BOTTLE SHOCK

In 1976, a British wine-seller in Paris turned the wine world on its head when he organised a competition between French and American producers. The unthinkable happened when – in a blind tasting – the French judges chose the American wines as winners in both categories.  Bottle Shock is the story of Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) and Jim (Bill Pullman) and Bo Barrett (Chris Pine), the father and son vintners from Napa Valley whose one-in-a-million Chardonnay very nearly didn’t make it to the competition. It’s a likeable comedy based mostly on real events, but the screenwriters have added a couple of gorgeous female actors to give the story some legs… Still, it’s worth seeing, and amazing to think that even so recently, serious drinkers wouldn’t consider a wine from anywhere but France. Enjoy with a leathery Hunter Valley Shiraz. (Lachlan Jobbins)