The 2004 wine-soaked comedy “Sideways” inspired people around the country to flock to their local markets to sip a glass of red or white. The movie, which was about two friends who tour California’s wine, spread vast enthusiasm for wine in general. Despite all of its apparent successes, the movie also produced another side effect: It put a cork in sales of merlot.
In the movie, Paul Giamatti consistently puts down merlot, which he feels is simply a mediocre variety of wine, while hailing pinot noir as a much-preferred grape. In one scene, Giamatti and actor Thomas Haden Church begin to argue over this debate, which results in Giamatti enthusiastically responding, “No, if anyone orders merlot I’m leaving. I’m not drinking any fucking merlot!”
His abhorrence for the wine led manywine drinkers to think twice about the grape, leading to a sort of “fall from grace” for merlot with sales dropping in the United States.
Newly released wine documentary “Merlove” attempts to combat this “Sideways” effect by celebrating not only merlot wine but also encouraging viewers to embark on their own personal journey throughout the vast wine industry without being swayed by the influence of pop culture.
In the film, producer and director Rudolf McClain offers a glimpse into the wine industry through interviews and commentary from wine makers around the world. Professor John Boyer discovered the film while doing research for his Geography of Wine class. After he had watched the film, Boyer contacted and convinced McClain to come show the independent film in Blacksburg, predicting its success in a small town of big wine drinkers.
McClain agreed and will be flying in from Sonoma, Ca., for the screening as well as for a Q&A following the film. The event, which will be held at the Lyric, will also feature glasses of merlot for sale during and after the event. On his way to the airport, McClain took time to answer a few questions about the film and the event, as well as to pose a few of his own regarding our intrigue of the Old Dominion.
CT: What gave you an interest in filmmaking?
McCLAIN: I don’t know really. I got out of college and I had this horrible job. I sat myself down one day and asked what do I really want to do?
CT: And that lead to a documentary?
McCLAIN: I realized I wanted to make movies, and so I started writing screenplays for myself while I was working on other things.
CT: Have you made other films other than “Merlove?”
McCLAIN: This is the first film I’ve produced, but I have a few crazy shorts on my Web site that I did, famedwolf.com. The site has the trailer for “Merlove” and the shorts that I just got the guts to put up, they’re pretty crazy.
CT: What has been your reaction to the power of film and pop culture in general over people’s everyday decisions?
McCLAIN: It’s huge, especially with teenagers and young adults. Everyone is trying to fit in to some kind of group but also be their own person. It’s kind of like a “Let’s be independent together” kind of thing, know what I mean? It’s especially true with movies. With “Sideways,” I think it had so much of an effect because the wine scene is intimidating and scary for a lot of people to get into, so it really influenced people with that movie when they say this varietal is horrible.
CT: Can you give us a brief synopsis of the film “Merlove”?
McCLAIN: Well, it’s a documentary celebrating merlot wine in response to Sideways, but we also try to examine the general influence of pop culture. The last third of film is mostly an exploration of wine. There are literally thousands of varieties in the world, so it’s just encouraging people to get out of their comfort zone and experience, get out and try something new because that’s the most enjoyable part of wine and of life. If people are trying new things and exploring something like the effect of “Sideways” can’t happen again.
CT: What has been the reception so far?
McCLAIN: It’s been really great. When you get an audience together, especially people who are new to wine, they really have fun. I think it sets them at ease little more, and they feel comfortable exploring wine. Some people expecting an expose style documentary see it and wonder where all the grit and dirt is, but we didn’t want to fall into that tradition. We wanted to make a film that was fun and just celebrated wine. It’s not typical.
CT: How do you think it encourages people to explore wine on their own?
McCLAIN: A lot of the people in the movie — when you see them on paper in magazines and in the wine world — they seem really serious and intimidating. In the movie they are talking about merlot and wine in general in a way that almost gives permission to get out there in the world and enjoy, have fun. The whole culture is about enjoying the wine and discovering what you like, and having the right to say a wine is crap even if it’s expensive or has a high numeric rating. It makes it not so intimidating, which is refreshing.
CT: How do you feel about this Wednesday?
McCLAIN: I’m really excited. I saw John Boyer’s online interview about “Merlove” and it was really heartening to see that he completely got it. The whole thing about pop culture spinning out of control, how he tells his students to get out there and go try new wines for themselves. He totally gets it. To have him embrace the movie and to say, “Hey we can get a big crowd together,” it makes me excited to come out. Also, Boyer seems like the perfect person with great enthusiasm, which is good because I want to learn more about Virginia culturally. I feel like I always hear about things about the state, so I mean, what is it about Virginia anyway?The 2004 wine-soaked comedy “Sideways” inspired people around the country to flock to their local markets to sip a glass of red or white. The movie, which was about two friends who tour California’s wine, spread vast enthusiasm for wine in general.
Despite all of its apparent successes, the movie also produced another side effect: It put a cork in sales of merlot.
In the movie, Paul Giamatti consistently puts down merlot, which he feels is simply a mediocre variety of wine, while hailing pinot noir as a much-preferred grape. In one scene, Giamatti and actor Thomas Haden Church begin to argue over this debate, which results in Giamatti enthusiastically responding, “No, if anyone orders merlot I’m leaving. I’m not drinking any fucking merlot!”
His abhorrence for the wine led manywine drinkers to think twice about the grape, leading to a sort of “fall from grace” for merlot with sales dropping in the United States.
Newly released wine documentary “Merlove” attempts to combat this “Sideways” effect by celebrating not only merlot wine but also encouraging viewers to embark on their own personal journey throughout the vast wine industry without being swayed by the influence of pop culture.
In the film, producer and director Rudolf McClain offers a glimpse into the wine industry through interviews and commentary from wine makers around the world. Professor John Boyer discovered the film while doing research for his Geography of Wine class. After he had watched the film, Boyer contacted and convinced McClain to come show the independent film in Blacksburg, predicting its success in a small town of big wine drinkers.
McClain agreed and will be flying in from Sonoma, Ca., for the screening as well as for a Q&A following the film. The event, which will be held at the Lyric, will also feature glasses of merlot for sale during and after the event. On his way to the airport, McClain took time to answer a few questions about the film and the event, as well as to pose a few of his own regarding our intrigue of the Old Dominion.
CT: What gave you an interest in filmmaking?
McCLAIN: I don’t know really. I got out of college and I had this horrible job. I sat myself down one day and asked what do I really want to do?
CT: And that lead to a documentary?
McCLAIN: I realized I wanted to make movies, and so I started writing screenplays for myself while I was working on other things.
CT: Have you made other films other than “Merlove?”
McCLAIN: This is the first film I’ve produced, but I have a few crazy shorts on my Web site that I did, famedwolf.com. The site has the trailer for “Merlove” and the shorts that I just got the guts to put up, they’re pretty crazy.
CT: What has been your reaction to the power of film and pop culture in general over people’s everyday decisions?
McCLAIN: It’s huge, especially with teenagers and young adults. Everyone is trying to fit in to some kind of group but also be their own person. It’s kind of like a “Let’s be independent together” kind of thing, know what I mean? It’s especially true with movies. With “Sideways,” I think it had so much of an effect because the wine scene is intimidating and scary for a lot of people to get into, so it really influenced people with that movie when they say this varietal is horrible.
CT: Can you give us a brief synopsis of the film “Merlove”?
McCLAIN: Well, it’s a documentary celebrating merlot wine in response to Sideways, but we also try to examine the general influence of pop culture. The last third of film is mostly an exploration of wine. There are literally thousands of varieties in the world, so it’s just encouraging people to get out of their comfort zone and experience, get out and try something new because that’s the most enjoyable part of wine and of life. If people are trying new things and exploring something like the effect of “Sideways” can’t happen again.
CT: What has been the reception so far?
McCLAIN: It’s been really great. When you get an audience together, especially people who are new to wine, they really have fun. I think it sets them at ease little more, and they feel comfortable exploring wine. Some people expecting an expose style documentary see it and wonder where all the grit and dirt is, but we didn’t want to fall into that tradition. We wanted to make a film that was fun and just celebrated wine. It’s not typical.
CT: How do you think it encourages people to explore wine on their own?
McCLAIN: A lot of the people in the movie — when you see them on paper in magazines and in the wine world — they seem really serious and intimidating. In the movie they are talking about merlot and wine in general in a way that almost gives permission to get out there in the world and enjoy, have fun. The whole culture is about enjoying the wine and discovering what you like, and having the right to say a wine is crap even if it’s expensive or has a high numeric rating. It makes it not so intimidating, which is refreshing.
CT: How do you feel about this Wednesday?
McCLAIN: I’m really excited. I saw John Boyer’s online interview about “Merlove” and it was really heartening to see that he completely got it. The whole thing about pop culture spinning out of control, how he tells his students to get out there and go try new wines for themselves. He totally gets it. To have him embrace the movie and to say, “Hey we can get a big crowd together,” it makes me excited to come out. Also, Boyer seems like the perfect person with great enthusiasm, which is good because I want to learn more about Virginia culturally. I feel like I always hear about things about the state, so I mean, what is it about Virginia anyway?