Sideways – This well known film is about two men who are reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment.  So they decide to embark on a week long road trip through California’s wine country just before one is about to take the trip down the aisle.

Trumpeted as one of the best wine movies created, this movie created actual markets in the wine world.  The movie created the surge of Pinot Noir in the United States, while also giving negative exposure to the long loved Merlot.  In California, Merlot vines were ripped out of the ground in place of Pinot Noir.  Paul Giamatti puts on an epic performance, which should not be missed.

Poor yourself a glass of Merlot in honor of its decline.

A Good Year –  In this movie a British investment broker inherits his uncle’s chateau and vineyard in Provence, where he spent much of his childhood.  He discovers a new laid-back lifestyle as he tries to renovate the estate to be sold.

It isn’t Bordeaux or Burgundy, but it makes you want to own an estate in France.  With beautiful back drops and beautiful women, Russell Crow pulls off a believable billionaire that has found a life of simple luxury in his French Chateau.  Must be hard.

Cotes de Provence wine will make a nice pairing with this movie.

Bottle Shock – It’s the story of the early days of California wine making featuring the now infamous, Paris blind taste test of 1976 that has come to be known as “Judgment of Paris”.

This movie is a heart warming flick year round, but I find special favor around the 4th of July.  It makes you want to start singing about the great Red, White and Blue.  A surprising cast of Bill Pullman (Independence Day President), Alan Rickman (Professor Snape), and Chris Pine (Newest Star Trek Capt. Kirk) recreates the infamous 1976 victory of American wines over the French.  Truly putting the California region on the wine map.

Only two wines needed for the movie Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and Stag’s Leap Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

A Walk in the Clouds -Boy meets girl, girl meets boy.  The kicker is that she is already pregnant by another man and is embarking home to share this unwelcome news with her traditional, Italian father.  To deter her old man Keanu Reeves, who plays the boy, steps up to the plate as her pretend fiancé.   The vineyard that her father runs in beautiful wine country becomes the backdrop to where these two ultimately fall for one another. When their passion for each other is finally ignited and explodes, they realize they must overcome all odds to be together.

Cheesy, yes,  but a romantic comedy to entice a wife or girlfriend, yes.  The film was shot at 6 different vineyards in the Sonoma/Napa region.  The beauty of those shots will have you on orbitz.com booking a flight tomorrow.  So just get past Keanu Reeves in a love film and this one could have you dreaming of simpler days.

Wine Pairing: Go with a wine from Mount Veeder, this beautiful location produces some superb wines.