After Sideways: Merlot movie to redress the balance
September 19, 2007
By Jane Anson
After Merlot's drubbing in Sideways, lovers of the grape are fighting back.
Californian documentary maker Rudy McClain is making Merlove, a homage to Merlot.
McClain plans to include interviews with winemakers from around the world who have demonstrated that Merlot can more than stand up to its rivals, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.
The latter in particular has experienced a meteoric rise in sales and plantings since the 2004 hit film Sideways, whose protagonist, the anti-hero Miles, loves Pinot and loathes Merlot in equal measure.
Tom Rinaldi from Provenance Vineyards in Napa, speaking in a preview of the new film, says, '[Merlot] been slapped around a lot, there have been a whole lot of pretenders to the throne'.
McClain has interviewed winemakers such as Chris Phelps of Swanson Vineyards, Larry Stone of Rubicon and Jean Claude Berrouet of Chateau Petrus. He plans to visit Bordeaux in November 2007 to continue filming.
'People are putting one Merlot on a wine list today in Napa, where there would have been four before Sideways,' McClain told decanter.com. 'I used to think of Merlot as an intro grape, to drink between beer and a great wine, but then I realised that in the hands of the right winemaker, on the right terroir, it can make some of the world's greatest wines. This is the universal story of championing the underdog.'
Alongside the documentary, McClain intends to launch 'Merlot tours' through Napa Valley and Bordeaux, visiting the most famous vineyards in the region that have made particularly successful Merlot-based wines.
McClain is seeking financial backing for the film, offering an equity stake in the final product, which he hopes will get cinema and DVD release.
Have your say... To post your comment on this story, email us at news@decanter.com, making sure the relevant headline is in the subject field
The type of person ushered in the direction of Pinot Noir based on the preference of a fictional movie character, MAY be responsible for the upswing in prices of Pinot Noir in the United States, however this same consumer does NOT a consume documentaries. C Wells
I adore pinot noir with its beguiling silky complexities and gentle nuances, but I love the honesty and freshness of an excellent merlot.
I was unable to resist drinking both bottles of 1982 Petrus I bought for $100 on indent 25 years ago. True sublimity.
I have just returned from Bordeaux. After touring the Medoc I returned with six bottles of the finest St Emilion. Merlot rules!
I am a small Australian winemaker making 1500 cases of a single estate grown 100% varietal Merlot. It sells exclusively to the richest capitols of Asia.
Though I was chuffed when my Singapore based Bordeaux negotiant took some home to share with his friends!
The Asians love my Aussie St Emilion, but If they do drink Pinot noir it has to be Romanee Conte! Mark Holloway, Western Australia
It is interesting that the sideways movie had such an effect on people. In marketing terms people who do not want to be seen as ignorant will often purchase a bottle of wine that has been recomended to be purchased or not to be purchased. Such is the beautiful tasting Merlot. I love a full bodied Cab Sav with a rump steak, but a medium rare kangaroo with a spicy plum chilli sauce is complemented by a Merlot. i work in the vineyards of McClaren Vale and enjoy harvest times in which you get a bunch of grapes and place them in your mouth and imagine the food that you could eat with the finished product. Such is the beautiful Merlot and its subtle flavours. For every wine there is a companion. Remember Homer Simpson, "Beer is pizzas best friend", such are wines it is important that you do not overlook varieties. Keep an open mind least you miss out on some os the delights that the world of wine has to offer. Carey Akers, South Australia
Register on decanter.com absolutely free for news alerts delivered direct to your email inbox, and our fortnightly newsletter with advance notice of what’s coming up in Decanter magazine, offers, competitions and more.
PLUS registration is a one-stop shop for the Decanter magazine Archive and Decanter Fine Wine Tracker.
The type of person ushered in the direction of Pinot Noir based on the preference of a fictional movie character, MAY be responsible for the upswing in prices of Pinot Noir in the United States, however this same consumer does NOT a consume documentaries. C Wells
