Wine tips for a novice?

[skyfire1982]

This all started when I was chatting with my father yesterday about our upcoming vacation (for my brother and I). For some reason, we got on the topic of wine and I volunteered to bring my dad home a nice bottle of red wine as a present for him.

Problem #1. Where and what do I buy? My father wasn't much help. He buys cheap three dollar bottles and drinks only a small glass at a time, so he told me that anything over three dollars is already above the quality he usually has. Yes, we are big wine fanatics in our family! I heard somewhere that there are some good African wines at Animal Kingdom, question is, is it in the park itself, or at the resort? If it helps any, I'm looking to spend in the $20-$30 range.

To make this Disney dining related ...

Problem #2. I've been spending a lot of time reading dining reviews in which people gushed about wine pairings with food (usually the signature dining reviews). Well, we've got two signature dining ADRs lined up at Artists Point and Citricos. I'd like to give wine another try, with proper food. (Most of my previous wine experiences involve my college roommate offering me glasses of cheap wine to try while I tell her it's too bitter for my tastes.) Any suggestions, since I know absolutely nothing about what to order? All I know is something like red with meat and white with seafood? I'm usually more of a cocktails person.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Hi, we bought my parents a bottle of wine in the Animal Kingdom park. I do not know exactly which store - one of the larger gift stores. They wrapped it and padded it really well, had it sent to the front of the park and we picked it up when we exited. You are very much in the right price range with your $30 max. I think ours was between $15 - $20. My parents enjoy a good bottle of wine and they did like this one. (well, they said they did, anyway ) We do not know wines so we asked the CM for suggestions. She was knowledgeable and we were grateful for the help!

I wanted to bump up the other question for you, as I am interested also. (another cocktail person here!) I have my favorite couple wines, but I have only seen one served at WDW and only at Artist Point. I am dining at Citricos and would also like suggestions!

Happy planning,

Lives4Disney

 

[skyfire1982]

Thanks Lives!

Any other people out there with wine suggestions that can help Lives and I? Thanks

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

The cheap jug wines can range from very dry to very sweet. And depending upon which he likes, a $30 bottle of a dry wine isn't going to be what he wants if he likes it on the sweet side. Find out whether he likes it on the dry side or the sweet side. They'll be able to point you to a kind of wine to match once you find that out.

Regarding the pairings. Don't feel foolish if you don't know anything about wine. Just tell you waiter you don't know too much about wines but you're not a big fan of the more bitter type reds and he'll find a wine for you. Plus, wines taste different when paired with food than they do alone. That bitter wine will be paired with something where it won't taste bitter. Take a little pad with you and note what you liked with what. And that way, you'll build yourself a little wine database.

 

[skyfire1982]

Cannot wait - THANK YOU! I never would have thought to ask my dad otherwise about dry and sweet. Sure enough, as soon as I asked, he immediately shaking his head in horror at a dry, and told me he wanted sweet. If I had bought a dry, we probably would have ended up turning it into a rather expensive cooking wine.

And I appreciate the tip about a wine database. I'll put myself in the waiter's (hopefully) capable hands and try and remember to write down my thoughts on it.

Thanks again!

 

[cslittle999]

I like Goats do Roam. It's a South African wine that I have seen for sale at store in AKL. I don't know if it's for sale at the park. Here's a link to the winery. http://www.fairview.co.za/goats/index.php

 

[webray]

Problem #1. Where and what do I buy? My father wasn't much help. He buys cheap three dollar bottles and drinks only a small glass at a time, so he told me that anything over three dollars is already above the quality he usually has. Yes, we are big wine fanatics in our family! I heard somewhere that there are some good African wines at Animal Kingdom, question is, is it in the park itself, or at the resort? If it helps any, I'm looking to spend in the $20-$30 range.

First off, price has nothing, nothing at all to do with how good any one person will thing a wine is. Wine is very subjective. With that being said, AKL sometimes has free tastings of the wines they are selling on weekend nights in the back of the store where the wine is located. Just make sure you know if your dad likes a sweeter or more bitter wine and that will help you choose when you are looking around.

To make this Disney dining related ...

Problem #2. I've been spending a lot of time reading dining reviews in which people gushed about wine pairings with food (usually the signature dining reviews). Well, we've got two signature dining ADRs lined up at Artists Point and Citricos. I'd like to give wine another try, with proper food. (Most of my previous wine experiences involve my college roommate offering me glasses of cheap wine to try while I tell her it's too bitter for my tastes.) Any suggestions, since I know absolutely nothing about what to order? All I know is something like red with meat and white with seafood? I'm usually more of a cocktails person.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

At Artist Point, it is so easy to do the wine tasting with your meal..fantastic in fact, as your server will do all the work in making the recommendations. The server will ask you some questions about sweet/dry, etc and then will start pouring. If you absolutely hate it, they will bring something else. Just remember, it is hard to tell without the food being there, as not all wines stand alone, some are so much better with food than alone. Tasting the food and then the wine puts a whole new spin on the wine. Artist Point is one of the top restaurants on disney property you are going to love it.

 

[Cookie Princess]

I like Goats do Roam. It's a South African wine that I have seen for sale at store in AKL. I don't know if it's for sale at the park. Here's a link to the winery. http://www.fairview.co.za/goats/index.php

Our local grocery store now sells this! It is good.

I had to laugh about the original post re: drinking cheap wine in college. I think I used to work part-time just to buy: Boone's Farm Tickle Pink.

 

[gokenin]

I dont know if you would call them sweet but would think that you may be looking along the lines of a merlot or maybe a pinot noir if you are looking for a red wine to bring back. I would go with a Reisling (white wine) from the Germany pavilion if I was looking for a sweet wine or maybe a sauterness from France if you can find one they would also have a Pinot noir there as well and the store at Animal Kingdom Lodge has wines from Africa does not think you can buy any wine in the park. Hope this helps

 

[Maggi May]

Great thread and discussion . . . especially the info about African wines.

The Italian pavillion at Epcot also has a nice wine tasting area where you can also buy a whole bottle. The wines are pretty reasonably priced.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

sweet reds?

At the $3 a bottle range the op specified that her father drank yes. He might even be drinking a wine designed for communion in that range.

 

[gokenin]

At the $3 a bottle range the op specified that her father drank yes. He might even be drinking a wine designed for communion in that range.

You can get very good bottles of wine for less than $10 these days if you are looking for an average day to day wine. The question mark for my original post was that I never thought of red wine as sweet (fruity,earthy, full bodied yes but not sweet) was not being critical of the OP

 

[adrock1976]

If you are looking for a sweet wine I would recommend Inniskillin, Ice Wine...from Canada. Not sure if you can get it in the park still, but they do serve it in Le Cellier.

Like the other posts say, we really enjoy wine pairing with the meal...let the sommalier do the work...you can give general direction of what you like or do not like...a good restaurant will make sure you have wines you like.

 

[N10CJT]

And wine store worth its salt will have at least several South African wines, as it is an important region.
As for pairing, throw the old rules out and concentrate on what you like with what you like. Experimentation is part of the fun. The general rule is red with meat, white with seafood but really it's more like well-constructed with meat. A well constructed dry riesling, for instance, is perfect for Filet Mignon even though the rules say it isn't. The only rule I find to be particularly accurate is the harder the cheese, the redder the wine. And a good one, if you can follow it, is what grows together goes together.
But really, if you love a wine, think about the flavors in your mouth and consider what you may like to eat with it.... sort of in the same way you'd eat mashed potatoes and think they need butter or salt or gravy. If all the experts say they need salt but you think they taste best with butter, why must you be wrong? Just be patient, the more you try this out the better you'll get at it.
Have fun!