When I decided to switch careers and start my wine studies, WSET at first seemed a bit overwhelming with all of the information, especially since I had never visited a wine region. To become more familiar with wine and its regions, I tried to watch as many documentations and movies about wine. Little did I know that there are quite a few of them out there!
Varieties and Winemaking in the Old World
Barolo Boys takes a look at the technical innovations in the production of Barolo, a red wine from Nebbiolo grapes in Langhe, which is in northwest Italy. The name of the movie derives from the modernists, or Barolo boys, who turned the region's wine in one of the best in the world.
A Year in Burgundy spends four seasons with seven family who make wine in the Burgundy region of France while A Year in Champagne shows the lives of those who devote their lives to champagne, from the small independent makers to the large, world-renowned ones.
A Year in Burgundy spends four seasons with seven family who make wine in the Burgundy region of France while A Year in Champagne shows the lives of those who devote their lives to champagne, from the small independent makers to the large, world-renowned ones.
Varieties and Winemaking in the New World
Decanted follows the Italics Winegrowers in Napa Valley from their beginnings through the eyes of the region's elite winemakers.
Boom Varietal is about Argentina's flagship grape variety, Malbec, and how it went from being just a locally consumed wine to one that has swept through the world.
Boom Varietal is about Argentina's flagship grape variety, Malbec, and how it went from being just a locally consumed wine to one that has swept through the world.
Wine Study and Scandals
Somm follows four candidates who are attempting to pass the Master Sommelier examination, one of the most difficult exams in the world with one of the lowest pass rates. Somm into the Bottle is not really a sequel since it doesn't really give any in depth follow-up about the candidates' lives. Instead, the movie tells stories from those involved in different parts of the industry.
Sour Grapes is about one of the biggest wine scandals in the industry that investigates Rudy Kurniawan, a wine collector who sold parts of his collection for millions of dollars. However, all of these wines were actually bottles that he had refilled with cheaper wine and forged the labels on them!
Sour Grapes is about one of the biggest wine scandals in the industry that investigates Rudy Kurniawan, a wine collector who sold parts of his collection for millions of dollars. However, all of these wines were actually bottles that he had refilled with cheaper wine and forged the labels on them!
Wine Industry and Market
Mondovino, which means 'Word of Wine' in Italian, explains the effect of globalization on the world's wine-producing regions, and how critics like Robert Parker and consultants like Michel Rolland have impacted styles. The movie shows how single estate wineries struggles against the large, multinational wineries.
My favorite documentary out of all of these is definitely Red Obsession that explains how Chinese demand for the finest Bordeaux wines are sending prices soaring. It also takes a look at the Chinese effort to develop their own vineyards and produce their own fine red wines while trying to counter the counterfeit markets.
My favorite documentary out of all of these is definitely Red Obsession that explains how Chinese demand for the finest Bordeaux wines are sending prices soaring. It also takes a look at the Chinese effort to develop their own vineyards and produce their own fine red wines while trying to counter the counterfeit markets.
Movies about Vino
The Secret of Santa Vittoria is based on the true story of how the villagers in Santa Vittoria try to hide as many of their wines as possible from the occupying Nazi forces.
Bottle Shock is comedy-drama loosely based on the events that led up to the Judgment of Paris - the infamous Paris wine tasting of 1976 that shocked the wine world when California wines beat out French ones in a blind tasting.
Sideways is about the misadventures of Miles, a failed novelist, and his old college friend, Jack, a washed-up actor. Before Jack's wedding, Miles takes Jack on a wine-tasting trip through the vineyards of Santa Ynez Valley. Miles just wants to fixate on his interest in wine while Jack wants one last weekend as a bachelor, so the road trips goes sideways. When the movie first came out in 2004, Merlot sales dropped due to Miles distaste for the variety. As he said in one of the most memorable lines from the movie, "If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am not drinking any f***ing Merlot." His love for Pinot Noir led to a sales boom in the variety though. One of the biggest ironies in the movie is that Miles' most prized bottle of wine in his collection is actually a bottle of 1961 Cheval Blanc, which is a Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend! He ended up drinking it from a paper cup in a fast food restaurant!
Bottle Shock is comedy-drama loosely based on the events that led up to the Judgment of Paris - the infamous Paris wine tasting of 1976 that shocked the wine world when California wines beat out French ones in a blind tasting.
Sideways is about the misadventures of Miles, a failed novelist, and his old college friend, Jack, a washed-up actor. Before Jack's wedding, Miles takes Jack on a wine-tasting trip through the vineyards of Santa Ynez Valley. Miles just wants to fixate on his interest in wine while Jack wants one last weekend as a bachelor, so the road trips goes sideways. When the movie first came out in 2004, Merlot sales dropped due to Miles distaste for the variety. As he said in one of the most memorable lines from the movie, "If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am not drinking any f***ing Merlot." His love for Pinot Noir led to a sales boom in the variety though. One of the biggest ironies in the movie is that Miles' most prized bottle of wine in his collection is actually a bottle of 1961 Cheval Blanc, which is a Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend! He ended up drinking it from a paper cup in a fast food restaurant!
