Epcot International Food and Wine Festival sign; Epcot, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The best way to learn about wine is to try different wines from all different regions. With six of the seven continents producing wine, it used to be a daunting task to find a place to taste from around the globe, but not anymore. The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is one of the largest and longest running wine festivals of its kind on the planet. With more than 400 chefs on staff and over 375 sommeliers in training, this festival has one of the most diverse collections of wines from across the globe. It's difficult to know what to expect from each region, let alone each country, but not to worry; we'll show you why it's important to know where a wine is produced, so you can predict its fruit flavors.

• Wines develop their familiar fruity flavors due to the fermentation process.
  
• "Flavor map" divides the world into cool, moderate and warm regions.
  
• Cool region wines have tangy fruit flavors, moderate region wines have juicy fruit flavors and warm region wines have the flavor of lush and exotic fruits.
  
• Knowing where a wine is produced allows you to predict the flavors in the wine.
  
• The big four wineries of Chile are Concha y Toro, Santa Rita, San Pedro and Santa Carolina.
  
• The name Rosa Regale reflects the name of the vineyard, La Rosa.
  
• French settlers brought their grapes to South Africa in the 1600s.

Sake

• The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms defines sake as "a wine made from other agricultural products."
  
• Ozeki, boasting a history of over 290 years in Japan, is also the oldest sake brewer in the United States, celebrating their 20th anniversary in 1999.
  
• Sake that is described as dry tastes sweeter than a dry wine made from grapes.
  
• Dry sake is best enjoyed chilled to accentuate its flavor and fragrance.

Good Combinations

• *Vegetarian Black Bean Soup with rice and Vermonte Chardonnay
  
• Asian Noodle Salad with Grilled Scallops and Pierre Sparr
  
• Chocolate and Rosa Regale
  
• *Australian lamb chop and Shiraz and either Wynn's Cabernet Sauvignon or Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc
  
• *Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Fusepada Cheese paired with Geyser Peak Chardonnay, 2001 vintage, or Clos Du Bois Pinot Noir, 2001 vintage

* - recipe not available

Grape Variety — Winery — Region

Blend of grapes — Pierre Sparr — Alsace, France
Chenin Blanc — Indaba Winery — South Africa
Sauvignon Blanc — Nobilo — New Zealand
Chardonnay — Geyser Peak — California, U.S.A.
Chardonnay — Veramonte — Chile
Brachetto d'Aqui — Rosa Regale — Banfí, Italy
Pinot Noir — Clos du Bois — Sonoma, California
Carmenere — Concha y Toro — Chile
Merlot — Indaba Winery — South Africa
Cabernet Sauvignon — Wynns — Australia

Resources

Banfi Vintners
Old Brookville, New York.
800-645-6511
www.banfivintners.com, info@banfivintners.com

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
www.disneyworld.com/CoronadoSpringsResort

Disney's Coronado Springs Resort
www.disneyworld.com/CoronadoSpringsResort

Epcot
www.disneyworld.com/epcotdining

Jiko Restaurant
Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge
www.disneyworld.com/jiko
Jiko Restaurant has the largest selection of South African wines in the U.S.

Victoria and Albert's
Disney Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
www.disneyworld.com/victoriaandalberts

California Grill
Disney's Contemporary Resort
www.disneyworld.com/californiagrill

Create an unforgettable dining experience with Andrea Immer's Entertaining Made Simple CD collection. Each CD includes music, menus, recipes, affordable wine recommendations and video demonstrations.