With a Remy reservation, you will automatically get an invitation to meet with the sommelier (the wine steward) prior to dining to discuss what kinds of wines you prefer. You don't have to make your decision then, of course; you will wait until dinner to do that. There was no "pushing" of the wine pairing and the steward on the Fantasy in October was remarkably helpful in making sure that we got the wine we wanted. Take advantage of this - tell the sommelier what kind of wine you like and what your budget is and he will find a match for you, either by the bottle or by the glass. You'll also get to see the special menu that includes the $25,000 bottle of wine in the vault as well as some more "reasonably" priced wines from the vault - plenty in the $100 - $300 range.
My wife had a terrific glass of a Super Tuscan wine at Palo in 2011 and couldn't remember the name of the wine - the sommelier was able to track that vintage down, brought her a glass with dinner, and eventually removed the label from the bottle and had it laminated for us to bring home.
I think I started this whole 2 oz. thing and I misspoke and apologize; the pourings are not that small. The servers are not bashful about it. For some of the courses, the sommelier came out and introduced the wine and region of France where it was from. If you're into wine, the pairing is worth it. If you're not, there won't be any pressure to order it, and you can easily order a glass (or two) of any other wine they carry on the ship.
These aren't still the pairings, because the menu has changed some since this was posted in 2011 - but I do recall having a Sancerre and a Gewurztraminer as well.
http://i1.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Top-of-menu.jpg
I really think Remy is a little oasis on the ship - while CMs often work multiple jobs, I don't think you will never see the Remy chefs or servers anywhere else; that's part of the mystique that you are paying for. There is no pressure at all for anything - part of the experience is the outstanding service - a tiny tableside stool for a lady's purse, escorts in and out of the restaurant to the bathrooms, and extras throughout the meal, including the "surprise" cheese course prior to dessert that included some mind-blowingly delicious cheeses.
To put it into perspective - when you've paid $5000 for a cruise for a family of 4, the wine that you order at Remy is a fraction of that cost. Decide in advance how much you want to spend on wine and do that. You won't be disappointed.
My wife had a terrific glass of a Super Tuscan wine at Palo in 2011 and couldn't remember the name of the wine - the sommelier was able to track that vintage down, brought her a glass with dinner, and eventually removed the label from the bottle and had it laminated for us to bring home.
I think I started this whole 2 oz. thing and I misspoke and apologize; the pourings are not that small. The servers are not bashful about it. For some of the courses, the sommelier came out and introduced the wine and region of France where it was from. If you're into wine, the pairing is worth it. If you're not, there won't be any pressure to order it, and you can easily order a glass (or two) of any other wine they carry on the ship.
These aren't still the pairings, because the menu has changed some since this was posted in 2011 - but I do recall having a Sancerre and a Gewurztraminer as well.
http://i1.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Top-of-menu.jpg
I really think Remy is a little oasis on the ship - while CMs often work multiple jobs, I don't think you will never see the Remy chefs or servers anywhere else; that's part of the mystique that you are paying for. There is no pressure at all for anything - part of the experience is the outstanding service - a tiny tableside stool for a lady's purse, escorts in and out of the restaurant to the bathrooms, and extras throughout the meal, including the "surprise" cheese course prior to dessert that included some mind-blowingly delicious cheeses.
To put it into perspective - when you've paid $5000 for a cruise for a family of 4, the wine that you order at Remy is a fraction of that cost. Decide in advance how much you want to spend on wine and do that. You won't be disappointed.