Where can I see the recent wine list/prices from REMY?

[gina1569]

Thanks!

[moki'smommy]

There is this little thing called Google. I put in "Remy wine list" and got several sites.

 

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/01/26/disney-dream-remy/

a bit blurred

 

http://eatingwdw.com/2014/04/04/disney-fantasy-dinner-at-remy/

 

Several others also came up, but this should give you a start.

 

The full wine list is huge, including one at $25,000 per bottle.

[RiotAct]

There is this little thing called Google. I put in "Remy wine list" and got several sites.

 

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/01/26/disney-dream-remy/

a bit blurred

 

http://eatingwdw.com/2014/04/04/disney-fantasy-dinner-at-remy/

 

Several others also came up' date=' but this should give you a start.[/quote']

 

True, but are those the most recent? I would think the prices have changed, even since 2014.

[ducklite]

At the end of WW2 the Chateaus found their vineyards in terrible condition. Neglect due to labor shortages and the availability of copper (used to inhibit fungus and certain pests on the vines and in the winery) had taken a dire toll. There was concern that the great vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux may never recover. 1947 started as a terrible vintage with blazing heat the spiked the sugar levels in the grapes in the vine. August was incredibly hot and humidity kicked in. Fortunately there was just enough breeze off the Dordogne to keep the mold at bay. The heat remained into harvest and presented problems to most winemakers with stuck fermentation. The winemaker at Cheval Blanc, Msr. Manoncourt, used ice to cool the fermentation tanks and stop the fermentation--but not before some VA and a high sugar level were set alongside a low acidity. The wine also had an unheard of for Bordeaux 14.5% ABV.

 

Despite all of this, the wine somehow came together in the bottle and is considered one of the best wines ever made. It was a happy accident wine, full of faults that somehow come together to create a stellar wine.

 

All that aside, I find it disheartening that it is on the ship, kept where it is exposed to light and vibration. There are probably less than 1500 bottles remaining in the world.

 

As to prices changing, possibly. Typically a restaurant will get in a vintage of wine, mark it up, and maintain the price until it is sold--usually within a year or three. Over the past 10 years, wine prices have remained fairly steady (First Growth and Premier Grand Cru Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundy being the exceptions due to buying pressure from the Chinese. ) Only a handful of US producers raised their prices by more than 5-10% or so before the 2014 vintage (and even then they are either not in the DCL list or only in the reserve list) so while the vintages will be different, the prices should be pretty close to what is seen in older lists.

 

Here is my suggestion. You will have the opportunity to meet with the Sommelier in the late afternoon before dinner. Discuss what you think you might order for your meal and your budget, and allow them to make suggestions. They are professionals and know their wine list better than anyone. They will be able to suggest great pairings with wines that you might not be otherwise familiar with or never have thought of.

 

I AM a Sommelier, and still consult with the Somm when I eat out at a very high end restaurant or one with an extensive wine list. I'd be foolish not to, as they know their list far better than I ever could. Do not be afraid to be upfront regarding your budget, they would rather know this to begin with--although most are good at discretely gaining this information from you. Also do not be afraid to tell them what you do and don't like. If you are happy with their service, a modest gratuity is appropriate.

 

Let me know if you have any specific questions, I will be happy to help.

Edited April 9, 2015 by ducklite

[gina1569]

Ducklite - My husband is biased towards Napa Cabernet, in particular Nickel & Nickel and Caymus. I asked about the wine list because I wanted to see if they had them. I noticed that they have a FarNiente Chardonnay, which is the sister winery of Nickel & Nickel, so they might carry the Cabernet too.

 

I'm thinking about bringing our own bottles. As a Sommelier, how do you feel when people bring their own wine? Is it no big deal or is it perceived as a little rude? I don't want to be out of place...we usually drink our wine at home or private gatherings.

[moki'smommy]

DCL permits people to bring their own wine...so I don't see how their employees can object to it. Of course, be prepared to pay the corkage fee ($20).

 

There are several stories of people bringing local specialty wines and sharing them with the sommelier. In each case, it was a pleasant experience and the sommelier waived the corkage fee (? in exchange for the sharing and the chat about a wine that was new to him).

 

My personal take--you know what you like and if you can't verify that the ship has it, bringing your own is the safe option. You can also bring a bottle or two to have in your cabin, review the Remy wine list in advance of your reservation (easy once you are on the ship), and choose to bring a bottle or not based on whether it is available in Remy.

[ducklite]

Ducklite - My husband is biased towards Napa Cabernet, in particular Nickel & Nickel and Caymus. I asked about the wine list because I wanted to see if they had them. I noticed that they have a FarNiente Chardonnay, which is the sister winery of Nickel & Nickel, so they might carry the Cabernet too.

 

I'm thinking about bringing our own bottles. As a Sommelier, how do you feel when people bring their own wine? Is it no big deal or is it perceived as a little rude? I don't want to be out of place...we usually drink our wine at home or private gatherings.

 

There are plenty of other Napa cabs that are similar in quality and style to N&N and Caymus. The list at Remy is fairly skewed towards Napa for a French restaurant. Just let the Sommelier know the wines you like and s/he'll be able to make recommendations if they don't carry your preferred wine. My suggestions would be Chappellet, Hall, Silver Oak, Ch. Montelena, Frank Family, Grgich Hills, BV, Quintessa, Opus One, Mondavi, and Cakebread. Most are in similar price points and most are valley floor fruit which it seems your husband is partial to and at least some of them are likely to be on the list at Remy. I'd have others but they aren't likely to be on the list or are going to be double or more the cost of the wines you mentioned.

 

I have no problem with someone bringing their own bottle provided it is not on my list. In fact we have a hard and fast rule that if it's on our list--even a different vintage--it can not be BYOB'ed. Of course something from an older (I'm talking 90's or earlier) vintage would be the exception--provided you offered me a splash and don't fight me on our $15 corkage fee. ;)

 

I bring my own when I eat out most of the time as I have a pretty extensive cellar. When there is an actual Sommelier on hand (not just the well compensated restaurant manager like at a place like Flemings for example) I offer a pour and give them a $20, plus pay the corkage without question if it isn't waived.

 

I hope that helps. :)

[ducklite]

DCL permits people to bring their own wine...so I don't see how their employees can object to it. Of course' date=' be prepared to pay the corkage fee ($20).

 

There are several stories of people bringing local specialty wines and sharing them with the sommelier. In each case, it was a pleasant experience and the sommelier waived the corkage fee (? in exchange for the sharing and the chat about a wine that was new to him).[/quote']

 

I have had the corkage waived on DCL, at Disney World, and in most restaurants I've dined in and BYOB'ed. I ALWAYS offer the Sommelier (and usually the server) a pour. It's partly professional courtesy that corkage is waived, but not always. I haven't always told them that I am a Somm. The main reason I BYOB is that I like my wines with substantial age on them. I had a 2005 Spatlesse that was to die for the other night at a tasting--it was amber in color but still had a few years of life left. I had the same producer Spatlesse in a 2013 vintage along side it, and it was... OK.

 

I'm not going to say which ship or restaurant, but the Sommelier on one of the DCL ships and at one of the adult restaurants was so happy to get a glass of something I had brought that's pretty hard to get your hands on (Hundred Acre or Cayuse I think) that he waived the corkage and comped us pours of a 30 year Tawny to have with dessert. We didn't finish the wine in the decanter and waved him over and told him to take it and hide it someplace and enjoy it when service was over. :)

 

My personal take--you know what you like and if you can't verify that the ship has it, bringing your own is the safe option. You can also bring a bottle or two to have in your cabin, review the Remy wine list in advance of your reservation (easy once you are on the ship), and choose to bring a bottle or not based on whether it is available in Remy.

 

I think this is good advice. That said, when presented with a really nice wine list and the services of a professional Sommelier, I do like to go off the script to try new wines. If you don't give them a try you'll never know if you like them. I've found some of my favorite wines through Sommelier recommendation. :)

 

I'd suggest meeting with the Somm and see how it goes. If nothing else maybe choose an inexpensive white to go with the appetizers and use the BYOB Cab for the entrees. IIR they have a good selection of whites in the $30-60 range, or you can always go BTG.

[ducklite]

One thing I alluded to but forgot to completely mention about BYOB. The polite thing to do in addition to what I mentioned previously (not bringing a wine on the list, tipping the Sommelier, and paying the corkage without argument) is to tip the server extra if there is no Somm, and it's also considered good form to also buy a bottle from the restaurant.

 

If there are only two of you and you are driving, this could become a problem, obviously. Instead of a full bottle, we often order Champagne or a white wine by the glass to pair with appetizers.

 

By the way, in most states if you don't want to finish your bottle (BYOB or purcahsed on premise) the restaurant can re-cork it and put it into a sealed bag which you put into the trunk of your car to take home and enjoy as a night cap. :)

[Nikodemos]

Question, is there any protocol (on DCL) if you would like to bring a bottle to one of the lounges (like the Meridian on the Fantasy) for a few people to enjoy?

 

I know it would be easier to host a group in a stateroom, but on my last trip, sleeping/napping kids restricted that option.

[axelskater]

At the end of WW2 the Chateaus found their vineyards in terrible condition. Neglect due to labor shortages and the availability of copper (used to inhibit fungus and certain pests on the vines and in the winery) had taken a dire toll. There was concern that the great vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux may never recover. 1947 started as a terrible vintage with blazing heat the spiked the sugar levels in the grapes in the vine. August was incredibly hot and humidity kicked in. Fortunately there was just enough breeze off the Dordogne to keep the mold at bay. The heat remained into harvest and presented problems to most winemakers with stuck fermentation. The winemaker at Cheval Blanc, Msr. Manoncourt, used ice to cool the fermentation tanks and stop the fermentation--but not before some VA and a high sugar level were set alongside a low acidity. The wine also had an unheard of for Bordeaux 14.5% ABV.

 

Despite all of this, the wine somehow came together in the bottle and is considered one of the best wines ever made. It was a happy accident wine, full of faults that somehow come together to create a stellar wine.

 

Have you read "Wine and War: The French, the ****s, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure"?

http://www.amazon.com/Wine-War-Frances-Greatest-Treasure/dp/0767904486

 

I read it on board QM2 on a crossing and though it was my own embellishment in my imagination, reading it on a TA made it more special!

 

!!Wow - I have to edit this post because CC put ****'s in my book recommendation title. We'll call it National Socialist Worker Party instead. Great read for any voyage if you love wine & history, and combining the two.

Edited April 15, 2015 by axelskater

[ducklite]

Have you read "Wine and War: The French, the ****s, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure"?

http://www.amazon.com/Wine-War-Frances-Greatest-Treasure/dp/0767904486

 

I read it on board QM2 on a crossing and though it was my own embellishment in my imagination, reading it on a TA made it more special!

 

!!Wow - I have to edit this post because CC put ****'s in my book recommendation title. We'll call it National Socialist Worker Party instead. Great read for any voyage if you love wine & history, and combining the two.

 

I have and it was an enjoyable read. I wish Oz Clarke had gone a bit deeper into the history behind some of the great Chateaus in relation to WWII in his book about Bordeaux--particularly as it involved Chateau Mouton Rothschild.

[axelskater]

I have and it was an enjoyable read. I wish Oz Clarke had gone a bit deeper into the history behind some of the great Chateaus in relation to WWII in his book about Bordeaux--particularly as it involved Chateau Mouton Rothschild.

 

In that case I also recommend

http://www.amazon.com/Widow-Clicquot-Story-Champagne-Empire/dp/0061288586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429143505&sr=8-1&keywords=clicquot

 

Basically a novel type biography about the widow and her champagne house. There is a great deal of detail here since it focuses on the woman and a single champagne house. I read it on another QM2 crossing then handed it over to a girl from Poland who conducted the champagne tastings in the Veuve Clicquot lounge on board the ship. Wine & War had more of the history and "suspense" I suppose, but this one gives an in depth look at the woman herself. I drank a lot of Clicquot on that voyage. They offer each type (NV, Vintage, Rose NV, Rose Vintage, Grand Dame, Rich Reserve, etc.) all by the glass. :D

Edited April 16, 2015 by axelskater

[Ex techie]

How "the other half" live huh!

 

ex techie

Edited April 16, 2015 by Ex techie

[ducklite]

In that case I also recommend

 

http://www.amazon.com/Widow-Clicquot-Story-Champagne-Empire/dp/0061288586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1429143505&sr=8-1&keywords=clicquot

 

 

 

Basically a novel type biography about the widow and her champagne house. There is a great deal of detail here since it focuses on the woman and a single champagne house. I read it on another QM2 crossing then handed it over to a girl from Poland who conducted the champagne tastings in the Veuve Clicquot lounge on board the ship. Wine & War had more of the history and "suspense" I suppose, but this one gives an in depth look at the woman herself. I drank a lot of Clicquot on that voyage. They offer each type (NV, Vintage, Rose NV, Rose Vintage, Grand Dame, Rich Reserve, etc.) all by the glass. :D

 

 

Read and enjoyed that one as well. With over 100 wine related books in my collection (ranging from texts to reference to non-fiction like the two you have mentioned) there aren't many I haven't read. Still trying to track down a couple out-of-print reference books. :)

[ducklite]

How "the other half" live huh!

 

ex techie

 

 

One thing I love about my job is the ability to taste a lot of fantastic wines either on someone else's dime or for a very low cost. I'm invited to a tasting of South African wines next week--we'll most likely taste through 20-30 wines. Expect I'll see Brian Koziol, MS who just went back to Disney (yay!) there. :)

[axelskater]

How "the other half" live huh!

 

ex techie

 

Nah, my co-workers joke I should sign my paychecks over to Cunard & Disney and bought me an "I work to support my cruise habit" T-Shirt.

 

But in all seriousness - Cunard is one of those lines that after sailing the QM2 so much, they do offer us great deals (we have no kids so it's just two people we have to pay for when travelling) like large OBC, free gratuities, free specialty coffee cards - all the things which add up on a voyage. They really do reward brand loyalty.

But if you sail "Britannia class" (non-suite) on Cunard, it costs about the same as Disney in many cases, as Disney is higher than the average line. Grills (suite) class is on par with Concierge Disney rooms. Two completely and totally different products - but both higher than the more mass market brands. I cruise Disney with my mom & wish I could get my husband to do Disney Cruise (he loves Disney World), but he always looks at the cost and says "for that price we can go on the QM2". Wish I could change his mind!