My closest relationship to grapes was with the ones my mom packed in my lunchbox . As far as wine is concerned , I enjoy a sip when offered , but true to my Appalachian roots , I was always a whiskey and moonshine kinda gal .
Wine sounds like something I already have to know about before I can walk into a dedicated wine bar . A full-blown Pee Wee ’ s Big Adventure scene where the record stops and everyone stops sniffing and swirling their glasses to stare at me in the doorway . At 41 years old , I was convinced that I ’ d never be grown up enough to hang out with the cool wine crowd .
Fortunately , Master Sommelier George Miliotes sat down one day and recognized that my trepidation about wine bars was a real mood . It turns out , I ’ m not the only one who perceives a wine tasting as a black-tie affair that one has to practice for . The perceived barrier to entry for wine tastings was so widespread that it sparked his concept for Wine Bar George at Disney Springs .
Miliotes was kind enough to speak with me ( via Zoom ) about how Wine Bar George at Disney Springs is the exception to the wine bar paradox . Miliotes said , “ When we think about what goes on in the wine world , often the learning guest is forgotten . It ’ s all about the guest who knows a lot , and it ’ s a high-end kind of thing . We wanted something that would appeal to everyone .”
A LIFETIME OF LEARNING AND TEACHING Miliotes has spent a lifetime studying the world of wine . His family owned a specialty market and cafe in Orlando , and as a professional , many guests likely remember him from his longtime presence at the California Grill atop Disney ’ s Contemporary Resort . He was part of the opening team and went on to become the General Manager from 1995 to 2002 . There , he curated one of the first wine lists in America to offer over 100 wines and took every opportunity to personally teach guests about wine .
In 2007 , Miliotes became a Master Sommelier , a distinction that means he is able to recognize most any wine on the planet , just by tasting and looking at it . His return to Walt Disney World with the opening of Wine Bar George in 2018 meant he was coming back to serve guests with even more passion and knowledge about wine .
Miliotes described the initial goal of Wine Bar George as “ to build a wine bar that covered all the bases of the wine world — from the unknown and emerging to the classic and well-known . And to be a place that , while covering the whole of the wine world , also covered accessibility for all amounts of knowledge .”
There ’ s no wine gatekeeping at Wine Bar George . Those who already love wine can walk in and enjoy the best of it , and those who are new to wine are eagerly taught by the staff . Often by George Miliotes himself , who is famous for showing up at guest tables .
RIGHT : George has been playing an important role in the Disney dining scene for decades . Don ' t be surprised if you get the chance to meet him when you visit . PREVIOUS PAGE : Wine Bar George welcomes you to the wonderful world of wine . PHOTOS COURTESY OF WINE BAR GEORGE