A
Walk in the Clouds (1995)
A
Walk in the Clouds is actually a
remake of a 1942 Italian film, Four Steps in the Clouds. It tells the story of a WW II soldier who has returned home to
California after the war, determined to make a go of his hasty wartime
marriage. But fate intervenes and
he meets a pregnant young woman on a train in need of assistance. Posing as her husband so that her
traditional Mexican family will not know the truth, he decides to stay at her
family’s vineyard and help with the harvest. A
growing attraction develops between the couple, but there is still a wife and
angry father to be dealt with, along with a raging fire. Maybe a bit melodramatic, but nothing a
brooding glass of Zinfandel won’t set right.
French
Kiss (1995)
In
French Kiss, wine is more of an after-thought than a star player. The plot centers around the girl planning her wedding, when her guy goes to France and falls in love with someone else. Girl goes to France
to win him back, but accidentally joins up with a petty crook who has stolen a
vine cutting. There's a lot of racing
around France where confusion reigns supreme. But all’s well that ends well - in a vineyard. Pour a lighthearted
French Beaujolais Nouveau and enjoy this American romantic comedy.
Sideways (2004)
After
almost ten years without a wine movie, Sideways came barreling in to theatres with very little
romance, but a whole lot of wine character(s). The movie was actually adapted from
a book by the same name. Billed as
a comedy-drama, the movie follows two friends as they take a weeklong road trip
to the Santa Ynez Valley wineries to celebrate one’s last few days of ‘freedom’ before his wedding. Of
course, trouble ensues in the form of two wine savvy local women, and one
friend’s perpetual tendency to be depressing. The ending, while somewhat predicable, is not totally what
you expect and it leaves you waiting for the sequel – Vertical to be
made.
Sideways
is the movie that pushed Merlot to the back of the shelf after regaling the attributes
of Pinot Noir. (Sales of Pinot
went up 16% after the movie’s release.) So depending upon your alliance, pour a
glass of California Pinot Noir to sip and savor, or allow yourself to be seduced by an oaky
Merlot – Miles be damned!
A
Good Year (2006)
A
Good Year is a blend of nostalgia and
fond memories, with a focus on the future. Based on a novel by Peter Mayle, this
British romantic comedy is set at a vineyard estate in Provence. When a British
investment trader inherits his uncle’s estate, his life becomes even more complicated. He also inherits a possessive vineyard
manager/winemaker, an unpredictable café owner, and a long-lost cousin. Suffice it to say the vineyard
manager’s dedication, so far as to sing to his grapes, and all of that gorgeous French countryside
had me at "Bon Jour." Pour a robust
French Syrah, add some cheese and olives with a hearty French bread and aimer la vie.
Bottle
Shock (2008)
The
movie, Bottle Shock, is based on the 1976 wine competition called the Judgment
of Paris. For the first time
ever, a California wine beat out a French wine in a blind wine tasting. The movie depicts how California wines
were regarded before Napa Valley was famous, and how, with the right amount of devotion and dedication, you can craft a wine that literally speaks from the glass. Billed as an American comedy-drama,
this is a favorite of those who root for the underdog! Pour a glass of Chateau Montelena
Chardonnay (the winner in the 1976 competition,) sit back and say “Cheers” to
the home team….again.
Enjoy!
~
Joy
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