Shocking...

Posted 08/12/2008 at 08:38 AM by Dirk

All sorts of people are talking about "Bottle Shock." I used to think that it was the illness a wine showed right after bottling (before it recovers) but this year, it is a movie.  Larry and I saw a preview copy – he knows movies...I don't.

It is a good thing that I am not qualified to be a movie critic. Wine lingo is too snooty to translate well for the screen. And, how often am I going to see a movie where I know some of the characters in it? (Never again...)

As long as you know it is entertainment and not a documentary (Bo and Jim did not box...but I did have to ask to be certain), it is worth seeing. I don't know if I should recommend a bottle of Chardonnay for beforehand or for afterwards. However, in the unexplored world of pairing wine and movies, I am sure that Chardonnay is the best compliment to this movie.

Bottle Shock feels good. Hey, the underdog wins, but everyone goes into the theater already knowing the ending. (Everyone knew what was going to happen to the ship in Titanic, so what's the problem?) It makes Napa Valley look fantastic. (Everyone who visits has figured that out, too.) It makes us glad that we are past the fashion statements of the 1970s. (No one is waiting for an updated Leisure Suit.)

Most of all it makes us feel good about "the little guy."  Back then, Napa was the underdog and the movie doesn't need Rocky theme music to make its point.

There were a few hints of what Napa was like back then. It showed a bunch of the vintners (neighboring winemakers) getting together.  I came a bit later, but the Napa Valley Vintners started as more of a "friends drinking group" than an organized marketing organization. Sure, we all cared about selling our wines and about helping Napa Valley, but we sure liked being "in it" with all the others. Lunch was the reward for sitting through the meetings. We liked sharing stories, celebrating or commiserating over those meals. Now, the Napa Valley Vintners is better than ever, more inclusive than ever, and more organized than ever, but it isn't the small group who felt as if we were taking on the world. I guess that shows how far we have come.

After seeing Bottle Shock, the ironic news came that Chateau Montelena was being purchased by Chateau Cos d'Estournel. While I have regrets that the Barretts have sold, I am one of many who think that the new owners will understand how to support and even improve that wonderful wine estate.

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