The Wonderful World of Disney Wine Tastings
Do you love wine? Then you’ll love Disney wine tastings!
The 21st birthday was a big deal for all of my friends. They literally counted down the days until they could clink classes to celebrate the big 2-1; one friend actually had a countdown timer set on her phone starting a month before her birthday. I was the odd one out- not for the first or last time I’m sure- and really couldn’t care much less about my 21st…I didn’t even ‘go out’ on the day. Judging from that, you’re right if you assumed I’m not much fun on a night out, but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy sipping on a great cocktail or glass of wine.
Disney Wine Tastings
The very next time I visited Walt Disney World after my 21st birthday, I couldn’t wait to sample all of the different wines my family had always spoken so highly of. So, I celebrated my 21st birthday in a very unconventional way- with wine tastings! Since then both my palette and body have *gracefully aged, and I’ve taken on the very difficult job of sampling as large of a variety of wines WDW has to offer. So which are the best Disney wine tastings to attend? Read on to find out!
Jiko- The Cooking Place
I know you’re on vacation and shorts and t shirts are the go-to costumes of choice, but a fine dining experience at WDW Resort is a treat yourself meal you should definitely add to your to-do list and Jiko’s wine tasting will deliver on both the fine dining and great wine fronts!
Located in the Animal Kingdom Lodge the naturally lit, Afro-modern themed Jiko offers a wine tasting every Wednesday. Guests are invited to sample wines directly imported from South Africa and paired with palette-appropriate bites chosen by chefs to bring out the natural notes of flavor in each wine. You’ll get three pours of different wines, and you’ll never know which will be chosen until you’re there! Make them yourself -or let us help you below- but either way, you’ll need a reservation.
A Moroccan Flight
Ahhh Spice Road Table, one of the most underrated restaurants across the entirety of Walt Disney World Resort property. It’s a go-to of mine for so many reasons like the lagoon-front patio, the great food, and the fact that you can (almost) always show up without a reservation and be seated. Oh, and the wine.
Whether you choose bar seating or are sitting down for a meal, the wine flight will be available for you to taste! This flight is presented with 3 pours of wine and a card detailing the notes and flavors special to each. I like dry wines, so I always choose the red wine flight, but there are white and sweet flights available too.
The Amazigh Red is my favorite wine on property and plays a feature role in this tasting. Remember the photo of the cork at the top of the page? That’s from a bottle of Ahazigh Red! If you want to impress your server with the correct pronunciations, it’s AH-MAH-ZEER! However you pronounce it, I think you’ll find this wine to be simply ama-zeer!
Walk For Your Wine
The Epcot Wine Walk is widely regarded as an elusive, sometimes even fictional experience that some chock up to myth, while others claim to have seen (and tasted) for themselves. So, is it a legendary dream created in the minds of world traveling wine connoisseur? Heck no!
The Epcot Wine Walk is the most extensive, diverse, and probably most affordable of all the wine tasting options on the list! For just $20, you choose where you start your wine walk (Germany, Italy, or France Pavilion) and taste your way from there! You’ll be given a ‘passport’ with blank boxes to check off as you complete the tasting, and you can leave with physical proof of your wine endeavors!
The Wine Walk features 6 pours of wines from the aforementioned Pavilions and can be completed in one day if you choose. But the best part about the Wine Walk is that it doesn’t expire, so you can leisurely sip your way through the list of wines during your entire stay! I recommend purchasing the Wine Walk passport at the start of your trip, this way you can take your time enjoying a new wine each time you find yourself in Epcot.
Which Will You Choose?
Wine is and probably forever will be my drink of choice. If I’m going out for happy hour with friends or enjoying a quiet meal at home, wine fits with every and all occasions, especially on vacation!
The great thing about these wine tastings is that you can sample a smattering of different wines without having to purchase an entire glass. If you’re not sure which wine you want to enjoy with your meal at Spice Road Table, get a flight first! Are you torn between two different wines in Italy?
Then purchase the Wine Walk and give them a taste before you commit to a whole glass. There is a wine to satisfy every palette on the wine tasting journey you’re about to embark upon, so which Disney wine tastings are you most excited to try? Let me know in the comments!
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Special thanks to Maria Salerno for writing this article: Hiya pal! I am a NYC-based writer thrilled to a part of your Disney vacation planning! I’m a WDW Annual Passholder, so you can find me in the parks regularly throughout the year. In addition to being a Disney Parks loving girl, I’m also a Disney toy and merchandise collector, a runDisney enthusiast, and Disney music and movie aficionado. You can follow me on Instagram: NYCtoAP and find me on YouTube: NYCtoAP. Thanks for reading, hope to see ya real soon!