Guest Post: When You Wish Upon a Grape: Disney-Related Wines

While Kevin & I are in Alaska, we've asked some friends and colleagues to post on their wine loves, wine experiences and more. For this post we welcome Tom Streeter and Carla Gesell-Streeter, who are dear friends and like me, they are fellow Disney addicts. Tom & Carla run the popular blog Hoperatives.com, a Cincinnati based beer blog aimed at Believers in Better Beer (In Cincinnati and Beyond), but they love wine too. Thanks Tom & Carla - and happy anniversary!
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We love Disney and we love wine (almost as much as beer).  For the longest time, we’ve been wanting to have friends over for a themed wine tasting.  There are three great Disney-related wines out there. All are from California, appropriately enough, though each is produced in a different part of the state.  These wines are frequently featured at restaurants at Walt Disney World, Disneyland and on the Disney Cruise ships and most are also available in the Cincinnati area.

Silverado Vineyards: Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California

Image Credit: Joe Shiabotnick

Owned by Diane Disney Miller (Walt’s daughter) and her husband Ron Miller (former president and CEO of Walt Disney Productions), Silverado was established in 1981. The Millers purchased existing vineyards and originally intended only to grow grapes, but decided to build their own winery a few years after purchasing the land. The winery was designed by architect Dick Keith and is reminiscent of the old California mission-style structures found in the area. The name comes from a nearby abandoned silver mine.

Current winemaker Jonathan Emmerich produces Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and some special limited reserve wines.  Prices begin at about $20.00 a bottle.

Fess Parker Winery: Los Olivos, California

Image Credit: Spencer Cross

Fess Parker was an actor who is famous for playing the original Disney Davy Crockett. (He also starred in Old Yeller.) Fess Parker is no longer westerns and coonskin caps, however. His name is increasingly associated more with his wines. Much like the Millers of Silverado, Fess Parker and his family originally intended only to have a small vineyard and source grapes to local producers. They quickly added not only a winery, but also an inn. Son Eli Parker started as an assistant winemaker, moved into the position of winemaker in 1995, and now serves as President. Daughter Ashley Parker Snider started running the tastings and now handles the public relations, marketing and sales.  Blair Fox is the current head winemaker.

Fess Parker produces produces Reisling, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Syrah as well as several red table wines. Prices start at about $12.00 a bottle.

MacMurray Ranch: Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, California

Photo from winery web site

Besides playing everyone’s favorite dad on My Three Sons, actor Fred MacMurray starred in several Disney live action films including The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, and The Happiest Millionaire.  In 1941, the actor purchased land near Healdsburg, which became MacMurray Ranch, from descendants of the tract’s original 1846 homesteader.

Australian Susan Doyle has been the MacMurray Ranch winemaker for more than fifteen harvests.  The MacMurray vineyards specialize in Pinot grapes so the wines produced are Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.  Prices start at about $18.00 a bottle.