Bottle Shock

“Remember back last summer when I bought a whole mess of DVD’s from a video store that was closing and I spent a couple months watching them all? Well, as far as rotating thru the movie wall for blog subjects, we’re back at those. Which brings us to the current pick, Bottle Shock. For me, the real shock of this movie is Chris Pine with hippie hair, but we’ll get there.

In this true story from the 70’s, a French wine connoisseur (played by the incomparable Alan Rickman) journeys to California to pick up a few bottles of wine for a blind taste test in Paris. Along the way, he encounters a family run shop owned by Bill Pullman and Chris Pine, that’s struggling to stay afloat. What happens next will shock you. Sorry, had to. Well the contest results were a bit of a shock to wine culture, but we won’t go there.

This is a delightful little dramedy that’s mostly been lost to obscurity. But finding it is like finding that special bottle of wine that’s just playful and perfect. Or so I’d imagine. My relationship with wine is the same as with most alcohol: put it in front of me and I’ll drink it, but don’t expect me to seek it out otherwise. This movie is worth seeking out though.”