Ready, set… cheers! Wine is the best companion for any dinner or special event, but it’s also perfect to sip on the couch while watching a film. Even better if the film is about wine! After a long discussion among our team members, and several hours spent on Netflix and Amazon Prime, here’s our very own list of the 10 films you should watch if you are a wine enthusiast.
Back to Burgundy (2017)
Nobody does a film about wine as well as the French do. In the same way that (almost!) nobody makes delicious wine as the French do. Get your glass of Burgundy red, or Chablis, ready to discover how three siblings manage to reconnect after their father’s passing. The story develops around the family’s vineyard and winery through flashbacks and stories of the sibling's adult life.
Uncorked (2020)
One of the newest films about wine is the moving story of an Afro-American guy, Elijah, who wants to pursue his passion for wine and become a master sommelier. He manages to travel to Paris to study but some terrible news brings him back home to the United States. Run on Netflix to discover whether Elijah’s dream came true or remained just a dream. Just before pressing play, get your best bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape out, it suits the documentary really well.
Photo credit: IMDb
Bottle Shock (2008)
English actor Alain Rickman left his role as Severus Snape to impersonate the owner of a Paris wine shop who travels to Napa Valley to discover New World wines. In California, he meets winemakers Jim Barrett who is not-so-fond of the idea of sharing his knowledge with a European wine connaisseur. However, here is when Barrett’s son Bo, a blonde Chris Pine, arrives on the screen and changes the fortunes of his father’s estate forever.
Photo credit: IMDb
A Good Year (2006)
Nothing better than a rom-com filled with wine for the perfect night with your better half. Or with your cat, a great company on lonely nights. Hollywood star Russell Crowe stars in a movie that is all about wine, family ties and love. After his uncle’s passing, Crowe’s character, Max Skinner, becomes the owner of the family’s wine estate in Provence and the rest is yours to watch.
Photo credit: IMDb
Sour Grapes (2016)
If you are more into documentaries, then this one is the perfect one for you and is also based on a true story. Sour Grapes is an American documentary about Indonesian wine collector and fraudster Rudy Kurniawan, who had a cellar full of incredible wine bottles that were actually full of much cheaper wine. Guilty of drinking all the best wine or guilty of fraud? To watch with a glass of Champagne in hand.
Photo credit: IMDb
Sideways (2004)
Miles and Jack are two friends who decide to go on a road trip around the vineyards in Santa Barbara County, California to escape their unsuccessful and depressing lives. Their trip proves to be quite of a thrill and of course, filled with wine because Miles is a wine enthusiast just like all of you who are reading this. And who is probably thinking, what if I also go on a wine-filled road trip to get out of my daily routine? Good idea!
Photo credit: IMDb
Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
You were all worried that nobody made a film about one of the best wine countries in the world, Italy. Well, Under the Tuscan sun is the perfect romantic comedy to make you dream of spending your next holidays in Italy. Protagonist Frances is going through a divorce and her friends Patti and Grace embark on her on a trip to dreamy Tuscany. No more spoilers, get yourself a glass of Chianti Classico and organise a movie night with your friends (and convince them on going on a trip to Tuscany!).
French Kiss (1995)
We know, most films about wine are actually romantic comedies and this one is probably the most stereotypical in all senses. World famous actress Meg Ryan is the distressed protagonist of the film, who travels all the way to Paris to win her husband back from the arms of a French lady. Love, stereotypes, wines and even some action are all blended together and brought to the screen, just like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are blended together to give you a delicious Bordeaux.
Blood & Wine (1996)
For those of you who are sick of rom-coms, and probably prefer more structured and intense wines like a Brunello di Montalcino from Tuscany or a Malbec from Mendoza, there’s a crime thriller starring Jack Nicholson that will get you on the edge of your seat. Wine is not necessarily the main protagonist but easily wins the best supporting actor award, right after a million-dollar necklace that gets stolen.
Babette’s Feast (1987)
From the namesake novel written by Danish author Karen Blixen, this Danish film will make you dream of French cuisine and wine. Indeed, after the protagonist Babette wins 10,000 French Francs at the lottery, she decides to prepare a delicious meal for her sisters and a small group of family friends. For her feast, Babette only wants the best ingredients and the best wines. Can you guess where from? Bordeaux, Côte du Rhone, Burgundy?
Wines that appear in films
- Champagne Veuve Clicot in the iconic Casablanca (1942)
- In the Godfather Part II (1972), Michael Corleone drinks Bardolino from the Veneto wine region
- The one and only James Bond loves a glass of Champagne Bollinger
- A bottle of Alsace Riesling appears in Hannibal (2001)
- One of Saint Emilion’s most famous wines, Cheval Blanc, is mentioned and served in Ratatouille (2007)
