Grape Getaway

[ppiew]

not sure where this should be posted. We received our itinerary for the GG and it is definitely a big "WOW". Every day will be busy and includes tequila tasting and Remy Martin as a 'good nite kiss.'!!!! And we were concerned about getting our $$$ worth - NOT. It looks fabulous and worth our long trek to get there. if anyone would like me to, I can write a review when we get back.

Sunday October 24, 201012:00-6:00 pm

6:30-8:30 pm Welcome Reception at Atlantic Dance featuring TV celebrities The Hearty Boys and Pastry Chef, Gale Gand will prepare recipes and mingle with you at the opening Reception. We’ll end the evening with a “good night kiss” of the incredible Remy Martin Louis XIII.

Monday October 25, 20108:00-8:30am Board Busses to Epcot
8:30-10:30am Sweet Monday Breakfast Buffet and Demo with Julian Rose, Master Chocolatier at Moonstruck’s is recognized in the world over as an authority on chocolate will be featured at our Sweet Mondays Brunch and Culinary Demonstration
10:30-11:30 Personal Break
10:45-11:30 Wine Seminar with Marques De Caceres/Loius Burgeno
11:30-2:00 Explore the Marketplaces with two Disney Chefs or on your own.
2:00-2:45 Authentic Tastes Seminar Tom Gaffney from Euro American Brands
2:45-4:15 Milagro Tequila Tasting
4:15-5:00 Authors Without Borders and Book signing. Maria Hunt, “the Bubbly Girl”
7:15-7:30 Board Buses to Studios
7:30-9:30 Wine Maker Dinner at Great Movie Ride- a magical journey that’ll put you in the middle of the action from gritty gangster flicks of the 1930s to the adventure of contemporary classics such as Raiders of the Lost Ark—and in midst of this enchanted private behind the scenes tour of The Great Movie Ride™ at Disney Hollywood Studios®, enjoy a remarkable Italian Truffle Dinner featuring Batasiolo Wines.

Tuesday, October 26, 20108:30 Board busses to Epcot
9:00-10:30 Breakfast with Pam Brandon, the author of two Florida guidebooks and a contributing writer and editor for various guidebooks to Central Florida and Walt Disney World Resort®.
10:45-11:30 Eating Healthy Demonstration with Pam Smith Festival Host; Lobster, Wild Mushroom and Fresh Corn Risotto.
12:00-1:30 Interactive Luncheon at California Grill with Disney Celebrity Chefs, Bridget Sherren and Brian Piasecki.
2:15-4:15 Wine School with Master Sommelier, Brian Koziol

6:00-6:30 Board Buses to Epcot
6:30-8:30 Gala Dinner in an up close and intimate evening with Wine makers and Chefs.
8:30-9:00 Dessert Party with Illuminations: Reflections of Earth viewing
9:20pm Return to Resort.


Wednesday, October 27, 2010
9:00-10:30 Farewell Breakfast

 

[redzinner]

ppiew, So glad that you are happy with the schedule! The wine truffle dinner with Bastiolo wines sounds like last year's V&A signature dinner. Nothing but goodness there for sure!
And yes !!!! please give us a review!
Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

That sounds wonderful! I'd love to read a review after you get back.

 

[BriarRosie]

I'd like a review of that, please.

 

[princess angel]

sounds fabulous! I'd love to read a review also... nah, I'd rather tag along! lol

 

[JC14]

Ppiew, my wife and I will be attending as well. We are very excited now that we have the itinerary. We have been to F&W before but never done any of the special events so this will be all new for us.

See you there!

 

[ppiew]

Oh my! i am so glad we will meet someone!!! so excited! I hope i can keep up with the schedule!!!!

 

[JC14]

I know huh. Very tight schedule. I may skip something here or there just to get a break.

 

[ppiew]

Not sure I can drink as much as is on the schedule! I know - just getting old! Our daughter said it should include 2 months at a fat reduction clinic and membership in AA! think she is trying to tell us something!! We have to drive tomorrow am for 2+ hrs to an airport and get to MCO tomorrow night. (day early I know - don't trust the airlines OR the weather) Looking forward to meeting you.

 

[JC14]

We are already here! Staying at the Swan for two nights.

 

[ppiew]

well here is the first installment!!
I will do my best. First off, I had reservations whether GG was going to be worth the $$$.. Right up front I will tell you it was a phenomenal experience! Yes, it did have a few bumps, but they can be easily remedied I am sure. Check in at Boardwalk was seamless and we were presented with a lovely tote with wine (of course) glassware, and numerous other ‘goodies’.
Our first event was the welcome reception at Atlantic Dance. For me, this was my least favorite event. The venue was lovely, but the food stations needed lights or something focused on the food to let one know exactly what it was. We had a lonely guitar player on the huge stage, and although good, He looked lost up there. I wish someone would have taken a mike and spoken to us to let us know what to expect. The food was incredible – we had seared Seascallops, pork Osso Buco, Chicken Pie, Gnocchi, Pulled short ribs, Ahi Poke, Coffee cake, sour cream ice cream and Pot de Crème. All were embellished with a variety of sauces which not only tasted fantastic but enhanced the presentation immensely!! We had the Hearty Boys and Gale Gand as visiting chefs, and I thought they were going to do a food demo. Surprise! They had already MADE their food and we were to help ourselves! Dumb me, by the time I figured it out I was too full from the other stuff. They were very friendly and went from table to table interacting with the guests. The evening ended with a tiny bit of REMY MARTIN LOUIS XIII Many were ecstatic but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Monday AM we boarded the bus for EPCOT and had a buffet at the Festival Center and a beautiful chocolate demo by Julian Rose a Master Chocolatier. Very nice This was followed by a wine tasting/seminar by Luis Burgueno for Marques de Caceres Spanish wines.

For lunch, we were all given gift cards ($50 pp) and explored World Showcase with two chefs who explained how the foods/wines were chosen/prepared etc. We could buy whatever we wanted with our gift card. We were pooped, so we opted for a ‘sit down’ at San Angel and had a great meal! In the PM Tom Gaffney from Ritter Sport Chocolate presented 6 types of chocolate bars which of course we ate with Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon and with Banfi Regal!!! THEN we had Jaime Salas lwho presented 3 types of Tequilas for us to taste – Milagro Select Barrel Silver, Anejo, and Reposada. Oh but we aren’t done yet - along came a professional Mixologist from William Grant & Sons and of course we tasted her creations!! We had two drinks with Tequila, one with Vodka, and one with Scotch. Maria Hunt the ‘Bubbly Girl’ author showed up and talked about her book and signed it for each of us. (this is all b4 dinner mind you)

 

[ppiew]

Well, here is the dinner info
Evening dinner was the ‘TRUFFLE AND WINE MAKER DINNER’ at the Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studio. There is no doubt in my mind that this is the jewel in the crown of GG. We were met at the Grauman Theater by a Hollywood ‘producer’ who lightened up the evening for us and then led us into the building. Passed appetizers were provided (along with a full bar) in the gangster era room. Again we had a piano player and were greeted by a gangster and his moll. They put on quite a skit for us. The gangster (tommy gun and all) sang a solo and was very entertaining! (good voice too)
We had Seared Rabbit Loin with Warm Truffle and Mushroom Salad with Pea Tendrils.
Paired with Batasiolo Souvana.
Boar Prosciutto, Truffle Tremor Goat Cheese, Honey Comb, Bitter Green, Meyer Lemon, Aged Balsamic.
Paired with Batasiolo Barola DOCG
Heirloom Tomato and Basil Sorbet, Truffle Crisp
Parmesan and Truffle Braised Short Rib with Poached Lobster Truffle Butter
Paired with Batasiolo Barolo Vigneto Boscareto and Batasiolo Barolo Vigneto Cerequio
House Made Bread with White Truffle Oil
(are you getting the truffle bit yet?) Someone said the large truffle cost over $800 before it was shaven on every dish we had. After the appetizers, we walked thru the ride to the western set where tables were set for our main course. (the lobster and short ribs) Here we also had a full bar and again we had MORE entertainment. This time a trio of musicians playing western style music and a female comedienne who interacted with the guests. The piece de resistance of course, was dessert in the LAND of OZ!! So we ‘followed the yellow brick road’ to an enormous buffet of super delectable desserts most of which were again laden with the white truffles!(think Warm Godiva Cake with White Truffle Gelato as one!!). Again a full bar and our entertainment was Glinda, the good witch. At the end of the dinner the Wicked witch and the munchkins put on their show. What an evening! It would be hard to beat this evening no matter how hard one tried! Whoops – almost forgot the Batasiolo Moscato D’asti was served with our dessert! (as if we haven’t had enough wine!!!!)

I think I counted about 9 professional entertainers provided. We had a glorious meal, excellent wine, and superb entertainment! It was truly an incredible evening in every way.

 

[redzinner]

Sounds like you are getting the 'royal' Disney treatment .... as you should for the cost of the package! Glad it is what you expected and more. Aren't the Batasiolo wines terrific! Of course you need to like the Italian style of wine but they are soooo nice. Sounds like the menu for the Great Movie Ride Dinner paired beautifully with the earthiness of the truffles and the wines.
I would have liked to have tasted the Louis XIII ... just a taste to see how smooth it is!
Thanks for taking the time to share with us.

 

[ppiew]

This is the final installment ( i hope)

We staggered to the buses on Tuesday AM to have a plated breakfast again at Wonders in EPCOT. Of course we were greeted by champagne, mimosas, bloody mary’s etc and then breakfast. This was HUGE! I mean, when did you ever have a 6 oz Kobe Beef Tenderloin with Yukon golds for breakfast? Of course, if THAT weren’t enough, we also had a Spinach Frittatta and other stuff which at this point my brain is somewhat saturated and can’t remember!

Pam Brandon spoke about the various Disney cookbooks and was truly informative. She was followed by Pam Smith giving us a food demo of Lobster, Wild Mushroom and Corn Risotto – which of course was then served to us! As much as we begged for a nap, we were brought to the California Grille to experience wining, dining, demo, and tastes from Chef Brian Piasecki, the Pastry Chef (can’t remember his name) and Myoshi (sp?) the Sushi Lady.
We first tried our hands at making sushi under Myoshi’s guidance, (we flopped) so she served us large plates of 6 different kinds of sushi!! Brian then gave us the instructions to make Pork Osso BUCCO. He makes it look so easy! We then had the Osso Bucco with pureed root vegetables – awesome – the meat fell right off the bone and the veggies were perfect for a fall day! Before we dug into our awesome Chocolate Lava cake, the genius pastry man did quite a demo with a large bag of Valhrona chocolate and gold foil. He taught us the ins and outs of ganache and let us decorate a plate with a bag full of ganache he also showed us how to make chocolates in molds and so much else. The man is a genius!!! (plus the stuff tastes good!)

Here we go – off to Wine School with Brian Koziol a Master Sommelier. I think I died and went to CABERNET SAUVIGNON heaven! We tasted 6 Cab’s!!! Yes SIX!! Retail prices $40 to $95!!!! Super Excellent. What a difference in the tastes/tannins in these 6 wines! I have tasted Cabs many times but this was the best! I cannot even describe the differences in tannins, the changes from one appelation to the next. So very worthwhile! I won’t tell my fave but the initials are SL!!!!

Dinner bus to Festival Center (again). Before boarding the bus we were met by the ubiquitious white gloved server with our now normal and to be expected cocktail! We had our Farewell Dinner in an upstairs private room in the Pavillion. Very nice for a group our size! Again, wines everywhere, beer (was requested) and about a half dozen food stations. Neat, each was like a ‘bar’ and you could sit at several and watch the chef prepare the food. Sofas and chairs were also provided. We had a Trio playing mostly jazz for our entertainment. It was kind of a mini ‘party for the senses’. The food choices again were wonderful and I tried several I have never heard of (fried beer foam, cotton candy skewers sprinkled with hot pepper flakes). Who dreams up this stuff?
After leaving our dinner, the bus took us to France and we were led to a private viewing area by the water where (again) a full bar was set up and (again) a glorious dessert buffet. We had an up close and personal viewing of ‘Illuminations” and it was fabulous!!! Lucky we had a ‘designated driver’ to take us back to the Boardwalk!!

Our final farewell breakfast. Big treat! It is held in the ATTIC a neat spot above Jellyrolls on the Boardwalk! Why of course I will have champagne. I should also mention the champagnes that I saw (everywhere) were either Moet et Chandon or Heidsieck or Mumm– nothing second rate here! Great juice – Passion Mango Guava!!! I had never heard of it! The menu was unbelievable! Along with the muffins, croissants, carrot & zucchini bread etc. and juices of course. Can’t believe I am having a 3 course BREAKFAST!! Alright 2 if we don’t count the above plus the Berry Trifle in a brandy snifter! (it was huge). First course ----Citrus Crepes AFTER the chef demonstrated how to make them and a few of our travelers tried it themselves. The crepes were stuffed with Mascarpone Cheese with Frangelico Vanilla Bean Sauce. A small carmelized Peach Compote was on the side. Course 2 was Crab Cake Benedict with Poached Eggs on a toasted Brioche with a spicy Chiron Sauce. We had a separate plate of Sweet Potato Hash and (my personal favorite) a GREAT Crispy Fried Green Tomato with a lush chile sauce underneath. To die for!

I guess this should be renamed to the Grape and Gourmet Getaway! In all, wines were first rate and this I really didn’t expect and was a pleasant surprise. All wines lived up to top shelf billing. The only ones that disappointed were the two at Atlantic Dance (Canyon Road and Misissoui) Food was incredible, and Kathi and Pam our coordinators were second to none. If I had but one request it would be for more ‘down’ time. It was really exhausting! I really believe Disney raised the level of expectations by providing the best experience ever. Sure it was expensive, but the wines alone really lived up to the billing. Looking forward to next year!!!!

 

[BriarRosie]

Thanks for the great grape and gourmet review! It sounds like you had a fabulous time.