Top 5 Wine Movies To Watch This Weekend

Forget Netflix and chill. I’m all for Netflix and Wine.

If I’m going to snuggle down on the couch, I’d prefer it to be with a delicious glass of pinot – no more fighting about who has to lie at the front of the couch with constant danger of falling off. Just halve the couch (and the bottle) and call it a night.

If you’re looking to step up your wine education, here’s a list of the best wine documentaries to watch this weekend, plus a movie that will have you filling up your Good Pair Days basket with French reds.

Happy drinking!

Sour Grapes: True Story, Fake Wine

Rudy Kurniawan was widely recognised as a wine savant, constantly surrounded by America’s most fervent (slightly douchebaggy) wine connoisseurs. But when a top collector and a Burgundian wine producer discover a suspiciously incorrect bottle, an investigator starts looking into one of the biggest cons of the decade.

(Also, New York Magazine wrote an awesome profile on the con man a few years earlier, if you require further reading.)

Watch the trailer for Sour Grapes

Somm + Somm: Into The Bottle

One of the original wine documentaries, Somm traces the lives of four wine-lovers as they embark on the journey of becoming Master Sommeliers. Much has been made of the fact that the test’s pass rate is less than 1%, and many aficionados take it five or six times before being accepted into the Court of Master Sommeliers. If you take your wine seriously – or want to watch those who do – this is the documentary for you. It’s pretty neurotic stuff. The follow-on doco, Somm: Into the Bottle delves into the different parts of the wine industry (eg. production, labelling, marketing) and how they each work.

Watch the trailer for Somm and Somm: Into the Bottle

Decanted: A Winemaker’s Journey

This documentary focuses specifically on the Napa Valley region in California. It follows the development of a new vineyard seen through the eyes of the region’s elite. What kind of person can make it in the highly competitive, well-established, slightly snooty arena of the Napa? Watch what it takes to build a brand, strike a claim and make your dreams come true. (That sounds like a tech start-up’s pep talk, sorry.)

Watch the trailer for Decanted

Haute Cuisine

OK, it’s not strictly about wine, but this wonderful French film about the President’s personal chef is full of delectable foodie moments. If you’ve had enough of all the docos (all that damn learning…) then settle onto the couch for this feast for the eyes. Just make sure you’ve already had dinner, or you’ll be starving.

Watch the trailer for Haute Cuisine

And of course, you’ll need something to quaff as you watch along – it’s only fair you get to take part too.

Start with our fun palate profile quiz here and we’ll recommend three bottles for your personal tastes – delivered to your front door just in time for your Friday movie night.