by Disney Magic Diva
Like many people, whenever I visit Walt Disney World Resort I always intend to spend time leisurely wandering around the World Showcase in Epcot, soaking in all the different cultures and cuisines. And like many people, no matter how well-intentioned my plans are, it seldom happens. Generally the grandkids are with us, and we tend to spend the majority of our time in Magic Kingdom. But recently the little ones stayed home with their parents, and we traveled with our adult sons. It was a perfect time to enjoy the more grown-up aspects of Walt Disney World Resort. One particularly fun adventure was the World Showcase Wine Walk!
I had known about the informal “Drink around the World” challenge some guests enjoy, and my sons were up for that quest, but it seemed a little much for me. That’s why I was so pleased to learn of the Wine Walk. It’s a little tamer, very reasonably priced, and still gives you a chance to try some fabulous wines.
To participate in the Wine Walk just head to Italy, France, or Germany – the three participating countries. There you can purchase a Wine Walk passport (currently $20). Your passport entitles you to a two ounce glass of a specified red and a two ounce glass of a specified white wine in each of the three participating countries. That’s six drinks for $20! What a deal! Your passport doesn’t have to be used in a single day. You can enjoy your wine at any time, so if you’re not up to visiting all three countries on the same day, just save your passport and stop by the next time.
TIP: When you purchase your passport, the cast member will staple your receipt onto the passport. Be sure to keep it attached! Your passport must have the receipt attached to be valid.
I am a complete novice when it comes to wine, but one of my sons is much more educated and has a more discernable pallet. While I just enjoyed tasting and pretty much noting “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” for my opinion, my son was much more sophisticated in his review. So regardless if you’re a oenophile or “Wine for Dummies” drop-out, taking the World Showcase Wine Walk is sure to be an entertaining afternoon!
We began our Wine Walk in France. We purchased our passport at Aux Vins de France. The wines we tasted were Georges Duboeuf Pouilly Fuisse and Chateau Tour de Segur. Thankfully, the passport includes information about each wine. Georges Duboeuf Pouily Fuisse is a white burgundy with “bright flavors of pear, red apples and citrus.” The Chateau Tour de Segur is a merlot which “displays flavors of black currants, black cherries and generous oak spices.” We grabbed a baguette from Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles, found a table near the water, and enjoyed our wine while gazing at the Eiffel Tower. Heavenly!
Next up was Italy. Here, you can get your wine selections at Enoteca Castello, toward the front of the Pavilion. Our wines here were Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio, “an elegant wine of pale-straw color, with an intense, fruity aroma, followed by a clean, rich, refreshing taste,” and Rosa Regale, a red sparkling wine “with a hint of rose petals and raspberries.” Paired with a slice of pizza from the takeout window at Via Napoli, this was a wonderful way to enjoy some of the best of Italy!
Our final stop was Weinkeller in Germany. Here you’ll be able to sample Valckenberg Madonna Spatlese and Valckenberg Madonna Liebfraumilch. The Spatlese is described as having “expressive fruitiness, very outgoing intensive floral bouquet, delicate sweetness and rather soft acidity.” The Liebfraumilch is a “harmonious ensemble of rich fruitiness, a delicate sweetness, backed by a mild acidity and a lush seductive bouquet.” We enjoyed both and agreed it was a wonderful way to complete our Wine Walk.
TIP: Since we were staying on property and utilizing Disney transportation, we did not need to worry about enjoying our wine, then driving. If you are driving, please plan ahead and have a designated driver whenever you enjoy alcoholic beverages. And always, whether driving or not, please enjoy responsibly.
If you’ve ever wanted to try some of the fabulous beverages available in the World Showcase, think about purchasing a Wine Passport. It was a reasonably priced way to sample a wide variety of wines from three countries, as well as spend a delightful day with my son in Epcot!
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Another eccellent article! I love how you add a bit of humor. Reading this makes even me, a “non Disney lover” (yes there are a few of us out there! ) and a non wine drinker want to participate! I love how you made it into more than just chugging a glass of wine…adding the food made it more of a cultural experience!