The Disney World Wine Bar Run By A Master Sommelier
Disney World might be built for kids, but behind every five-year-old taking photos with Mickey Mouse is a stressed parent looking to wind down once the little ones are in bed. This is probably why Disney's adult offerings are surprisingly swanky, chief among them the Wine Bar George.
The bar-and-restaurant serves a wide range of food options running from charcuterie platters to shakshuka to key lime pie, but people really come for the outstanding wine collection, overseen by sommelier George Miliotes. There are more than 200 wines on their list, with prices ranging from $9 to $1,000. They sell 40 varietals from 20 countries, including everything from affordable Bulgarian wines, all the way to rare French vintages.
"Guests can enjoy wines from acclaimed and well-known wineries as well as growing regions that are up-and-coming," Miliotes told Tasting Table over email. "From an ounce of some of the finest wine in the world to quality frozen wine drinks, this first-of-a-kind wine list offers an unparalleled wine experience. Each of the wines [is] also expertly paired by our team alongside a menu that includes cheese and charcuterie, entrees, small plates, and more."
Wine Bar George has been awarded dozens of prestigious titles, including the 'Best Micro Wine List' in 2019 from The World of Fine Wine. It's no surprise, given that Miliotes is a Master Sommelier, the highest designation of globally recognized excellence in the wine industry.
Wine for everyone
The bar is located in Disney Springs, outside of the parks but still within the borders of Disney World. And George Miliotes has put a lot of effort into making the space accessible to everyone from casual wine lovers to experts.
"I like the idea that anybody can come in here and talk about wine," Miliotes said in an interview with Food & Wine. "One of the major drivers is that we are, for lack of a better way to put it, egalitarian about wine — because it is really easy to be snotty about it." This is a unique proposition for an American bar, especially one located outside a children's theme park in Orlando, Florida.
"I wanted the feeling that this is an oasis, that you were walking out of Disney and into another place, another world," Miliotes continued. "You walk in and you feel like you're in Napa Valley, or you're in Tuscany, or Provence."
Think of Wine Bar George as Epcot for adults, an opportunity to taste test your way through as many countries and regions as possible without even bringing out your passport. This is even easier because wines are sold by the ounce as well as by the glass or bottle, so you have the chance to try more without spending too much or waking up the next day with a headache. Admittedly, an ounce could cost you $30, but for a wine lover on a budget, that's far more doable than shelling out for a $700 bottle.