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Andrew J. Linn
Friday, 20 March 2026, 09:45
Wine has always been more cooperative on the table than on the screen. Yet filmmakers on both sides of the Atlantic keep trying to bottle its romance, rivalry and occasional snobbery. Sometimes they succeed magnificently; sometimes the cork flies off in the wrong direction.
The modern gold standard is still Sideways, Alexander Payne's 2004 comedy-drama about two middle-aged friends in California wine country. It managed to make audiences laugh, cry and swear eternal loyalty to Pinot Noir. For many viewers it also doubled as an introductory course in wine appreciation.
Wine of the week
Pétalos El Bierzo 2023 Maybe a little on the not-so-cheap category but most wines from this tiny region offer quite unusual drinking experiences, compared with Riojas and Riberas del Dueros. Made from grapes gathered from old vines. Around 17 euros (El Corte Inglés)
Hollywood sensed a trend. Bottle Shock dramatised the famous Judgment of Paris wine tasting, when California wines stunned the French establishment. A Good Year - directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe - served up Provençal sun, vineyards and romance with the lightness of a chilled rosé. Critics sniffed but audiences happily soaked up the scenery. Documentaries have often done wine more justice. Somm follows four candidates attempting the notoriously difficult Master Sommelier exam. Its sequel, Somm: Into the Bottle, dives deeper into the science, history and mystique of wine.
Streaming platforms have also joined in. Wine Country sends a group of friends to Napa for a birthday celebration, while Uncorked explores the tension between family expectations and a young man's dream of becoming a master sommelier. And the documentary series Wine Masters tours vineyards around the globe. The result? A mixed cellar: some vintage classics, some thin table wines-but always worth a taste.