Five Best Wine Films for Fun and Education

Cosy up with a glass of your favourite wine and one of these films for entertainment. In this selection you will find fun wine movies. In a future post, I’ll cover wine documentaries.

A Good Year (2006)

The Provençal vineyard scenery alone makes this romantic comedy drama starring Russell Crowe and directed by Ridley Scott, worth watching.

It was shot at Château La Canorgue, an organic vineyard near Bonnieux in the Luberon. I recommend stopping in to buy wine if you are in the area. You’ll see the tasting room/ wine shop and the water feature that serves as a swimming pool in the film but not the chateau. The owner,  Jean-Pierre Margan, told us he was forced to put large ‘private property’ signs around the chateau, which is his home, to stop film fans from barging in. We loved their Viognier.

In conclusion, a big thumbs up. Plus, it’s a Rom Com and I love Rom Coms.

 

Sideways (2004)

Sideways is a wine lover’s cult classic that derides Merlot and deifies Pinot Noir. Watch it for a good story and a great laugh; and keep an eye out for the irony at the end. After lambasting Merlot throughout the film, the iconic bottle the lead character keeps referring to, and drinks at the end, a Cheval Blanc 1961, is in fact a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from St Emilion (for personalised and in-depth wine tours of St Emilion and Bordeaux get in touch with us).

Pinotgate – a surprising fall out from the movie Sideways

After the success of Sideways, sales of Merlot-based wines in the USA dropped (some articles suggested they decreased by a third) and Pinot Noir sales rose. But vineyards take years to grow. The world’s stock of Pinot Noir vineyards could not have changed overnight the way the consumption statistics did.

Around 18 million bottles sold as ‘Pinot Noir’ were not Pinot Noir. They were, ironically, a blend of Merlot and Shiraz (or Syrah, as Shiraz is called in France). French investigators became suspicious when they saw that the wine merchant concerned was buying Pinot noir wine at 40 percent less than the going rate, in quantities that exceeded the historical production level of the Languedoc Roussillon region. Twelve people were convicted.

Back to Burgundy (2017)

This is a family story about three siblings reconnecting after their father’s death and struggling with the decision of what to do with their family vineyard. While the sentimental multi plot storyline wanders, the film captures the vibe of Burgundy and the annual cycle in the vineyard. If you are thinking of visiting Burgundy contact our friend Emily at Paris Wine Girl for an authentic experience https://pariswinegirl.fr/wine-tours-in-beaune/ .

Bottle Shock (2008)

Bottle Shock tells the true story of Jim Barrett, a city professional who follows his passion to go wine farming, a bit like Sean and I (Caro Feely) did, the story told in my book Grape Expectations. He purchased a vineyard in Napa Valley before it became famous.

A Paris-based wine-shop owner (who later became a famous English wine journalist), the late Steven Spurrier (played by the late Alan Rickman), organises a competition between French and Californian wines to raise the prestige of his shop and his new line of international wines. Spurrier goes to Napa and meets Barrett, who wants nothing to do with the competition. Barrett’s son Bo slips Spurrier a few bottles. Spurrier enters the Chardonnay into his ‘Judgement of Paris’ competition.

When I asked the real Steven Spurrier what he thought of the film, he said ‘More bullshit, than Bottle Shock.’ The base story is true but with a good dose of Hollywood. For an insider version of events, read George Taber’s (the only journalist who attended the tasting) book ‘The Judgement of Paris’. For more wine book recommendations see https://www.frenchwineadventures.com/7-must-read-wine-books-to-broaden-your-wine-education/ .

 

French Kiss (1995)

A romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline, and Jean Reno, three actors I appreciate. It includes passion, unexpected twists, and a background wine story. Did I say I love Rom Coms? 😉 … and I love wine, so this is a thumbs up.

Conclusion

I conclude with two more film suggestions, not about wine, but about France and food, ‘Ratatouille’ (2007) and ‘The 100 Foot Journey’ (2014) – and they both have a touch of romance and comedy ;).

Here’s to fine wine and great entertainment. Cheers.

French Wine Adventures is specialised in French Wine, Wine Education, Wine Tours in Bordeaux, Organic Wine and Sustainable Tourism.

Discover wine on one of our Multi day Wine ToursVineyard Walking tours or a Wine Course or get in touch for a custom wine tour, course or experience.

For more wine related entertainment read Caro Feely’s acclaimed Vineyard Series – see the books, where to buy them and ISBNs

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