Posts Tagged ‘wine movies’
Back in November, a good friend of mine gave me the film Blood into Wine, a documentary about Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer) and Eric Glomski and their vineyard and the resulting wine brand, Caduceus. This past weekend, I finally got around to watching it and I’m sorry that it took me so long.
I’m not going to spend hundreds of words writing a review of the film because A) I’m a wine writer, not a film writer, and B) I want you to see the movie, not just rely on my review of it. That being said, there were a few things I wanted to bring up. First of all, it’s great to see that Maynard is truly in love with what he’s doing, and isn’t just investing in a vineyard because he likes wine. He’s on the property doing the work and putting in the sweat-equity. Read the rest of this entry »
So last night I had the opportunity to see a screening of a new documentary about the making of the 2008 vintage of wine in Virginia. Filmmakers Bill Reifenberger and Benjamin Clore spent time at several Virginia vineyards and wineries, including Jefferson, Blenheim, Pollak, Keswick, King Family, and several others, finding out what makes Virginia wine unique, and the challenges faced by winemakers in this region.
It will be airing on PBS nationally, and you can visit the Vintage website for more details about the film and when and where you can see it, or to order a DVD. This is a great look into Virginia wine making, and especially for my readers living in Virginia, this is one worth checking out.
When it comes to the movies, we very rarely think of wine. Our villains are usually into some kind of illegal substance, and our heroes either don’t drink because they’re heroes, or they’re anti-heroes and drink scotch, bourbon, whiskey, or some other liquor straight. However, I’ve managed to compile a list of movies that do bring wine into the equation.
10 – The Silence of the Lambs
Coming in at number 10 is The Silence of the Lambs. While we never actually see Hannibal Lecter drinking (he’s only on screen for about 16 1/2 minutes of the film, and in prison for all but 3 minutes of those), there are few people that haven’t at one point or another thought of pairing fava beans with a nice chianti. This quote is actually rated number 25 on the American Film Institute’s list of 400 greatest movie quotes.
9 – The Godfather
It’s hard to have a movie about the Italian mafia without wine. Between the Don’t daughter getting married and the party that ensued, and or to the Don speaking of his increased love of wine towards the end of the movie, The Godfather makes wine enjoyable and fun, not pretentious. The only thing that’s more red than the wine in this movie is the blood shed.
8 – James Bond
While it’s true that James Bond is best known for his love of the martini, there are numerous times throughout the series where wine has made its presence felt. In Dr. No, Bond shows off his knowledge of champagne, saying that he prefers the ’53 Dom Perignon to the ’55 that they are about to be served. In Goldfinger, Bond shows off his knowledge of Brandy to M by picking on the brand that is served to him. While it’s true that nobody is ever going ton confuse James Bond as being a wine connoisseur, it’s clear that he does appreciate more than a martini.
7 – French Kiss
While I don’t usually watch a lot of romantic comedies, this movie does make it on the list because of Kevin Kline’s character’s desire to own his own vineyard. Having gambled away his share of the family plot to a vineyard, Kline spends his time with Meg Ryan talking about wine, introducing her to love, and even shows off his own homemade aroma sampling kit.
6 – Cleopatra
What would a movie set in Ancient Rome be without wine? The main characters are often seen drinking wine, and poison is served to Cleopatra in a cup of wine (which she makes her servant drink instead). In fact, Marc Anthony has a glass of wine in his hand in nearly ever scene he’s in during the movie. That’s commitment. Read the rest of this entry »
