On April 15th, 2021, 8,000 bottles of organic French wine and 500 bars of chocolate from Grain de Sail were loaded onto a modern cargo ship in St. Malo, France for a cross Atlantic journey to New York City. This week, the innovative vessel stocked with French goods arrives in Brooklyn for a roughly 10-day stay. While the boat is docked in New York City, you can hop aboard for a free tour and tasting!
Select tours re reserved for Untapped New York Insiders, starting this Saturday, May 15th! Not an Insider yet? Become a member today to gain access to unlimited events per month and unlock a video archive of 100+ past virtual experiences starting at $10/month (access to in-person events at $15/month).
On this tour, led by Grain de Sail’s US Wines & Spirits Director, Matthieu Riou, small groups of just ten people will get to explore the ship, enjoy a tasting on deck, and meet that crew who just completed the maiden voyage. Onboard, guests will learn about the modern features of this one-of-a-kind cargo sailboat. This 80-foot long schooner runs solely on wind power like sailboats of the olden days, but is equipped with the most technologically advanced navigation systems.
Mini wind turbines, solar panels, and hydrogenators supply all of the electricity needed. Modern materials like aluminum, enhance the boat’s performance and durability. Below the deck, the wines are stored in a hold with temperature and hygrometry stabilization. These conditions make for the world’s first purpose-built floating wine cellar!
Courtesy of Grain de Sail
After spending some time in New York, the Grain de Sail cargo sailboat will head to Central America. There, the ship will pick up coffee and cocoa before heading back to France. This round-trip loop will be repeated twice a year, once in the Spring and once in the Fall. While in New York City, the boat will be docked at the ONE15 Marina in Brooklyn.
Grain de Sail was founded by Olivier Barreau in 2010. Barreau wanted to find a way to transport merchandise efficiently by sail. He started with a coffee-roasting company in 2013 which eventually led to a chocolate factory three years later. By 2018, it was finally time to start building his dream sailboat.
Photograph by Bjoern Kils, Couretsy of Grain de Sail
If you are an Untapped New York Insider, you can join us for one of 4 tours and tastings on board the Grain de Sail cargo sailboat spread throughout its stay in Brooklyn. The first tour is this Saturday, May 15th. Tickets are limited to just 10 people per timeslot, so grab your spot now! Not an Insider yet? Become a member today to gain access to unlimited events per month and unlock a video archive of 100+ past virtual experiences starting at $10/month (access to in-person events at $15/month). Already an Insider? Register here!
Nicole Saraniero is the Insider-in-Chief at Untapped New York, leading our Untapped New York Insiders membership program. Nicole graduated from Hofstra University with a Bachelor of Science in Televis
