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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 |
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When it’s time to eat at a theme park, your choices normally fall into four categories: table service, counter service, buffeteria, and vending carts. |
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Here at Yester California Adventure, there’s something else: a “grab-and-go” gourmet delicatessen market, with delicious sandwiches, creative side dishes, fine California wines, and even wine country gifts for the gourmet and wine connoisseur. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Main building of the Golden Vine Winery district |
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Step into Wine Country Market. It’s on the first floor of the main building at Robert Mondavi’s Golden Vine Winery, below the elegant Vineyard Room restaurant upstairs. Wine Country Market is actually two stores in one, connected by an interior door. There’s the retail component and the gourmet delicatessen component. Let’s look around the market, starting in the retail part. Pretty fancy, eh? |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Like a fancy gift shop in the Napa Valley |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Gifts for those who like to entertain in style |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Golden Vine Winery shirts and caps |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Wine from the Robert Mondavi family of brands, available by the bottle |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Door to the delicatessen |
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Do you want to buy a bottle of wine? They’re all from the Robert Mondavi portfolio of California brands—Arrowood, Byron, Io, La Famiglia di Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Robert Mondavi Winery, Robert Mondavi Coastal, and Woodbridge. Don’t worry about having to tote heavy glass bottles around the park all day. All you need to carry around is a pink package claim slip. Your purchase will be attractively wrapped up and waiting for you at the park exit. When you get to your home or hotel room, uncork a bottle and unwind after a hectic day at the park. Or give someone the wine as a gift. After all, the way it’s packed is a beautiful presentation—and it’s a fairly inexpensive souvenir from California Adventure. If you’re flying home, just put it in your carry-on luggage (there won’t be a 3-1-1 rule for liquids in carry-ons until 2006). Perhaps you’d prefer to consume a bottle of wine as you walk around the rest of the park. Hey, it might even make Superstar Limo more fun. Sorry. That’s not an option. After you pay for your bottle, you won’t see it again until you exit from the park—even if you want to. Now we’re going to the delicatessen part. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Door from the wine and gift shop |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Gourmet sandwiches, baked goods, and whole fruit |
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The grab-and-go sandwiches are around $10, but these aren’t bologna, American cheese, and mayonnaise. They’re along the lines of imported Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and fig confit. The refrigerated case displays raw-milk Camembert, smoked salmon, and Laura Chenel goat cheeses. There’s genuine gastronomic quality here. There’s also peanut butter and jelly. Junior doesn’t have to develop a taste for gorgonzola yet. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Not your usual theme park food—no corn dogs or churros here |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Self-service cheese and charcuterie in wicker baskets |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Fresh fruit and salads as healthy choices |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Kettle Chips for your sandwich |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Various bottled beverages that are not wine |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Time to pay |
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After you pay, you can head out directly to a table. However, you may want to swing by one of the two wine bars that flank the main building. Ask what wine pairs with your artisan sandwich and kettle chips. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Seating for 265 on the outdoor patio adjacent to Wine Country Market |
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Unwrap your sandwich. Take a sip of wine. Bite through the freshly baked baguette into the ripe tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, fresh basil leaves, and balsamic glaze. You’re living the good life in California Wine Country! |
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Wine Country Market seemed like a good idea, but it didn’t last long. It opened in February 2001 as one of many dining options at Disney’s California Adventure. There were table-service restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck’s Avalon Cove and the Soap Opera Bistro. And there were counter-service options, such as Hollywood & Dine and Pizza Oom Mow Mow. But there was nothing else quite like Wine Country Market. On online forums, Wine Country Market was one of the bright spots in early reviews of Disney’s California Adventure—with high marks for quality, taste, convenience, and presentation. For example, describing a roasted turkey sandwich with Sonoma Jack cheese and mayonnaise on sourdough bread, online columnist Sue Kruse wrote, “I have to tell you that the turkey sandwich is right up there amongst the best I have ever tasted. The flavors of the roasted turkey (not the pressed variety, but real, thinly sliced turkey with great flavor), the cheese, and the sourdough bread blended perfectly to produce a fine and tasty sandwich.” There was some disagreement whether Wine Country Market provided a good value. One view was that the prices were reasonable for the high quality ingredients, especially compared to other theme park options. The other view was that the prices were still theme park prices, higher than comparable food elsewhere. Soon, it didn’t matter whether it was a good value or not. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Wine Country Market doors closed and windows covered (November 2001 photo) |
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On October 1, 2001, the Robert Mondavi Corporation ended its 10-year agreement with Disney—after less than a year of operation. Mondavi announced it was taking a $12-$13 million loss on the deal. Disney’s California Adventure had failed to meet predicted attendance levels. There were too few guests and too many eateries at the second Anaheim gate. Robert Mondavi was having its own financial problems. Disney took over responsibility for day-to-day operations of all aspects of the Golden Vine Winery, although Robert Mondavi remained as a sponsor. Disney promptly closed Wine Country Market. Working quickly, Disney converted Wine Country Market and its terrace into a table-service restaurant. Wine Country Trattoria opened December 14, 2001. The centrally-located restaurant was immediately successful and is still operating today. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Wine Country Trattoria, replacement for Wine Country Market |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Doors reopened—to indoor seating, not to a gift and wine shop |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Indoor seating, with former merchandise shelves repurposed as decor shelves |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Indoor seating in the former delicatessen, with the drink case still in place |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2002 Outdoor dining terrace at Wine Country Trattoria |
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Wine Country Trattoria has now been operating for more than two decades. By now, hardly anyone remembers that the same space was originally Wine Country Market. |
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© 2022 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated March 4, 2022 |
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