Hello Prince Albert! Drinking, talking, reading and thinking about wine is great and everything but sometimes you just want to sit back, put on a good movie and have an adventure through another person’s eyes. There are so many great wine flicks to check out, but today I’d like to focus on three specific films you really should watch with a good glass of wine.
Starting with a docudrama from 2008, Bottle Shock is about a relatively small producer in California called Chateau Montelena which was struggling to gain recognition for their hard work and delicious wine. The film retells the true story of the 1977 Paris Wine Exhibition where a Californian wine shockingly beat the French at making great Chardonnay. Chateau Montelena also won 1st place for best wine of the year. There is so much heart to this show that passion comes through from the first scene to the last and may just leave you with tears in your eyes and inspiration in your soul.
For a more realistic view of the work and dedication it takes to become a master sommelier, take a look at the documentary Somm (2012), where four wine sommeliers attempt one of the most difficult wine tests in the world (the pass rate is incredibly low). You will see the struggles and insanely precise level of detail and knowledge required to become a master sommelier. The skills needed to pass this test can take upwards of 10 to 12 years (or more) of constant study, preparation and memorization which many have stated is equal to gaining a doctorate in the medical field.
Finally, my current favorite wine movie is the neurotic Sideways (2004) featuring Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen, Thomas Hayden Church and Sandra Oh. From the outside perspective, things are going well for Miles (Giamatti) but those who are close to him know he struggles with everything from his love life to his confidence in himself and his writing. Miles and his longtime friend Jack take a trip to Santa Barbara wine country to have fun and let loose before Jack gets married, and the movie focuses on Miles (who loves and understands wine) and Jack (who doesn’t know about wine and doesn’t care). What movie would be complete without a love interest? Miles and Jack meet Maya and Stephanie, two ladies who definitely know their wine and join the guys on their trip through the wine region.
In one of the most quotable moments, Jack tells Miles that if the ladies order Merlot, then they’re drinking Merlot, and he doesn’t want to hear any complaints. Miles has an outburst and yells, “I’m not drinking (expletive) Merlot!”, which always gets a laugh out of me. An interesting fact that recently surfaced is that the movie had a huge effect on Merlot sales while the actors say they only chose “Merlot” because it sounded funny.
In a more serious moment, Maya inquires as to why Miles focuses on Pinot Noir. Miles quietly explains that Pinot Noir is not a survivor, unlike Cab Sauv which can be planted anywhere and thrive. It takes time, consideration and enormous skill to produce wine from grapes that can only grow in specific parts of the planet to achieve their full potential as a wine. Miles is also talking about himself and the somber moment hits hard.
All three movies can be viewed on Amazon Prime and in celebration of Miles’ disdain of Merlot, I chose two delicious Merlot wines to try. Here are my wine picks of the week!
Ghost Pines Winemaker’s Blend Merlot 2019: (California, USA). Off-dry red, deep ruby color with thick legs in the glass. The intense nose is packed with ripe, juicy fruits like dark cherries, plums, raspberries, dark grapes and sweet vanilla. The wine is thick and plush on the palate with full-bodied flavors of plums, cherries and Welch’s grape juice all bolstered by medium-plus tannins. The intensity and concentration of flavors hit a high point as the sweet fruit soaks onto the tongue and inside of the mouth. Acidity is medium and the mid-palate is round and fruity with a medium-length finish of vanilla, plums and cherries. The wine is not complex or layered but the weight of the body and depth (concentration) of flavors makes this an excellent sipper which delivers a satisfying rush of fruit. You can really taste the sunshine of California in each sip and the abundance of fruit flavor is impressive. Pair with low-acidity foods like roasted beef and vegetables, cheeseburgers or grilled steaks. Very good! $37, 14.5% ABV
Dirty Laundry Merlot 2022: (VQA Okanagan Valley, Canada). Dry red, deep ruby color with medium-length legs in the glass. The bouquet has a wild fruit scent like picking berries in the woods or bushes with jammy raspberries, bush berries on a hot day, clay, cocoa, hot earth, chocolate, fruit leathers, black grapes and juicy plums. The wine is less fruity than expected on the palate, and while the wine is quite dry, it has a smooth and silky mouthfeel with a medium body. Light, ripe red fruits hit the palate first (raspberries, cherries then plums) but are quickly overtaken by semisweet chocolate bitterness and licorice-tinged earth. As the mid-palate transitions into the finish, the earthier cocoa notes stick to the palate and feature Oreo wafers, cocoa, earth and warming pepper spice. Once the medium-plus length finish kicks in and lingers on the tongue, savory flavors of biscuit, toast and black licorice take hold. Tannins are high and grippy, which compliment the savory, bitter notes on the finish. Medium acidity and medium-plus intensity overall. The wine would be more impressive with a higher level of concentration weight (body) but the complexity of the wine makes this a great wine for food pairings. Try it with black bean veggie burgers, stuffed Portabella mushrooms caps or braised short ribs. Very good! $36, 13.5% ABV
Cheers and thanks for reading!