2007 International Food & Wine Festival (Marketplace Booth Details Now Available!)

[50 years Too!]

Flying. There's no way I'd do a 22 hr drive all by myself.
And I do really love the F&W Fest. I've even started going to some F&W events closer to home, although the W part doesn't happen if I have to drive.

I'm not sure how close together I had events last year. I know I doubled up on some days, but I don't remember which events they were. I'll have to find my notes from last year. I think in 2004 I did a French F&WP and an Exquisite Evening on the same day. The biggest challenge was getting back to my resort in between to change clothes.

With any of the events I attend, I never worry about being a member of the clean plate/glass club. When I go to a multi-course dinner, I never finish every bit of every course or finish every glass of wine. Even without eating/drinking everything, I still feel the events are enjoyable and that I've gotten my money's worth in the experience.

Thanks for the feedback ImprovGal.
If I didn't live on the left coast I might be tempted to go that many times too!
Since I am only going to be able to experience one weekend, I'm going to go for it and double schedule those days.
Have you ever done a wine school? Six hours seems daunting.
I love Champagne though, so I am tempted. Don't know if my husband could go without his afternoon pool siesta. He would probably want to skip PFS if he did the wine school.
I hope you do a food report on your trips!

 

[ImprovGal]

Thanks for the feedback ImprovGal.
If I didn't live on the left coast I might be tempted to go that many times too!
Since I am only going to be able to experience one weekend, I'm going to go for it and double schedule those days.
Have you ever done a wine school? Six hours seems daunting.
I love Champagne though, so I am tempted. Don't know if my husband could go without his afternoon pool siesta. He would probably want to skip PFS if he did the wine school.
I hope you do a food report on your trips!

I have not yet done a wine school. A friend of mine did the Italian one last year, though, and loved it. I enjoy the wine when it comes to pairing the wine up with food. I don't know how I'd make it through the wine school, though. I know you get a very nice lunch break but I'm only 4'10" and can't drink that much wine in one sitting!

I'm terrible when it comes to follow-through with trip reports/food reports. I kept meaning to write up reviews of the events I did last year. I even took food photos galore. Never got around to it.

 

[budbeerlady]

South African Wine Event
10.12
World Show Place
6:30pm-9pm
$75
Wines from 40 vineyards, food from the AKL, roraring entertainment (wonder what that means

Has anyone done something similar to this that could tell me about it? I know this one is a new one but I think maybe they had done something similar from another area before. I want to do it but DH is on the fence since we are doing PFTS on the 13th.

Thanks!

 

[SamSam]

I didn't see the Wine Schools listed. Does anyone know if they're having them this year and they just didn't get listed?

 

[kabuki]

South African Wine Event
10.12
World Show Place
6:30pm-9pm
$75
Wines from 40 vineyards, food from the AKL, roraring entertainment (wonder what that means

Has anyone done something similar to this that could tell me about it? I know this one is a new one but I think maybe they had done something similar from another area before. I want to do it but DH is on the fence since we are doing PFTS on the 13th.

Thanks!

My DH and I are also doing this and the PFTS. We called and they didn't have any more information on this event. The only thing they would say is that is totally unique to anything they have done before!

 

[shovan]

I'd like to hear any opinions on the Cook Book & Bottle. Is this worth the $150price?

Also any opinions on Exquisite Evenings at $210? and the Signature Dinners?

And how were the Pairings at The Coral Reef?

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I'd like to hear any opinions on the Cook Book & Bottle. Is this worth the $150price?

Also any opinions on Exquisite Evenings at $210? and the Signature Dinners?

And how were the Pairings at The Coral Reef?

We've done the Italy and Australia EE. We absolutely loved the one for Italy. But...we were not so impressed with Australia. There was not a good balance between showcasing the wine and the food...it seemed to be all about the wine (IMO) and our chefs got hardly any speaking time. Meanwhile, I felt like I was getting the hard sell job from Penfolds. (If I heard any more about their Grange (sp?), I think I would have screamed). For me and DH, we go out of our way to make sure we pick an EE where there is more than one vintner for this very reason now-it kind of turned us off. However, both the food and wine was outstanding. I have pics (mostly of the food) if you are interested. Just let me know I will try and locate them and post them through photobucket. As to whether it is worth the money...kind of depends on what you are looking for I guess. It definitely is a unique experience. We are glad we went, we will definitely go again this year (just trying to decide which one).

 

[50 years Too!]

We've done the Italy and Australia EE. We absolutely loved the one for Italy. But...we were not so impressed with Australia. There was not a good balance between showcasing the wine and the food...it seemed to be all about the wine (IMO) and our chefs got hardly any speaking time. Meanwhile, I felt like I was getting the hard sell job from Penfolds. (If I heard any more about their Grange (sp?), I think I would have screamed). For me and DH, we go out of our way to make sure we pick an EE where there is more than one vintner for this very reason now-it kind of turned us off. However, both the food and wine was outstanding. I have pics (mostly of the food) if you are interested. Just let me know I will try and locate them and post them through photobucket. As to whether it is worth the money...kind of depends on what you are looking for I guess. It definitely is a unique experience. We are glad we went, we will definitely go again this year (just trying to decide which one).

Yes, please post your pictures!

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Yes, please post your pictures!

Sure thing! I will post the pics this evening when I get to my computer at home.

 

[ghidorah97]

I have pics (mostly of the food) if you are interested. Just let me know I will try and locate them and post them through photobucket.

Would LOVE to see your pics if you could find them!

 

[shovan]

We've done the Italy and Australia EE. We absolutely loved the one for Italy. But...we were not so impressed with Australia. There was not a good balance between showcasing the wine and the food...it seemed to be all about the wine (IMO) and our chefs got hardly any speaking time. Meanwhile, I felt like I was getting the hard sell job from Penfolds. (If I heard any more about their Grange (sp?), I think I would have screamed). For me and DH, we go out of our way to make sure we pick an EE where there is more than one vintner for this very reason now-it kind of turned us off. However, both the food and wine was outstanding. I have pics (mostly of the food) if you are interested. Just let me know I will try and locate them and post them through photobucket. As to whether it is worth the money...kind of depends on what you are looking for I guess. It definitely is a unique experience. We are glad we went, we will definitely go again this year (just trying to decide which one).

Thanks for the info., I appreciate the help! I'd love to see the pics too! That's a shame about the hard sell from Penfolds, I'm sure they do want everyone to purchase the Grange at 200+ a bottle!

We will probably add a Friday to our trip, so I'm looking at either the 19th or the 26th. The California Whimsical Masters sounds like a good choice then, with several vinters.

So far our hopes will be to book:

PFTS
Marrakesh Pairing
Seas Salon Pairing

and either a Signature Dinner or an EE.

Well, maybe not all of that, either the PFTS or EE/Signature Dinner. And if we get our F&W choices, I guess I'll have to cancel our ADR's at CG & AP!

 

[jaurban]

We have never been to F&W before. If we were planning to sample the various booths during the festival - would we even want to have a TS that day? I was thinking of on TS for lunch (Princess lunch with DD4) and then snacking the rest of the day - but I am now thinking that the snacking around the world will be enough. Because of DD, we will not do the special events on that day so were limited the selection to the booths.

 

[bnormant]

Here's what we're going to try for (probably impossible to get them all, but we'll be calling from 3 different phone lines starting at 6:55am).

9/28 Cook, Book, & Bottle
9/28 Food & Wine pairing - Le Cellier Steakhouse, Canada
9/29 Vertical Wine Tasting
10/2 Food & Wine pairing - Restaurant Marrakesh
10/3 Chefs A'Field
10/5 Equisite Evening
10/6 Party for the Senses

I wish there was a regional feast available for our dates, but there isn't one on the schedule (yet anyways). Also, we would love to do a signature dinner but it's a little expensive to have it be a lunch, and we want to do a dinner at Jiko sometime during the trip as well.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Thanks for the info., I appreciate the help! I'd love to see the pics too! That's a shame about the hard sell from Penfolds, I'm sure they do want everyone to purchase the Grange at 200+ a bottle!

Yes, I can see why they were doing the hard sell-they are there to push their product. Perhaps they could master the selling tactic a bit better though. After a half hour of hearing the guy speak like the Grange was the holy grail of wines, it was very off putting. Nobody in our party actually liked it, but then we are not extreme wine afficianados, we simply like what we like and that's that-pricey or not.

I remembered I had some of my F&W Festival photos on a web based photo sharing site, so I just copied and transferred them over to photobucket. Sorry they are not labeled...for the life of me, other than the Emu potstickers for an appetizer (which were delicious!), I don't recall much (shame on me). I would have to dig up my menu in order to label them all.

I put the photos in order (I think). The beginning ones show the tables where they come around and serve appetizers, no assigned seating there. I think there are 3 apps in the photos. Then the actual room (cordoned off from PFTS). The gentleman in the photo labeled EEA17 (wearing the glasses) was the representative for Penfolds. If anyone has questions, let me know and I'll try to answer as best as I can. Enjoy!

http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/Keep-Moving-Forward/Exquisite%20Evenings/

 

[trampslady]

Does anyone know if they've posted times/dates for the daily stuff at Epcot at the various countries like the beer tastings, etc?

 

[bnormant]

I don't think that comes out until you get the little booklet guide to the festival at Epcot. Since they aren't things you have to book in advance, they don't put out that information before print time.

Someone usually posts the information after the first weekend and the booklet is available.

 

[VickiVM]

I don't think that comes out until you get the little booklet guide to the festival at Epcot. Since they aren't things you have to book in advance, they don't put out that information before print time.

Someone usually posts the information after the first weekend and the booklet is available.

Well - since I'll be back on Oct 2nd, I guess I'll be posting this for you all on the 3rd.

 

[PatriciaH]

Does anyone know if they've posted times/dates for the daily stuff at Epcot at the various countries like the beer tastings, etc?

That info usually comes out the first or second day of the festival after someone gets one of the programs.

I wish it was only 350 people.

Does anybody know how many people can be handled at the PFTS? I've heard it can be 800+.

Ed

I think it is 300-350 from what I have seen in the dining system.

 

[Wigit12]

Does anyone know how many people are in the Daily Food & Wine Pairings?

 

[PatriciaH]

Does anyone know how many people are in the Daily Food & Wine Pairings?

From what I remember about 20.