Sideways 

 

The single move line that destroyed the US Merlot industry.
Miles' infamous line, combined with an overflow of poor quality mass market Merlot, ruined the reputation of this grape so much that California vineyard owners ripped up Merlot vines and planted Pinot Noir and other grapes in their place. To add insult to this insanity, Miles didn't even hate Merlot. It was actually his favorite grape with his ex wife - "ex" the key word here. Ah ha! That's why he's not drinking any more f'ing Merlot! Sure enough, his most coveted bottle (a 1961 Château Cheval Blanc) is a famed wine from the Right Bank of Bordeaux, France and is made with - you guessed it - Merlot (and Cab Franc too).

We Paired it with 2018 Château Rozier Saint- Émilion Grand Cru

We had to grab you a Right Bank Bordeaux to pair. This one blends Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a small touch of Cabernet Sauvignon. A classic example from a classic region.
Grapes: Merlot · Cabernet Franc · touch of Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC, France
About: This Right Bank Bordeaux offers classic Merlot and Cab Franc red fruit notes, but on the backbone of dusty tannins, cedar and dried herbs. If you think Merlot is always simple and boring, Right Bank Bordeaux might make you think again. Hey, Miles loves it!
Tastes like: Red plum · Blackberry · Graphite · Vanilla
Good eats: Bacon-wrapped fillet · Pulled pork · Blue cheese burgers

Sour Grapes 

 

When real life is crazier than fiction.
Rudy Kurniawan knew enough to pull off the most epic wine fraud, but not enough to not get caught. Follow this tale and take an extra deep look at what's in your glass.

We paired it with a 2019 Virtue Cellars Sincerity Syrah

With no label to fake and a name like "Sincerity," we couldn't find a better pairing for this movie than this gorgeous, etched bottle of plush, yet full and robust, small-batch Syrah. 
Grapes: Syrah
Region: Wallula Vineyard. Horse Heaven Hills, WA
About: This is what they mean by plush or smooth. But under the soft tannins and dense, dark fruits, you'll find savory notes of Kalamata olive, tobacco and cedar. Whole cluster ferment of the Syrah grapes adds just enough stem-y bite to balance loads of rich fruit.
Tastes like: Boysenberry · Blackberry · Kalamata Olive · Tobacco · Cedar · Vanilla
Good eats: Smoked brisket · Sweet and spicy BBQ · Herb roasted mushrooms
Wow: 93pts Wine Enthusiast

 

A Fun Wine and Movie Snack 

Weird Enough to Work.

We grabbed a sophisticated traditional method sparkling rosé and paired it with our favorite movie snacks: popcorn and red licorice! The underlying toasty notes in the wine stand up to the heavily buttered popcorn, while the bubbly's bright red fruits seamlessly intertwine with the red candy. So strange yet so fine.

 

 

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