How Holland America’s Sparkling Wine Hit 90 Points: Q&A with Drew Foulk
Holland America Line’s new sparkling wine hasn’t just raised glasses—it’s raised the bar. Since debuting in October 2024, the private-label Brut Sparkling Wine has quickly become the fleet’s most-served adult beverage and earned a rare 90-point score from Wine Enthusiast. But this wasn’t just a marketing move. It was a carefully crafted initiative that merged terroir, innovation, and hospitality into a single bottle. To get a behind-the-scenes look at how it all came together, we spoke with Drew Foulk, Corporate Senior Manager of Dining & Beverage at Holland America Line, about his vision for the wine, what went into its creation, and how guest feedback continues to shape the brand’s evolving beverage program.
Interview with Drew Foulk, Holland America Line’s Corporate Senior Manager of Dining & Beverage
Cruise News: This was Holland America’s first submission of your own sparkling wine to Wine Enthusiast, and it earned 90 points—remarkably impressive. What were the biggest lessons you learned from that blind-tasting experience?
Drew Foulk: The biggest lesson was how challenging it is to have a wine reviewed by one of the major publications like Wine Enthusiast. You can submit wines for review, but it’s entirely up to the reviewers to decide which wines they select or request samples of. Having our wine chosen for review was an accomplishment in itself. Receiving a 90-point rating for a private-label wine is nearly unheard of and truly an incredible achievement.
Cruise News: You worked with an all-woman winemaking team at Four Feathers. What unique perspectives did Rebecca De Kleine, Frederique Vion, Casey Cobble, and Yaritza Gomez bring to the blend?
Drew Foulk: The old model for sourcing our house sparkling wine was simple: it needed to hit a certain price point, be cold, wet, and have bubbles. But when we approached the Four Feathers team, we challenged them to go beyond the basics—leveraging the scale of their vineyards and the precision of their automated Méthode Traditionnelle process to craft a sparkling wine that not only aligned with our brand, but was something we could truly be proud to serve. The winemaking team embraced that challenge wholeheartedly. Through countless tastings and meticulous adjustments, they created a wine that exceeded expectations—one we’re not only proud of, but genuinely excited to share with our guests for any occasion onboard.
Cruise News: Wine Enthusiast noted aromas of apple, saline, and lemon zest, plus flavors of white peach, lime zest and rosemary. How closely did that match your tasting notes, and were there any surprises?
Drew Foulk: Everyone’s palate is a little different, so it’s always interesting to see what a professional tasting panel keys on. Our initial notes included ripe peach, Granny Smith apple, fresh citrus, and even a hint of apple fritter. There weren’t any real surprises, but it was fun to see how different palates interpreted the wine. We noted apple fritter, while the Wine Enthusiast panel identified apple, saline, and lemon zest—essentially the same elements, just deconstructed a bit differently.
Cruise News: Since debuting in October 2024, it’s become Holland America’s most-served adult beverage fleet-wide. What kind of feedback are you hearing from guests that explains why it resonates so strongly?
Drew Foulk: Going from the previous offerings—which were essentially commodity-grade wines—to our Holland America Line Sparkling Wine is, in my opinion, is night and day. It doesn’t take a trained wine expert to discern the difference between what we used to serve and what we’re offering now. Guests have been sharing that they’ve noticed the significant improvement in quality and are very appreciative of the upgraded offering.
Cruise News: Holland America’s sparkling wine is a standout private-label success. How does this fit into a broader strategy for developing HAL-branded beverages versus offering well-known labels?
Drew Foulk: We’re always looking for products that elevate our offerings and have a meaningful story or sense of place behind them. For example, producing this sparkling wine in Washington State was intentional, since Seattle is the home port of Holland America Line. Similarly, when we developed our Holland America Line Dutch Tea Time blend with Art of Tea, we traveled to Amsterdam to research the authentic flavors that represent Holland and reflect our heritage. We took the same approach with De Lijn Gin, our private-label gin, which combines Dutch botanicals in a modern, Western dry style. It’s important to me that all our branded products have a backstory and express the narrative of not only of where we come from, but also of where we’re going next.
Cruise News: As Beverage Director, how do you balance classic crowd-pleasers with innovative, on-trend offerings—any new varietals or concepts on deck?
Drew Foulk: This is definitely a juggling act! I constantly have to remind myself that I am not our guest. I rely heavily on data — specifically, what our guests are consuming most, which brands resonate with them, and when and where they’re open to trying something new. It’s important to maintain a core list of offerings that, as you say, are classic crowd-pleasers (I may have to steal that phrase!), and then layer in new products and experiences on top of that. We’ve been doing this primarily through an increased focus on regional offerings. This approach allows us to experiment with more esoteric products and ingredients without disrupting our core programming. When we discover something that really resonates with guests in a specific region, we consider adding it to our core offerings. A great example is our Sitka Spritz in Alaska and the Santorini Spritz in the Mediterranean. These are spins on Sam Ross’s modern classic, the Como Spritz, which uses Cynar — a Venetian amaro made from artichokes. This cocktail has been selling like gangbusters! I love this take on the spritz and never would have predicted it would resonate so strongly with our guests, so it’s exciting to test the waters through our regional programming.
Cruise News: The wine is sourced from Washington’s Columbia Valley and crafted at Four Feathers in Prosser. What drew you to this region, and how did sustainability goals factor into the decision?
Drew Foulk: The partnership with Four Feathers really came about by lucky happenstance. A few years ago, I was on the Washington Wine Commission’s Wine Road Trip. One of the activities planned for the day was to visit vineyards around the Columbia Valley — but the weather had other plans. Instead, my group was invited to tour the Four Feathers facility, where they were just putting the final touches on their automated méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine process. I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I’d had the goal of creating a HAL sparkling wine for some time but hadn’t yet found the right partner. Most producers weren’t interested in making a méthode traditionnelle wine and instead offered generic, forced-carbonation sparkling wine we could simply put our label on. Four Feathers was the first to allow me to have input on the final tirage and dosage, which was exactly what I was looking for. Sustainability is always at the forefront of everything we do, and the fact that Four Feathers has achieved the Sustainable WA certification was definitely a factor in choosing them as a partner. We’ll continue to support them as they pursue additional sustainability certifications in the future.
Cruise News: How does Holland America’s partnership model with wineries like Four Feathers work, from initial concept to onboard service? What makes a successful supplier relationship in your view?
Drew Foulk: For me, one of the key hallmarks of a successful partnership is that both parties have a deep understanding of and appreciation for each other’s brand, vision, and mission. I’m always looking to partner with groups that share our values — like a commitment to sustainability — or that complement our brand with a similar passion and ethos. When a partnership is purely transactional, I believe that shows in the final product. But when there’s true alignment and collaboration, as we’ve experienced with Four Feathers, the end result often exceeds what we imagined at the outset.
Cruise News: You’ve overseen beverage innovation at Holland America for some time. What is your proudest achievement beyond the sparkling wine, and how did you get started in cruise hospitality?
Drew Foulk: It’s hard to narrow it down to just one. A few highlights include receiving a Gold Medal from the New Orleans Spirits Competition for our De Lijn Gin, recent recognition from Whisky Advocate for our Single Barrel Whiskey Program, and winning Best Beverage Program at this year’s Seatrade F&B@Sea Awards. These are all incredible achievements, and I’m honored to share that recognition with my team. While the 90-point rating from Wine Enthusiast for our sparkling wine will be hard to top, the achievement I cherish most is one that most people never see — our internal guest satisfaction scores for overall beverage quality onboard. Since taking over beverage development and innovation, those scores have consistently improved, motivating me to keep innovating and discovering new ways to enhance our program year over year.
Cruise News: Rebecca described the wine as ‘sparkling for mom.’ What personal or family inspirations have guided your work in crafting memorable guest experiences?
Drew Foulk: I had the privilege of traveling quite a bit with my family growing up, and I always loved learning about the diverse cultural and regional preferences around food and beverage. One important lesson from those experiences is that nothing exists in a vacuum—there’s a holistic approach to dining and imbibing in every culture. When developing our programming, I often think back to those travels with my family and aim to present our offerings as they were intended to be enjoyed, with pairings that have a clear sense of purpose and place. For example, it’s hard to imagine an authentic Italian dining experience without a proper aperitif cocktail, a delicious wine with dinner, and ending the night with an amaro or limoncello. I lean on my past experiences to create and curate selections that allow our guests to enjoy them as they were meant to be enjoyed.
And there you have it! What started as a chance encounter in Washington’s wine country has grown into one of Holland America’s most celebrated beverage initiatives. Drew Foulk’s strategic vision, combined with a deep respect for regional character and guest experience, has helped transform the brand’s beverage offerings from expected to exceptional. His partnership with Four Feathers Wine Services and commitment to thoughtful innovation reflect a broader strategy that’s as much about storytelling as it is about taste. For more on the winemaking perspective, don’t miss our companion interview with Rebecca De Kleine, Head Winemaker at Four Feathers, where she shares how the Columbia Valley terroir and a meticulous production process helped shape Holland America’s standout sparkling wine.
Cheers, cruisers!
