargo boat is exactly what the shipping industry needs. We need more zero carbon emission modes of international transit. Grain de Sail and Burgundy wine producer Albert Bichot are early adaptors of this mode of transportation and to say I was excited about it is an understatement.
Last week the vessel was docked at South Street seaport. I attended an event hosted by Albert Bichot aboard the Grain de Sail. Light bites were server along with a cremant de Bourgogne, a Chardonnay aged on the vessel, and a rouge burgundy. we were even given the opportunity to tour below deck which I loved.
Despite being a throwback to a ship hundreds of years ago, the Grain de Sail has state of the art technology. The first thing I did when I boarded was look up, and in the space that would have been a traditional crows nest, is a state of the art navigation system. Below deck we saw the storage areas for the wine (and chocolate). The cargo is extensively padded so any packaged materials remain pristine. They have a state of the art water desalination system, and for hot water they do not heat it with petrol, but use wood chips stead.
If you’re reading this blog article you’re obviously here for the wines. They were excellent. Albert Bichot makes wines worthy of even the most discerning palate. The overall crowd pleaser for the boat was the Chardonnay, it had a unique saline quality to it that I found really remarkable. It still of course had that hallmark high acidity that I do so love from burgundy.
After this experience, I hope more modernized cargo sail boats begin transporting goods. It’s a longer transit (14-21 days) but the overall environmental impact is worth it. Until next time. Cheers.
