Gaia Gaja has been named as the Godmother of Silversea’s new Silver Moon. Known as the “Queen of Barbaresco,” Gaja is of the fifth generation to own and manage the renowned Gaja winery in the small Italian town of Barbaresco, a family-run business and producer of fine Italian wine since 1859.

As the ship’s Godmother, Gaja will be honored with officially naming Silver Moon at a dedicated ceremony in Trieste on August 5, 2020.

“I feel great pride and honor to have been selected by Silversea Cruises as the Godmother of the beautiful Silver Moon,” said Gaja. “I passionately believe that food and drink facilitate profound discovery—into destinations, cultures and people—and that guests will nurture strong connections with amazing destinations as a result of S.A.L.T., the ship’s innovative culinary offering. My own experience with wine making has taught me that culinary discovery possesses limitless potential; here’s to the curious travelers who seek to unlock it.”

Gaja’s deeply-rooted connection with Italian culinary culture makes her the perfect choice for Silver Moon’s Godmother, according to the cruise line, as Silversea’s new culinary concept, S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste), will launch with the ship on August 6, 2020.

From an early age, Gaja was encouraged to take an interest in all aspects of the winemaking process, and even had a wine named in her honor—Gaia & Rey Chardonnay—before she learned to walk. Today, along with her two siblings, Gaja is a guardian of her family’s legacy.

Adapting with each sailed region, Silver Moon’s S.A.L.T. program will elevate the role of food and drink as a means to travel deeper into a destination, by showcasing entire ecosystems around the culinary cultures of the world. 

“Our new S.A.L.T. program reflects our commitment to engaging with the places we travel through the lens of food, wine and culinary culture,” added Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, Silversea’s Executive Chairman. “Given this culinary focus and Silver Moon’s proud Italian heritage, I can’t think of a better Godmother than Gaia Gaja who personifies Italian elegance, innovation and good taste. Like our cruise line, Gaia represents a lineage of excellence rooted in tradition and propelled by a forward-thinking, restless pursuit of innovation. I’m delighted she’ll be involved as Godmother, sharing her family’s vision of great taste as we begin this new journey aboard Silver Moon.”