Bottle Shock (the movie) review

I've never done this before but I've decided to post my most recent article for Nashville Wine Press on my blog.  For the newbies, I write a fun social column for a local wine magazine here in town.  I'm not partial to this specific writing but rather I wanted to share the "idea" espoused in the article, which is a how-to-have-your-own wine tasting. Hope you enjoy:

Angela's Analysis

Bottle Sloshed
Angela Hart

The movie Bottle Shock tells the story of the historic 1976 wine tasting known as the Judgment of Paris, where, for the first time, American vintners managed to defeat the French in a blind tasting to crown the ultimate Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, the signature varietals of red and white wine. That history coupled with Bottle Shock felt like the perfect marriage of revelry and wine for a mid-March Friday night. I corralled ten friends to come to my house for a tasting, followed by dinner and the movie. In tribute to said history we had ten bottles of French and California wines from which we partook. 

In theory, it was a grand idea. What’s more fun than a blind wine tasting with your friends? Well, nothing, in theory. But a blind tasting with drinking enthusiasts and ten bottles of vino, without certain rules, regulations, and portion control, is more like a drunken frat party than a tasteful, elegant wine tasting. Or at least mine was. In therapy (I’m a psychotherapist), I’m nondirective; it’s good to follow the pace and narrative of my clients, to stay open to where the therapy hour leads us. In indirections we find directions out said Shakespeare’s Hamlet. To Hamlet I might say: Not so much with wine tastings. With indirection and ten bottles of wine—essentially one bottle per person—people mostly just devolve. By vin nombre deux my lovely friends were pouring half of a glass per “taste,” less concerned with educating their palates than indulging them, consequently getting louder, looser, and less mindful of their preferences in the exchange of sips for slurps. I Mother Hen’d for a bit: slow down, write down what you taste, savor the flavors, notice what’s in your mouth, focus, stay dignified for God’s sake!!! 

But in the end, I had to shift my expectations. In psychological rhetoric this is called cognitive restructuring. In wine talk, it’s called chilling out and going with the flow. Everyone was having fun, filling out the score sheets I had dutifully prepared, and legitimately enjoying themselves. And ultimately, when a winemaker makes wine, he doesn’t make it so that people have little tastes and then spit it out. Rather, it’s to drink—by itself or paired with food. It’s meant to be festive, celebratory! Who am I to judge how wine is enjoyed? And so went my “cognitive reconstructs.”

Of course, trying to wrangle a group of fun-loving artistic drinking enthusiasts to sit still and watch a movie after a generous wine tasting is like trying to get a bird to fly happily into a cage. The movie Bottle Shock likened to background music with the inebriated peanut gallery sitting around my living room. Still, we barreled through and collectively enjoyed ourselves, laughed, and, at the very least, got the gist of the movie. In the end, we cheered California—the underdog and winner in the Paris blind tasting—with a football fan’s enthusiasm.

I scored our own little tasting. We, too, preferred the illustrious California grapes. Our top pick was a 2006 Broc Dry Stack Vineyard Petite Sirah. Wine notes varied from: bright and flavorful or licorice and velvety to it’s like a punch in the mouth. One person wrote: It smells great, like dill and herbs. I want this in a candle. Another noted that it was a happy wine. A close second, down by only one point, was the 2007 Meyer-Fonné Gentil d’Alsace, a French white. There was a love fest with this wine. The commentaries included: I love it. Grapefruit, not cat pee, and a little bite on the front of the tongue. Love it! It’s grapefruit-y, almost effervescent. Overall, floral, fruit, and love were the consensus for this varietal. Our bronze medal went to another California blend, the 2006 Carr Pinot Gris. One guy wrote: Too sweet; if you’re a chick, this is your wine. Turns out he was right. This white blend got the highest marks from the ladies. Love it. It’s like heaven. It tastes springy, like vegetables. Apricot. Chewy. And my personal favorite—It’s solid, if you are a girl. 

Next time I might have more detailed descriptor sheets for those (note: most of us) who don’t automatically think “I get a hint of white flowers and cassis with a complex finish.” Nevertheless, I was proud of my oenophiles-in-training. Sexism aside, they brought it home, did their assignments with sass and style, and even showed some palate versatility to the winning trinity.

I watched Bottle Shock again the following afternoon, by myself. I loved it. The panoptic view of rolling vineyards and industrious vintners is always a staggering visual. And the actor who played Bo Barrett is definitely a picture that is solid, if you are a girl. The story, albeit a loose interpretation of the facts, is a compelling reminder of the TLC that goes into every bottle of grape goodness, no matter if it’s Napa Valley or Bordeaux. It’s all good. Just ask my friends.

To host your own bona fide wine tasting and movie showing, visit www.bottleshockthemovie.com and click on the “Party Pack” bottle. It has a downloadable party guide including tasting tips, party checklist, and wine suggestions. There are even party invitations! I wish I had found this before my party!!