Drinking around the world at Epcot….Have you done it? Head about it? Planning your next trip? It’s Definitely a thing. 

This is Part 2 in a 2 part series- Miss part 1? Go back to last week and catch up!

My partner Michael and I are taking you on adventure around the world (at Walt Disney World’s Epcot!) In this conclusion to cliff-hanging part 1, find out :

• If we make it all the way around "the World" and complete the last 8 countries
• Did we need a nap to make it happen 
• If we know the words to “Oh Canada”…
• The international wines and beers we enjoy at each stop
• What delicious Epcot bites we pair with our beverage (Hint: there’s fish-n-chips)
• Who our Surprise Guest is for the final portion of our adventure

Want more tips to get the most out of your wine? Get my Wine Tips Cheat Sheet here.

If you'd like to Support the Podcast, you can buy me a glass of wine or Michael a pint. We would be so grateful 

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Questions, suggestions and guest requests? nikki@sipwithnikki.com

MIchael: And yes, I already spilled beer on myself. Okay.

Nikki: Alright, America.

MIchael: Here's to America.

Nikki: It's kind of sad, that's all we can say. We just keep saying, America.

MIchael: I'm not touching that.

Nikki: Hello, friend. Before we jump into today's episode, if you are enjoying learning a little bit about wine with me each week, I want to make sure that you've had the chance to download my wine book. Wine Tips Cheat Sheet. It is free. It is a single sheet PDF. It is very clear and concise and breaks down some of my favorite tips for understanding and enjoying wine.

Nikki: My partner Michael and I were at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida earlier this year. And as you may or may not know, in Epcot at Walt Disney World, they have 11 countries situated around a beautiful lagoon. And each country has a pavilion with international cast members or employees from those countries working there, which is so cool.

Nikki: And then they have food specialties and drinks and music from that country. So people love to eat and drink around the world. And that's what you are about to listen to. Last week, Michael and I started the journey around the world. We didn't get very far because after a tequila tasting and wine and beer, we literally had to go back to the resort and take a nap.

Nikki: I know that you have been on a cliffhanger, if you listened in last week, to see if Norway got more beer. So you'll have to listen to that. Um, we have a guest visitor join us for the last couple of countries to help us over the finish line. And, um, you can hear what the heck type of drinks we got in Morocco.

Nikki: So, without further ado, here we are, Walt Disney World, Sippin Around the World, Part 2. Let's do it.

Nikki: They just don't have any right now. So for wine today, they've got Spanish like an Albarino. And, Greek! Um, Istirtiko, which if you guys listened to the podcast episode with Chef Missy Walnock, we actually tasted Istirtiko. So, I picked something that I've never heard of before. Um, it is a Greek grape called Mascofilero.

Nikki: Mascofilero. Greek grape. White. Light. Smells like melon. It's very aromatic. And it's lovely. What did you, Michael, order for us to pair with these beverages? Tiropichita?

MIchael: I don't know. I'm trying to make it Spanish here.

MIchael: Cheese filled phyllo with cucumber tomato relish.

Nikki: Mmm.

MIchael: So it's a nice little pastry with a little bit of cheese inside.

Nikki: Yeah, a little triangle, looks like a spaghetti coppata.

MIchael: Topped with relish and microgreens.

Nikki: Oh my gosh, so yummy and fresh and delicious. What are you pairing it with?

MIchael: I'm drinking mint iced tea with gin. I asked the bartender what's the most traditional drink he has, and he said that's about the most traditional.

Nikki: Yeah, apparently in Morocco they enjoy mint a lot, he said, like in their tea all day long. So, you actually have a very traditional Moroccan beverage where I have a green wine. But, they're like cousins, you know, there's like water in between, but they're close to each other. So, yeah, it's a really nice day here at Epcot.

Nikki: It is Overcast which is great because it's not hot and there's a breeze and we're at the um, the little spice road table Which has a patio right on the water And it's lovely.

Nikki: right, so second country of day two We are in japan And we went up the big tall stairs to shikisei Which is sushi So they have the big Japanese steakhouse here, but this is truly a sushi restaurant and I don't think I've ever been in here before.

Nikki: And it's lovely to kind of come inside and sit down. Now, I don't, I feel like today is not a busy day. It's a Tuesday in March and we walked in at one o'clock and sat right down, total open seating, and we're sitting at the Sushi bar because that's how we roll and we love to

MIchael: watch it feels like we're in a dojo We like the rice paper walls.

MIchael: So yeah.

Nikki: Yeah, so we're sitting here watching the sushi chefs do their thing and What are we sipping in Japan Michael?

Nikki: first two are in the same category of sake and the little bit that I do know about it.

Nikki: Um, the Junmai Ginjo. But then the third one The

MIchael: first one is Dai Ginjo. And the last one is Honjozo.

Nikki: Karatamba. Yeah. Karatamba, which our server, nice young man on the international program, just started, uh, said is So three lovely sakis, pretty generous pour, um, in a little, you know, tray that go from sweet to dry, left to right.

Nikki: So we're tasting the first one.

MIchael: So the dashi is, um, floral. It's very sweet. Oh my god, it's

Nikki: pretty.

MIchael: It's not overly sweet. It's nice. It's not

MIchael: And all filtered. Yeah,

Nikki: so they're clear. They're very clear. It almost looks like a super pale wine.

Nikki: But they're chilled, which is lovely and gentle. And that first one was delicious. Ooh, you're nodding your head about the second one. What do you like?

MIchael: I feel like it's almost like if sake and was a Sauvignon

Nikki: Blanc.

MIchael: Very citrusy, like a

Nikki: It has a little more bitter finish like a wine. Not to try to compare everything to a wine, but it's just what I know.

Nikki: Um, the acidity on this one's different. Yes. It's, um, crisper.

MIchael: Definitely the first one's sweeter.

Nikki: Yeah. But that's lovely too. It's delicious.

MIchael: Okay.

Nikki: You guys, he's like power tasting. Like, boom, boom, boom.

MIchael: So the third one has more mouth on it. It's like, Vaisakhi was tannic.

Nikki: You have more mouth on it. What?

MIchael: Yeah.

Nikki: It also feels stronger. Like I notice the alcohol a little bit more. But maybe because the sweetness is not there masking the alcohol. It's

Nikki: Yeah. Mmm. That's fun. And by the way, we are making a photo slash video journal of this whole day and I'll post that on my Instagram, um, on one of the highlights so you can go and kind of see not just here.

Nikki: It's just so lovely in here and it's like, I forget because I think, you know, I lived here for, I may have talked about this yesterday, but I lived here for. 15 years and came to Epcot often with friends, especially to do this drinking around the world. And then even since I've been gone for 12 years, I'm back here at least once a year.

Nikki: There was like a little gap during COVID, but I've been here. And what's really fun so far is we are just sitting in little places that I don't normally sit. Cause I think normally we're like a group of people and we just keep moving. We're going, we're

MIchael: running, we're running. Yeah, and especially if you're here during the food

Nikki: and wine festival, there's all those little kiosks which are a little grab and go.

MIchael: My lovely company.

Nikki: I'm loving your company. But like, we didn't sit down for an hour and a half. We sat down for 15 20 minutes, you know?

MIchael: Right, we were standing a lot yesterday, walking around.

MIchael: Yeah, so

Nikki: I think it's nice to come inside and, you know, there's these big, beautiful landscape windows behind us. When you look out, you're like, oh yes, we're in Epcot. Like, I'm looking across the World Showcase. But if you don't look at that, you could be in any

MIchael: Because they have these very big, beautiful, flat screen TVs that project Yeah, they have like virtual

Nikki: windows too, in addition to the real ones.

Nikki: But it just, it has ambience. Like, it does not feel like I'm in a, a theme park, you know? Yeah.

MIchael: Right now I don't feel like I'm in Epcot. No. So that's, that's what's nice about this place. It's neat,

Nikki: yeah. Here comes our sushi. Okay. Yeah.

MIchael: Thank you. Gosh,

Nikki: We love you, Gary. His salmon nigiri is, we call it sushi butter. It like melts in your mouth. This looks very similar in how it's cut. Yeah.

MIchael: Thank you.

Nikki: And then this, um, Tokyo roll that we ordered has big slices of jalapeno on the top. Which is very exciting. And some nice, looks like ahi tuna. Yeah, so it's a tuna roll.

MIchael: It's delicious.

Nikki: Yum! I'm taking a bite of the salmon nigiri. No soy sauce, no training wheels, no nothing. Sushi butter. It's butter. Mouth in my mouth and I'm gonna pair it with the middle Moon on the water middle of the spectrum. Whoo. It almost drinks like a wine. It almost has a little effervescence on it Cheers, Michael fun stop in Japan

Nikki: We're in America America, I was excited to find that they had Wine.

Nikki: I was getting nervous that America only had beer. So this is a little, um, Regal Eagle Smokehouse. Craft, drafts, and barbecue. Which is just outside of the smokehouse barbecue place. Halls of Presidents? Is that what it's called? Let's see. No. What is it called? American Adventure.

MIchael: American Adventure. The Hall

Nikki: of Presence is in the Magic Kingdom.

MIchael: Okay.

Nikki: You are in the right patriotic spirit, but in the wrong park.

MIchael: I'm getting Disney schooled again. Appreciate it.

Nikki: Hello. I would love a glass of the Rainstorm Rosé. Anything else?

MIchael: What's the Oberon Eclipse? It's

David: a regular Oberon Rito. They add a coriander and orange peel to it, so it's darker and brighter.

Nikki: Continue, I'm just giving you a little background. That was it, I just wanted to

MIchael: say, I have not had this beer before.

Nikki: America.

MIchael: America, here's America. Cheers.

Nikki: It's so pretty, pink, medium pink. And this is called Silver Linings, Rosé, Rosé Pinot Noir from Oregon. How to represent Pacific Northwest. What's up, Oregon?

MIchael: It's dark, like an amber. But it's a wheat beer. And it's very crisp and fresh on the, on the end. Little bit of citrus at the end.

Nikki: And what, what did he tell you that they put in it? He said Coriander and

MIchael: Coriander and grapefruit. It's very delicious. Not heavy at all.

Nikki: My rosé and your beer are almost the same color. That's interesting.

MIchael: And yes, I already spilled beer on myself. Okay.

Nikki: All right. America.

MIchael: Here's to America.

Nikki: It's kind of sad.

MIchael: I'm not touching that.

Nikki: I think my family started this years ago, but we basically just call it out when we see something of interest in people that are around us. We just say, it's like people watching, right? But we call it people TV. Um, but me being me, uh, of course I have to sing it.

Nikki: So I'm always like, people TV. So, Michael, I would like for you, this is unrehearsed you guys, um, We're about three countries in, three drinks in. I would like for you to create your own little jingle when you say People TV. I go People TV, like I go up like that. How would you like to sing People TV?

MIchael: People TV.

Nikki: Are you Eeyore?

MIchael: Bum bum bum.

Nikki: Alright, so now you know when we call it out, as we're going, what we are referring to. The magic people television.

MIchael: People

Nikki: TV! We're inside the German wine cellar, uh, which is lovely in here. I haven't been in here in probably 15 years. And they have all kinds of German wine from here. And they have signs all around of the different um, sweetness scale of Rieslings.

Nikki: Like Auslesen and Spatlesen. All of that. As we know, Riesling does not equal sweet. So I'm gonna have a dry Riesling. But man, look at that stout that she's pouring. It is

MIchael: Looks like our espresso.

Nikki: Yeah. So we're standing in a bar and just like, we're next up and we're watching these lovely international cast members from Germany pour.

MIchael: What is that right there?

Nikki: That's a mozart. Yeah, chocolate. Chocolate. Oh my God, look at that. You just

MIchael: drop it in the beer? Like a sake bomber? Oh.

Nikki: No, I think it would be good. I think it would be actually kind of delicious in that stout.

Nikki: Thank you. Has anyone ever, like, combined them? The chocolate and the beer? I don't know.

MIchael: That's it, maybe we ought to do that.

Nikki: No, I'm not doing that.

MIchael: So, um, I'm going to have the Gewürztraminer.

Nikki: Okay, Gewürztraminer. Yes. Cabernet Riesling. We don't have that

David: one at the moment.

Nikki: What's the driest? The clean slate and then, for the

David: re sling, but if you want something really dry, that would be the Pinot Gris.

David: Pinot Gris. Yeah, thank

Nikki: you. So yeah, super cute little cellar in here. Thank you. Thank

MIchael: you.

MIchael: is Gewürztraminer. That

Nikki: was actually pretty good. I'm getting

MIchael: better at it. You did

Nikki: pretty good. It's one of the

MIchael: harder ones to pronounce.

MIchael: Well,

Nikki: you're four countries in. Say it again.

MIchael: Gewürztraminer. Pretty good.

Nikki: Yes. Nice. Cheers.

MIchael: Is that what you got?

Nikki: No, I got the Pinot Gris. Mine's very dry. Should I say anything?

MIchael: Nice and cold. And swap them out?

Nikki: Okay, swapping. Very different.

MIchael: Yes.

Nikki: Yours tastes like apple juice. He got the Gewurztraminer. Yes.

MIchael: I

Nikki: got the Pinot Gris.

MIchael: So, I tell you, between the both, that one is very dry compared to mine. It's very

Nikki: dry,

MIchael: yeah. The Gewurztraminer has like more like citrus, orange, very nice and fresh and sweet. Wow,

Nikki: look at you.

MIchael: Cheers.

Nikki: So, yeah, mine's really lovely and clean. And

MIchael: the coolest thing is we walked into it, it's like outside, it has wine killer.

Nikki: W E I N, K E L L E R, which clearly is Wine Cellar.

Nikki: yet you still asked a cast member, where can we buy wine? It's hidden back here in this like, it's a hidden little nook, just to the left of the beer garden restaurant that everybody knows. They have the buffet with the bratwurst and all that, and this is just to the left of it.

Nikki: Cute little spot. Cheers. Cheers. Hey Siri. How do I say cheers? How you cheers in in German. Prost Frost just couldn't recall it 'cause we're poor country. So here we go. Prost roast. Look. He just went inside to ask the cast members and I used Siri and the answer is

MIchael: P-R-O-S-T. Pro's what? I

Nikki: just Googled Prost.

Nikki: There we go. There

MIchael: we go.

Nikki: It doesn't make such a dramatic cling noise with plastic when you cheers with a plastic cup, but the wine is cold and delicious. Prost.

MIchael: Prost. I'm always in everyone's way, sorry.

MIchael: We're actually sitting in front of this, I guess, live band, but actually it isn't a live band. I was like, wow, they're terrible.

Nikki: Michael, it's children playing the drums. It's children.

MIchael: Well, I'm glad they didn't pay them. So yeah. We're gonna try to keep it going a little bit here.

MIchael: And uh, then take a little break. Because

Nikki: Because why? Why would you need a break?

MIchael: Because fireworks are at 9 o'clock.

Nikki: Yeah.

MIchael: Yeah, I can't just hang out here until 9 o'clock.

Nikki: Because?

MIchael: Because there's too much joy here.

MIchael: So like I said, I just walked out of Norway. And got a beer. There was a little kiosk of beer. Yeah.

Music: Yeah.

MIchael: We actually thought they were out yesterday, but yes, their list is not current. So they just line in the beer selection.

MIchael: Correct. So the one they did have it's called, uh, Cornell.

Nikki: Did you take notes on your phone? Yes, I did.

MIchael: Yeah, I asked them for it. I'm so proud of you, podcaster. So it's IPA.

Nikki: Okay. It's

MIchael: very hazy.

Nikki: Very hazy.

MIchael: Very orange. It's a good beer. It's good, you know, not bad. I'm

Nikki: uh, I'm gonna share this with him guys. I uh, I just had like three glasses of wine So we're this is gonna be a sharesy from norway.

MIchael: Yeah, they don't they didn't have any norwegian wine Anyway, so that's why we didn't get any. I don't think every country makes wine even like ice wine You would feel like ice wine would be familiar Okay,

Nikki: so that's a norwegian ipa.

MIchael: Yes It's good. Citrusy.

Nikki: Yeah, citrusy cloudy

MIchael: I like it.

Nikki: I like it. I like

MIchael: to say because I'm a nurse that it looks like the color of a

Nikki: Don't.

Nikki: Don't. Um, if you were going to get a food item in Norway, and you weren't saving it all for fish and chips in the UK, what would you get? What was even there?

MIchael: Reindeer? Do they conserve reindeer?

Nikki: Like when we first started and we're like Okay, here's the notes, here's the movino, here's the menu, take a picture. Hey, I actually

MIchael: got the name of the beer. Why are you giving me such a hard time?

Nikki: You did good. You took notes. But now we're just enjoying. And that's okay too.

MIchael: Maybe I'm still in awe of the Marika beauty.

MIchael: You don't need food when you have girls that look that beautiful. Yeah. So anyways, it's funny because we're on this line, we're still in Norway. If we go on this other line, I'm pretty sure the speakers are going to be throwing some Mexican music out.

Nikki: Well, and the Mariachi band just did, which is where I'm standing.

MIchael: So anyways,

Nikki: the BGM, background music, is very Norwegian at the

MIchael: moment.

Nikki: So it's just funny, first visit here, and we're walking around and it's a couple hours in, and you turn to me and you're like, but where are the creatures? And I was like She's talking about, like, the lizards that people stuff over here.

MIchael: Mickey, Donald, Goofy. And I

Nikki: said, do you mean the

MIchael: characters? The

Nikki: Disney characters? Yeah. And you called them creatures. It's cute. It's so cute. They are creatures. So now, we call them creatures. Yeah.

Nikki: Enjoy a little live music in the

Music: UK.

MIchael: Mine, mine, mine.

MIchael: we're actually watching the seagulls attack people. We're literally on

Nikki: the water and the seagulls are in control The beer is a harp, a lager

MIchael: Nice cold, refreshing

Nikki: French fries are good.

Nikki: Very fresh. I was watching them pull this out of the fryer

MIchael: I'm gonna do a piece of fish without the malts, which I prefer actually, but let's see

MIchael: It's nice and warm. Not greasy and that batter is good. Very crispy,

Nikki: yeah.

MIchael: It's very light, almost like a tempura, almost, how light it is.

Nikki: Oh my god, it's so good. And I love it with all the vinegar. Give me all the Heinz malt vinegar on there. Ha ha. Ha ha.

MIchael: Oh my god, it's

MIchael: Well said.

Nikki: It's delicious.

MIchael: I don't ever eat fish and chips, but here I do. We just came back in and we're going to Canada.

Nikki: We, uh, we gotta be honest. We gotta tell people. We've got to go back to the room and take a power nap. Yes. Because, four or five countries. We're five countries in.

MIchael: We start losing the number of countries that we need to go.

MIchael: The wheels were coming off a little.

Nikki: So, the beauty of staying at this resort, Riviera. I timed it. 18 minutes from the park to the room door. Because of the Skyliner. 25 minute power nap. I took a quick shower and we're back at it. Was that 25 minutes? Yeah, well mine was.

MIchael: I felt like mine was a little longer.

Nikki: We're back at it. So, Canada, Michael, what do you got?

MIchael: I got a moose head lager.

Nikki: Ooh, that's yummy.

Nikki: A lot of, a lot of BGN, background noise happening, but that's where we are. Um, I also just have to share that we have a special guest who has joined us for the last three countries of Sipping Around the World.

Nikki: One of my BFFs, Mr. David. Hi, D.

David: Thank

Nikki: you for hanging out with us.

David: Absolutely.

Nikki: What is your most favorite thing to eat or drink in Epcot?

David: Oh, that's also good, but eat and drink is two different things. Eat is Viennopoli, the pizza in Italy. Are we going to do that tonight? If you are down for it, I'm always down for that.

David: Which we, which we did

MIchael: yesterday. For the fish and chips and the beer. And today, so yeah.

Nikki: Alright, cool. We'll see what we find in Italy. But for now, we're, the three of us are going to sign off this segment by singing Oh Canada. Here we go.

David: Do you know the words?

MIchael: No. It goes like

Nikki: this. Oh Canada. Oh,

David: Canada!

Nikki: Okay, that's

David: it.

David: I need to catch up with y'all.

Nikki: In France, in the back corner, there is Au Vin de France. Kind of like the little wine bar in Germany, where you can walk up and they have all the bottles.

David: I don't know how to say it. Whatever's the first one. Which color? First one.

Nikki: Clicquot. I

David: was going to say that. Clicquot. Can

MIchael: you do Champagne?

Music: Tétangé.

Nikki: Am I saying it correctly? Tétangé. Tétangé.

David: Yes. Americans,

Nikki: we tend to say Tattinger. And because most people don't realize the AI is there.

Nikki: I thought I was right. So what did you order? Which

MIchael: one though? I love this

Nikki: little info card. Luca is adorable. I love him. I want to put him in my pocket. Oh, she's pretty.

MIchael: Rosé all day.

Nikki: Look at that mousse. It's the mousse, yes?

MIchael: it! Woo! We made it.

Nikki: Is it 11? 11 countries? Cheers. We are in Italy. We are in the wine cellar. Me, Michael, and David. Our special guests. For the last three countries. Did you just jump in at the end to celebrate? You didn't do all the work that we had to do.

Nikki: You were working though.

MIchael: Then you just come to cross the finish line with us.

Nikki: So I got this beautiful three wine flight wines of Piedmont. And then you got, David, you got a beautiful Rosé of St. Gervais. And Michael, what did you get?

Nikki: And then a little side of these, it's like little pickled artichokes. And the brightest green olives you ever did see. Castellano. I'm so happy. Yay. Let's cheers again just because we have proper glasses this time. I just love all the flights. So we've done a tequila flight, a sake flight, and now this flight.

Nikki: I love that because I want to taste like a little bit of everything. Grazie.

MIchael: Can you tell me again what this wine is called? What was this one again? So you get like bread three ways. I like it.

Nikki: So my three wines from Piedmont. The first one is Gabi, which is a producer I've heard of. Gabi. Pairs nicely with appetizers.

MIchael: It's good. It's a very little, little F for fruit.

Nikki: Oh.

MIchael: Little E for earth.

Nikki: Is everything little in your glass? Fruit, earth, and wood are all small?

Nikki: San Gervasio?

MIchael: Yep.

Nikki: That's like home. That's like home in my mouth. Very fitting for you to end our journey with that wine.

MIchael: Yeah, I saw it and said yeah, I have to have that. In a sexy glass.

Nikki: Alright, let's eat.

Nikki: mean, just freaking magical, right? So I hope that you get to go and visit Epcot soon, whether it's your millionth time doing so, or maybe you're planning your first visit. And hopefully we've given you some tips and ideas of fun things to try out in each country. Don't forget, you can support the podcast.

Nikki: There is a link in the show notes to do so. I would be ever so grateful. It's essentially like leaving a tip and saying how much you enjoy it. Buy me a glass of wine, buy Michael a beer or a sake flight or a tequila flight. And, uh, who knows? Maybe we'll give you a shout out on the next episode. We certainly do appreciate you.

Nikki: Hope you enjoyed and until next week, sip well.