| Bottle Shock is a temporary condition of wine | | | | made the winning wine for Chataeu Montelena, did |
| characterized by muted or disjointed fruit flavors | | | | not get a mention in the film. |
| usually caused by wines that have been shaken in | | | | Both Bo and Jim Barrett, and plenty of other old |
| travel. | | | | hands in the valley helped out with the story which |
| Bottle Shock the movie is an entertaining, albeit not | | | | was written by Jody Savin, Ross Schwartz and |
| completely factual look at the events leading up to | | | | Director Randy Miller. Hollywood writers can |
| the famous 1976 “Judgment in Paris”, where | | | | sometimes improve a story or ruin it depending on |
| California wines beat out their French counterparts in | | | | your taste and proximently to the actual events. This |
| a blind tasting putting California wines firmly on the | | | | movie is certainly entertaining and is worth seeing. For |
| wine map. It is a good romp in the vineyard and | | | | a more factual account check out George |
| shows us what the Napa of old was like and how | | | | Taber’s book, Judgment of Paris: California vs. |
| things have changed since. | | | | France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting that |
| As a young college student traveling through Napa in | | | | Revolutionized Wine, or wait for the new movie. |
| 1976 I found it hard to understand how this event | | | | Bo (Chris Pine) the hippie son of the winery owner |
| transformed the California wine industry. The grand | | | | only has ambitions for a good time. Gustavo Brambia |
| estates of Inglenook, Beringer, and Krug shared the | | | | (Freddy Rodriguez) the more earnest and skilled |
| stage with newer names of Grgich, Stags Leap, | | | | “cellar rat” has visions of becoming a great |
| Mondavi and Sterling and were producing world class | | | | winemaker. Sam (Rachael Taylor) the love interest is |
| wines. Didn’t the Europeans know that? Well a | | | | fictional but opens a window into Bo’s |
| trip to Europe in the late 70’s showed that the | | | | development from loser party animal to winery |
| wines that made it across the “pond” were | | | | promoter. The film follows alternately and a bit |
| not the names mentioned above but were the jug | | | | clumsily, Spurrier as he makes his way through Napa |
| wines from the vineyards of Modesto, Bakersfield | | | | Valley tasting, swirling, spitting and recognizing the |
| and Fresno. Good marketing had trumped good wine. | | | | quality of California wine and Jim and Bo Barrett |
| Back to the movie…The story is told alternating | | | | sparing (literally) as the father and son with different |
| between Napa Valley and Paris as it follows Jim | | | | work ethics and goals. |
| Barrett (played a bit stiffly by Bill Pullman) a lawyer | | | | The movie is shot with sweeping vistas of the wine |
| who followed his dream by ditching the suits, | | | | country and certainly reminds us of how beautiful |
| purchasing a winery (Chateau Montelena) and striving | | | | Napa Valley is. Many scenes are shot in the vineyard |
| to make the world’s greatest Chardonnay. Like | | | | with the actors poking about the vines very gingerly. |
| many a winemaker then, as now, his business is | | | | (The fruit hanging from the vines looks like it was |
| struggling and is applying for his third bank loan. | | | | close to harvest time and no doubt the vineyard |
| In Paris Steven Spurrier (played wonderfully by Alan | | | | owner had instructed the crew not to touch |
| Rickman) is a priggish British wine merchant with a | | | | anything!) |
| struggling wine shop who has the idea of a staging a | | | | The winery scenes are a bit staged but the film |
| blind tasting between French and California wines. | | | | works and the story is true enough to be important |
| Rickman is some 28 years older than Spurrier was at | | | | and pleasant enough to be entertaining. The story |
| the time and plays the Brit as a classic wine snob. | | | | finishes as the wine finds its way to the Paris |
| Once Spurrier arrrives in Napa the juxstoposition of | | | | tasting-- and the rest as they say is history. The |
| him against the backdrop of rural Napa is often | | | | film has a great 70’s era sound track dominated |
| hilarious. | | | | with lots of Doobie Brothers setting the tone. Also |
| Spurrier has denounced the film for many mistruths | | | | stars Dennis Farina and Elia Dishku. |
| and embellishments throughout and endorses a | | | | As a ironic footnote in late July of this year Bo and |
| different version written by George Taber who | | | | Jim Barrett announced that Chateau Montelena will be |
| witnessed the actual tasting. The new film | | | | sold, pending government approval, to Michel Reybier, |
| “Judgment in Paris” is due out later this year. | | | | owner of Bordeaux chateau Cos d'Estournel, a famed |
| Others have questioned why Mike Grgich, who actully | | | | French winery. |