My husband and I are going out for a nice adult dinner and as such we decided we should skip our usual Diet Coke and try a glass or two of wine...So for all you wino's (LOL), how do you choose a wine? Should we order a wine flight? or would a flight be overkill for people who do not drink wine. I have only had wine once in my life and it was out of a box and my husband has never had wine. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wine?
- Thread starter tfiga
- Start date
I would suggest going to a Signature restaurant and asking for suggestions of which wine would be good with whatever you order....I would suggest Jiko or Cali Grill....did you already have something in mind??
Wine is meant to go with food....order food with the right wine and you'll love it!!!
Also, have a nice dessert wine like a muscat too....they are sweet and you'll definitely like those.
Wine is meant to go with food....order food with the right wine and you'll love it!!!
Also, have a nice dessert wine like a muscat too....they are sweet and you'll definitely like those.
I would speak first to to server, then to the Sommelier. A good Sommelier will ask you questions, including what you ordered (wines pair with food), what you like (tastes), if you are a smoker (smoking changes taste buds), and other questions. Explain to the Sommelier, exactly what you told use. You arent wine drinkers, but want to try some pairings. Wine can be intimidating, but only if you let it. Depending on where you will be eating, the waitstaff can also be invaluable. Some Sommerlier, even at Disney, have the wine snobbiness. A wine flight MAY be a good idea. But for the non drinker, it can be a lot of alcohol. Or it can be too much wine if you don't like what is poured. I know at California Grill, they have many wines by the glass and many times you can get a tasting sample before ordering. There is nothing to say you and DH must drink the same thing. My DP and I are opposites when it comes to wine, but we enjoy tasting what the other ordred. If you have an idea of what you would be ordering, you can try some wines at wineshops that offer samples (If they allow this in your state). I disagree with the PP dessert wines are not for everyone. They are too sweet and cloying for some. I perfer a port after dinner.
I did not say that dessert wines are for everyone....I just have had a lot of experience with introducing wine to non wine drinkers (the OP sounds like a non drinker) and MOST of them have enjoyed dessert wines. Also, not all dessert wines are all that sweet. I too prefer port after dinner but I find that most who do so, are experienced wine drinkers.
It depends on what you are expecting as wine. White and cold? Red and room temperature? In between?
Wine and food are meant to be together but that doesn't always mean you have to go by that "rule". If you ordered a nice thick steak, chances are, your suggested wine will be something red and room temperature. But if you wanted a nice crisp cold white wine, you are going to be disappointed.
Disney does a great job of paring up wines with food. Go with that but it might not be what you expected.
Wine and food are meant to be together but that doesn't always mean you have to go by that "rule". If you ordered a nice thick steak, chances are, your suggested wine will be something red and room temperature. But if you wanted a nice crisp cold white wine, you are going to be disappointed.
Disney does a great job of paring up wines with food. Go with that but it might not be what you expected.
BelleLovesTheBeast
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2008
I agree with everyone else. I would talk to your server and let them know that you aren't wine drinkers and what you would like as far as temperature and flavor. Once you decide what you are going to order for dinner have the server help you select what you would best like that will pair well with your food. Food really does change the flavor of the wine and sometimes it's not for the better. The servers at the signature restaurants should be well trained on their wine lists.
Wine like anything else is subjective to ones own tastes. Wine lovers may say drink whites with lighter foods, reds with heavier as a general rule. Basically the stronger flavored the food, the stronger (full bodied0 wine so one doesn't over power the other.
The problem with this is that peoples tastes vary widely. Some people may not like whites at all or can't stand reds. My rule is to drink the wine that you like.
That said, I prefer fully dry wines. Most non wine lovers would prefer slightly sweet wines and with experience move to dryer wines.
As was mentioned many that are new to wines would go with a White Zinfandel. It's a very light fruity wine and a bit sweet. They are inexpensive. For a light dry white I'd try a Sauvingnon Blanc (Fume Blanc). For a lighter dry red I'd go with a Sangiovese or Chiante.
Other popular varietals to try would be a Chardonnay (dry white) or Merlot (dry red). Personally I do not care for Merlot but it is very popular and goes well with most heavier menu items.
In the end there are no rules. It is what your tastes prefer and there are many many choices. There is no right or wrong of what to drink but as others said, your server or wine sommelier should make some decent suggestions depending on your meal ordered. Ordering a flight is an excellent way to try several different varietals to see what your taste buds prefer.
The problem with this is that peoples tastes vary widely. Some people may not like whites at all or can't stand reds. My rule is to drink the wine that you like.
That said, I prefer fully dry wines. Most non wine lovers would prefer slightly sweet wines and with experience move to dryer wines.
As was mentioned many that are new to wines would go with a White Zinfandel. It's a very light fruity wine and a bit sweet. They are inexpensive. For a light dry white I'd try a Sauvingnon Blanc (Fume Blanc). For a lighter dry red I'd go with a Sangiovese or Chiante.
Other popular varietals to try would be a Chardonnay (dry white) or Merlot (dry red). Personally I do not care for Merlot but it is very popular and goes well with most heavier menu items.
In the end there are no rules. It is what your tastes prefer and there are many many choices. There is no right or wrong of what to drink but as others said, your server or wine sommelier should make some decent suggestions depending on your meal ordered. Ordering a flight is an excellent way to try several different varietals to see what your taste buds prefer.
The entire staff is very knowledgable on wines of the Pacific Northwest that are served there. I have let my server pick my wines on more then one occasion there. Are you Tea drinkers? If so, how do you like your tea...do you keep the teabag in til the end, you prefer a quick dunk to make barely colored water? There actually a wine reason behind the tea question. It has to do with tannins.
As tiggr33 mentioned, AP has a nice wine menu and the servers are pretty well trained on it. Most of the dishes will have a recommended pairing, but you can opt for other wines as they offer quite a few by the glass. That said they do offer flights (if you don't think it too much), and you can ask for all white or all red; really give your server as much direction you can as to if like dry, medium body, etc.
Can't remember them all, a couple of wines I've had there and enjoyed: Evolution #9, 11th edition which is a simple, blended white wine that IMO goes well with a variety of dishes; and the Kiona late harvest zinfandel, which was served as a dessert wine. FWIW.
If a flight is available and the wines in the flight interest me, I will always take that over a single glass or two (unless there is something that really catches my eye....)
I typically go for the flights because I like to try wines. I'd rather have a taste of 4 or 5 than a glass of one. But that is me. I'll also drinnk more than one glass in a sitting....
Keep in mind that the wine recommendations from the staff will be geared toward the meal your eating. And if the wine arrives immediately and your meal arrives 20 minutes later, you may not like that wine as much without the food that is was paired with, especially good reds and very especially if your not a wine drinker.
My wife isn't into the strong reds as much as I am and she will not drink a zinfandel, for example, regardless of whether she has a complementing dish with it. She'll stick to the Rhones and other "easy going" wines throughout the meal. I might start out immediately with such a red and then get something more bold for when my meal arrives.
I typically go for the flights because I like to try wines. I'd rather have a taste of 4 or 5 than a glass of one. But that is me. I'll also drinnk more than one glass in a sitting....
Keep in mind that the wine recommendations from the staff will be geared toward the meal your eating. And if the wine arrives immediately and your meal arrives 20 minutes later, you may not like that wine as much without the food that is was paired with, especially good reds and very especially if your not a wine drinker.
My wife isn't into the strong reds as much as I am and she will not drink a zinfandel, for example, regardless of whether she has a complementing dish with it. She'll stick to the Rhones and other "easy going" wines throughout the meal. I might start out immediately with such a red and then get something more bold for when my meal arrives.
Sawx04
Yankee Fans Tell No Tales
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2008
I don't know the direct answer to your question. However, I remember reading that the WDW Resort has more sommeliers than any other company in the world...there are over 300 active sommeliers at WDW.
It's a safe bet that all signature restaurants are covered.
unionville
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2008
My suggestion would be to pick up a bottle while you are still home to try one night since you and your husband have never really had wine. You could get a pretty good bottle for under $15. I think it would be a good test run to see if you are really going to enjoy having it for dinner. I would hate to think I was paying that much money for a glass of wine that I didn't even like. If you have a local winery, go for a tasting. It's fun and gives you an idea of the type of wines you like. There have been lots of suggestions of good "starter wines". A Riesling might also be an option for a beginner. I really love dry red wines, but I think it's an acquired taste for some.
Sawx04
Yankee Fans Tell No Tales
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2008
As a side note to your sommelier question, I was reading Wine Spectator tonight with the cover article titled Restaurant Wine Service. They had some interesting stats about sommeliers on page 56. (This is a reader survey in which 18,528 people responded.)
Is it important to you to have a sommelier available?
Yes - 43%
No - 57%
Do you perfer that the sommelier taste your wine before serving it?
Yes - 16%
No - 84%
How would you rate the advice you receive from most sommeliers?
Excellent - 19%
Good - 62%
Fair - 17%
Poor - 2%
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