{"id":16524,"date":"2014-11-08T13:30:34","date_gmt":"2014-11-08T18:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.extrawdwmagic.com\/?p=16524"},"modified":"2014-10-31T13:09:05","modified_gmt":"2014-10-31T17:09:05","slug":"spice-road-table-food-wine-pairing-epcot-international-food-wine-festival-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extrawdwmagic.com\/?p=16524","title":{"rendered":"Spice Road Table Food & Wine Pairing – Epcot International Food & Wine Festival 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Food & Wine Festival Event took place on October 29, 2014<\/em><\/p>\n

We were guests at the Spice Road Wine Pairing on October 29 because we had heard that they would be serving all Marques de Caceres wines and that the representative from the Spanish winery would be here. So, here we are ready to go.<\/p>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Preparing the Dining Room for the Wine Pairing<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

We would be drinking three wines from Marqes De Caceres Winery (not the usual pairings this year)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

the labeled placemats are always a nice touch at these events<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Verdejo (a new white), Rose and Red blend (both are standards at Spice Road Table)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Pouring the wine tastings<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

the space was managed quite well considering that this isn’t a large space by WDW standards<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

this would be our table, it isn’t #13 (where we usually sit), but we still had a view (thank you Abdou)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Entering Spice Road Table – first thing you see past the hostess desk is the full service bar<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

this bar is a nice dark, cool place to get away from the Florida heat<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

the decor at Spice Road Table is pretty amazing<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

the “lobby” \/ hostess area contains a bench – which is definitely put to use when people have to wait<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

because the inside dining area was set aside for the special event, all guests were being seated in the outdoor patio<\/p><\/div>\n

We arrived early and were able to enjoy a quick cocktail before lunch (and get out of the heat, it was uncharacteristically hot on this day). After a while, as more guests arrived for the event, the bartender poured out welcoming champagne for us.<\/p>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Champage for Wine Pairing Lunch Guests<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Our champagne – it was fizzy wine, not a favorite of Nick’s but it was cold and refreshing<\/p><\/div>\n

We had a good time talking to a couple from Illinois who really like to attend lunch events at Epcot Food & Wine. When we were seated, we found ourselves at a window table (there was only one) with a different couple from the Florida coast (Tom & Renee) – they also like the lunch events at Food & Wine (like us they’re preferable to dinners). They also really like the regular Wine Dinners at Flying Fish Cafe (we’ve really got to try those one day).<\/p>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

My wine pours – heads up – we didn’t get more wine during the event<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Menu<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

We were soon all seated and the presentation began<\/p><\/div>\n

Ralph was our MC for the day (middle man standing along the back wall in the photo below), he said “hello” and “welcome” to all of us in a number of languages then introduced Luis from Spain.<\/p>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Luis from Rioja Spain (Marques de Caceres Winery)<\/p><\/div>\n

Rioja Spain is the Bordeaux of Spain. Henri Forner, the founder of the winery, was from a family from Valencia that had been exiled to France due to the Spanish Civil War… the family went to Bordeaux. Henri learned to make wine in France in the 1940s and 1950s. He returned to Spain and searched for a place to make wines as he’d learned – best location was Rioja and Marques de Caceres was founded in 1970. In 2011, Henri’s daughter Christina took over managing the winery.<\/p>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Chef Samad<\/p><\/div>\n

Chef Samad said that they’d worked to create a nice menu that he hoped we’d enjoy<\/p>\n

First Pairing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rock Shrimp and Verdejo<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Wine<\/a>

Verdejo – a new wine for MdC<\/p><\/div>\n

Verdejo is a new wine, made with grapes from Rueda; this is the first vintage. The grapes are native and not grown anywhere else. Luis said it will be citrusy and refreshing. I was excited to try something new.<\/p>\n

Luis said we should use 3-stages of wine tasting:<\/p>\n