Sweet Wine From Virginia Grapes

The Now And Zin Wine Country series started in 2011, with Virginia wine. In the dozen years since then I have sampled wines from 46 states. The last four - Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming - have proven to be tough nuts to crack, for a variety of reasons. There are fewer opportunities in those states and shipping restrictions, to name two. I'll press on to find wines from those states, but when I get a chance to revisit a previous stop, I'll jump at the chance. Especially when it is Virginia. 

The Old Dominion State has 291 wineries, by Wine America's count. That's good enough for 6th place in the winery count. As far as wine production goes, Virginia lags a little more behind, in eighth place. 

Rockbridge Vineyard and Brewery is in Raphine, VA, not far from Charlottesburg, Lynchburg and Appomattox, in the Shenandoah Valley. Winemaker Shep Rouse became interested in wine while in Germany. He has a Masters Degree in Oenology from UC Davis and has crafted wines in Germany, California and his home state of Virginia.

The 2019 Rockbridge V d'Or is an award-winning dessert wine, made in the style of ice wine from Vidal Blanc, Vignoles and Traminette grapes. Alcohol sits at 13.7% abv and it sells for $31 for the 375ml bottle.

This wine has a lovely, rich, copper color. The nose bursts forth with honeyed apricot and orange aromas, with a trace of caramel. The palate has medium viscosity and very lively acidity. The sweetness is not cloying, but balanced with a beautiful tartness. It is dessert all by itself, but it pairs wonderfully with other desserts or a cheese plate.

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Virginia Bubbles - Briedé Sparkling Cayuga White

The Now And Zin Wine Country series started in 2011, with Virginia wine. In the dozen years since then I have sampled wines from 46 states. The last four - Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming - have proven to be tough nuts to crack, for a variety of reasons. There are fewer opportunities in those states and shipping restrictions, to name two. I'll press on to find wines from those states, but when I get a chance to revisit a previous stop, I'll jump at the chance. Especially when it is Virginia. 

The Old Dominion State has 291 wineries, by Wine America's count. That's good enough for 6th place in the winery count. As far as wine production goes, Virginia lags a little more behind, in eighth place. 

Briedé Family Vineyards boasts a ton of awards won by their wines. They also have a menu featuring a ton of North American grapes, although they do utilize vinifera grapes mostly in blends. The price list looks a tad spendy to me, considering the grape varieties. I have tried only one of their wines, so I can't say whether the prices are justified. 

Located in Winchester, VA, Briedé occupies the 30-acre patch of land on which the family has lived for decades. They started their winery in 2013. The namesake sparkling wine is made from Shenandoah Valley Cayuga White grapes, carries alcohol at 11.6% abv and costs $57. They label the wine as Sparkling, but on their website they reference Champagnes, which it is not. It is, however, made in the same way traditional Champagnes are made. 

The 2020 Briedé Sparkling Winchester Brut has a yellow straw color with a huge helping of white foam, which dissipates quickly to a frizzante appearance. It is wild while it's there, though. The nose offers beautiful aromas of green apples and apricots under an overlay of yeasty toast. The palate has a boatload of acidity and yeasty flavors of apples, and pears. Fun and tasty, too. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Holiday Cheer

Pairing‌ ‌wine‌ ‌with‌ ‌movies!‌  ‌See‌ ‌the‌ ‌trailers‌ ‌and‌ ‌hear‌ ‌the‌ ‌fascinating‌ ‌commentary‌ ‌for‌ ‌these‌ ‌movies‌ ‌and‌ ‌many‌ ‌more‌ ‌at‌ ‌Trailers‌ ‌From‌ ‌Hell.‌ This week, we're working our streaming platforms as if they are pack animals. Christmas movie after Christmas movie after Christmas movie, only pausing for refills, bathroom breaks and an occasional viewing of Die Hard. We have wine pairings, too, so don't say we didn't give you anything for Christmas. Happy holidays!

The original film version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is from 1938. That's 85 years ago and, yes Virginia, there were movies then. With talking and everything. A Christmas Carol has been remade a number of times over the years, notably in 1951, with Alastair Sim in the lead role. Yes, Virginia, it was filmed in black and white. Colorized later, for your protection. Sim was a great Scrooge, but has there been a bad one? My fave? Jim Backus, from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. 

Dickens let Ebeneezer Scrooge's nephew Fred describe Port to Bob Cratchit: "It's wine, Bob.  A cheery, warming, goodly wine.  A wine that'll race through your veins with little torches.  It's port, Bob.  The fifth essence of the Christmas spirit." Well, way to bring it, Fred.

Quinta de la Rosa's vineyards are on the slopes above Portugal's Douro River, and the grapes are crushed by foot. Ruby Port is usually the least expensive of the many different styles of the wine. The de la Rosa Ruby Reserve Lot No. 601 tends to be slightly drier than the norm. The fruit flavors are bold, while the acidity rips and the tannins exert their will, with little torches. 

Christmas in Connecticut was released in 1945 to great success.  The end of the war left people hungry for a screwball comedy about food, romance and a hero returning home from the conflict.  Usually, characters who are far from home and dream of "a steak that thick" are marked for death.  But Dennis Morgan's wounded warrior escapes the worst and actually gets his meal, in the form of Barbara Stanwyck.  

Actually, he gets his meals from those around her who can cook. She provided the love interest, all-important in a holiday movie.

In addition to the seasonal setting, a sleigh ride adds to the holiday flavor.  Me, I've never even seen a real sleigh, but apparently back then, in Connecticut, they were left unattended outside barn dances, just there for the taking.  Understand that not only will you spend a Christmassy night in jail, but Grand Theft Sleigh is sure to land you on Santa's naughty list.

A wine from Connecticut would be fine here, but how about one which was made in a WWII-era airfield?  The Nutmeg State's Saltwater Farm Vineyard has a Cabernet Franc with enough fruit and spice to tempt Santa before he's finished assembling the kids' toys.

1940's The Shop Around the Corner is a wonderful movie, one of the best ever made about the holiday season. There is Christmas shopping, shopping for food for Christmas dinner, more Christmas shopping, talking about Christmas dinner, shopping again, and decorating the shop for Christmas. Isn't anyone going to put on a play showing us the real meaning of Christmas? Anyone? Charlie Brown? And how about some Christmas music instead of Ochi Chernye? "And look, the music box plays 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' when you open it!" 

Here it is in a nutshell: He can't stand her. She can't stand him. Then, they fall for each other anonymously. Swipe left in person, swipe right on the internet, which was called writing letters back then. It's the love story version of "Well, I guess there won't be a Christmas this year… but wait!"

Okay, so the store employees are a family unit like no other, the love that runs among them is the fabric of this movie and the fact that they literally save the life of their boss, the store owner… well, isn't that the kind of love that Christmas is all about?

If the shop around the corner from your home is a wine shop, that's good news wrapped in bad. The good news is, you can browse there any time you want. The bad news is, you'll go broke buying wine everyday. As long as we're going broke buying wine, let's buy the best. Hungary's Tokaji Aszu is generally regarded as the best dessert wine in the world. It is expensive, and it is worth it.

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Blood Of The Vines - Ryan O'Neal Week

Pairing‌ ‌wine‌ ‌with‌ ‌movies!‌  ‌See‌ ‌the‌ ‌trailers‌ ‌and‌ ‌hear‌ ‌the‌ ‌fascinating‌ ‌commentary‌ ‌for‌ ‌these‌ ‌movies‌ ‌and‌ ‌many‌ ‌more‌ ‌at‌ ‌Trailers‌ ‌From‌ ‌Hell.‌ This week, we remember another star who has left our galaxy. We will also pair some wines with his movies.

In the early 1970s, the National Lampoon Radio Hour skewered Ryan O'Neal with a bit about showtimes for the fictitious "The Ryan O’Neal Story." The Movie Phone voice rattled off the showtimes: "2:47, 2:49, 2:51, 2:53…" Of course, Mr. O'Neal was soon to add enough to his story to fill out a feature-length picture. 

I will stay away from taking cheap shots while making wine pairing suggestions for the films of a man who struggled with addiction. It is always a tough spot for me, especially when the actor had so much else to offer the world. 

O'Neal shot to stardom in 1970's Love Story, and he was a bona fide movie star by the time 1973's Paper Moon rolled around. As the song says, "It's only a paper moon…but it wouldn't be make-believe if you believed in me." That sentiment sits at the heart of the father-daughter buddy film. Tatum grabbed an Oscar for her portrayal of Addie, a feat which would elude her dad for the length of his career.

Director Peter Bogdanovich came up with the title for the movie, which was seen as a big improvement over the title of the novel from which the script was adapted, Addie Pray. Orson Welles reportedly liked the name so much that he advised Bogdanovich to release just the title, not the movie. That suggestion was said either in jest or after downing a couple of jugs of Paul Masson wine.

Paper Moon Vineyards is located near the shores of beautiful Lake Erie, in Vermilion, Ohio. Plan a visit there the next time you're in Cleveland. They do a Riesling if you're not in the mood for a North American grape variety. They also do mead and cider if you're not in the mood for wine. Surely, I jest. If Ohio grapes, apples or honey don't turn your crank, try a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir from Sonoma County's Valley of the Moon Winery.

Flash forward to 1987's Tough Guys Don't Dance for a look at over-description. It is billed these days as a crime mystery comedy-drama, which is a few too many moving parts for me. In the same way a clock-radio is usually a good clock or a good radio but not both, a movie title benefits from the fewest descriptors as to its style. For me, comedy-drama always conjures up the choice of inappropriate laughing or jokes that are not funny. 

My wife feels that O'Neal had the good fortune to be catapulted to fame in a big hit movie, Love Story, but the misfortune to have been saddled with one of the worst lines in the history of movies, "Love means never having to say you're sorry." As we all know, love means constantly having to say you're sorry. It is both literary and cinematic drivel, since the line was in the book and the movie. But O'Neal’s read of "Oh man, oh God" in Tough Guys will give that line a run for its money.

Washington winery Efesté produces Tough Guy wine, named for one of the younger family members who fought off leukemia. They intended for it to be a couple of barrels per vintage, but things, you know, got out of hand.

There was once a nice little restaurant on La Brea called What's Up D.O.C., which is one of the better wine puns to make it onto the top of a building. I doubt that Peter Bogdanovich or Bugs Bunny had Denominazione di Origine Controllata in mind when they used the phrase, but here we go.

What's Up Doc brightened movie screens in 1972 with O'Neal playing alongside Barbara Streisand. Bogdanovich went back to the O'Neal well for this screwball comedy which emulates the great comedy films of the 1930s and '40s. Aside from a sparkling script, co-written by Buck Henry, the film gives O'Neal the chance to say what he really thought about "Love means never having to say you’re sorry."

D.O.C. in Italian wine is a classification which endeavors to combine the region of production with a guarantee of quality. I like the great wines in the Primitivo di Manduria D.O.C. I especially like Felline's Sinfarosa. The label calls it a Zinfandel as well as a Primitivo because the vines grew from a cutting taken out of Ridge's Geyserville vineyard. 

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Wine Country Virginia - Bluestone Vineyard

The Now And Zin Wine Country series started in 2011, with Virginia wine. In the dozen years since then I have sampled wines from 46 states. The last four - Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming - have proven to be tough nuts to crack, for a variety of reasons. There are fewer opportunities in those states and shipping restrictions, to name two. I'll press on to find wines from those states, but when I get a chance to revisit a previous stop, I'll jump at the chance. Especially when it is Virginia. 

The Old Dominion State has 291 wineries, by Wine America's count. That's good enough for 6th place nationally in the winery count. As far as wine production goes, Virginia lags a little more behind, in eighth place. 

Bluestone Vineyard is in Bridgewater, VA, right in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley. Their name is derived from the type of limestone found in their soil. Bridgewater Crimson 2021 Virginia Red Wine is a Bordeaux-style blend of Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Alcohol rests easy at 13% abv and the retail price is just under $25.

This wine pours up purple in the glass and gives off a savory aroma package. The red fruit is heavily colored by a delicious earthiness. Oak is present, but not obvious. On the palate, there is brambly red fruit - cherries, plums, raspberries - and a fine set of tannins with zesty acidity. This is a fine food wine - I had mine with pumpkin pie - but also one that allows the sipper to ruminate on what is found there. 

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Great Grenache! CDP From Paso Robles

Halter Ranch Vineyard is located in the beautiful hills of western Paso Robles. The Santa Lucia mountain range is the backdrop to the 2700-acre estate. Only two hundred of those acres are devoted to organic grapes, 20 different varieties, as well as walnut and olive orchards. The rest is all Mother Nature, including oak woodland and wildlife corridors. Owner Hansjörg Wyss is described as a "Swiss entrepreneur, philanthropist, and world-leading land conservationist." Winemaker Kevin Sass spends a lot of time in the vineyard. He says that is where great wines begin. 

The 2020 Halter Ranch 2020 CDP is a blend of 70% Grenache grapes, 15% Syrah, 13% Mourvèdre and 2% Tannat. The CDP, of course, stands for Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Rhône region where Grenache blends rule. This wine, though, is definitely from California. 

92% of the wine was aged in neutral French oak barrels, while the remainder was aged in concrete tanks. Alcohol rests at 14.7% abv and the retail price of the wine is $55. 

The wine looks very dark in the glass. The nose is bold, with big cherry, raspberry and blueberry aromas. There are also notes of oak, but just trace amounts. A caramel aspect floats from the glass periodically. The palate is full of bold fruit and a passel of tannins, as my grandparents might have said, had they ever talked about tannins. The fruit dominates the flavor profile. The name on the label isn't too far off. You might think it is a CDP while sipping it. 

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Wine Country: Virginia - Jump Mountain Vineyard

The Now And Zin Wine Country series started in 2011, with Virginia wine. In the dozen years since then I have sampled wines from 46 states. The last four - Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming - have proven to be tough nuts to crack, for a variety of reasons. There are fewer opportunities in those states and shipping restrictions, to name two. I'll press on to find wines from those states, but when I get a chance to revisit a previous stop, I'll jump at the chance. Especially when it is Virginia. 

The Old Dominion State has 291 wineries, by Wine America's count. That's good enough for 6th place in the winery count. As far as wine production goes, Virginia lags a little farther behind, in eighth place. 

Jump Mountain Vineyard is in the unincorporated community of Rockbridge Baths, in the southwestern part of the Shenandoah Valley. They admit that the mountain they call Jump is really a sandstone knob, but it protects the estate which has soil and a microclimate that makes vinifera grapes want to grow. 

The 2019 Jump Mountain Vineyard Borderland Red Blend is from the Shenandoah Valley. The grapes are 50% Tannat, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc. They also grow Syrah, Grüner Veltliner and a handful of grapes with an Italian pedigree. Alcohol hits 13.5% abv and the retail price is $26. 

This wine is medium-dark in the glass. The nose provides plenty upon which to ruminate. There is red plum and raspberry abetted by a raft of spices: clove, nutmeg, allspice and anise among them. On the palate there is mainly raspberry and blueberry with enough oak spice to make things interesting but not enough to take over the show. Big tannins make the sip a bit raspy, but this wine is made for pairing with beef. 

The 2021 Jump Mountain Livia Italian Style Red Blend is made with an interesting array of Shenandoah Valley grapes. The blend is 60% Refosco, 20% Cabernet Franc, 15% Lagrein and 5% Sagrantino. Owners Mary Hughes and David Vermillion say the wine was named for Roman empress Livia Drusilla Augusta, who made public her love of the Refosco grape. Alcohol is a low 13% abv and the retail price is $26. 

This wine is a medium-dark garnet in color. Its nose suggests savory aspects of the red fruit which is present. There is a smokiness that hangs over the plum, cherry and raspberry aromas, with some oak spice thrown in for good measure. On the palate are big red fruit notes, but little of the oak influence detected on the sniff. It is a rustic wine, with tannins that lie waiting for a bolognese sauce or a plate of sausage and peppers.

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New Vintages From Sonoma-Cutrer: Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

From the heart of the Russian River Valley, Sonoma-Cutrer is celebrating the release of three new vintages of some of their most popular wines. Newly bottled are the 2022 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, the 2021 The Cutrer Chardonnay and the 2021 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. 

The celebration of new vintages come at a time when Sonoma-Cutrer is being acquired by Duckhorn for $400 million. Maybe they're popping the cork on some sparkling wine in addition to these wines. 

For the first time in its four-plus decade history, Sonoma-Cutrer features an all-female team led by their newest and first female Director of Winemaking Cara Morrison, and Senior Winemaker Zidanelia Arcidiacono. The team follows the company line of combining Burgundian tradition with Californian innovation, always making sure to respect the terroir and the people of Sonoma County.

The 2021 Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Valley Grower-Vintner Pinot Noir is 100% Pinot Noir, from the Owsley and Vine Hill vineyards. The grapes were tank fermented, then aged for eleven months in oak barrels, one third new, one third 1-year-old and one third two-years-old. The wine remained in oak for 11 months and rested in bottles for another six months. Alcohol sits at 14.3% abv and the retail price is $36.

This wine colors up a medium-dark ruby in the glass. It has a savory nose, while showing plenty of blackberry, black plum and black cherry. The oak spice is lovely, with clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise and a slight note of coffee. The palate is just as much a treat as is the nose. Dark fruit shows strongly, with a good acidity and tannic grip. It is not a brawny wine, but it is not too delicate, either. The finish lingers awhile and leaves a savory memory behind. 

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Blood Of The Vines - A Clambake Of Queens

Pairing‌ ‌wine‌ ‌with‌ ‌movies!‌  ‌See‌ ‌the‌ ‌trailers‌ ‌and‌ ‌hear‌ ‌the‌ ‌fascinating‌ ‌commentary‌ ‌for‌ ‌these‌ ‌movies‌ ‌and‌ ‌many‌ ‌more‌ ‌at‌ ‌Trailers‌ ‌From‌ ‌Hell.‌ This week, we screen three films with the word "queen" in the title while wondering where a clambake fits in. Oh, and we have wine pairings for each film. And maybe for the clambake, too.

Let's start with the top queen in the deck, Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. There was a British sparkling wine released for her 70th anniversary on the throne. It was a 2016 vintage blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, of which Her Highness was presumably quite fond. Not that the royal public information officer was at liberty to release any such information. Let's get to the movies.

Barbarian Queen is a 1985 action-packed film from Argentina. I've seen it referenced as a classic, so it must be so. It is also hiding in some places under a different title, Queen of the Naked Steel. The one sheet for Barbarian shows off plenty of naked and plenty of steel. Roger Corman went to Argentina in the 1980s and they wouldn't let him leave until he had made ten pictures. This is one of them.

The film is a sort of female version of Conan the Barbarian. A group of women set out for vengeance against marauders who attacked on the day of a wedding in the village. There is plenty of violence involved in their revenge, both by and against the ladies. As you might guess, several of the women are subjected to sexual assault and torture. This movie may have its legion of fans, but you won't find it screening at Wokefest2024.

Australian producer Fowles has a line called Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch. This collection of styles, from Pinot Gris to Shiraz, gives a gentlemanly tip of the hat to the female hunter/gatherers from the land down under. 

1951's The African Queen pairs Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn as a boat captain and a British missionary. Their trouble-plagued trip down a river in German East Africa would make Colonel Kurtz green with envy. The film earned Bogie his one and only Academy Award. No statue for Kate? How did that happen? Oh, Vivien Leigh won it for Streetcar Named Desire. Okay, I guess I'll let it go. It still doesn't seem right, though.

The steamboat which bears the name African Queen was reportedly once owned by actor Fess Parker. Parker's name is also on a Santa Barbara County winery. How convenient. 

Fess Parker Winery makes a Syrah from Rodney's Vineyard, their main estate plot. Just a suggestion, as they offer a lengthy line of wines which capture the terroir to near perfection. 

Zsa Zsa Gabor stars in 1958's Queen of Outer Space. The film is set waaay in the future (cue the theramin and zoom the camera in and out) in 1985! Yes, the year when mankind would travel to Venus, the female planet. What a disappointment to get there and find that it is ruled by a cruel dictatrix. That's not Zsa Zsa, by the way. 

There is little to no surprise in finding out that it all works out well in the end. Zsa Zsa's character even gets a nice promotion, from beautiful tour guide to… well, I'll not spoil it for you, except to say that the tiara fits her to a T. 

Zsa Zsa reportedly taste-tested some California wines on The Tonight Show in the late 1960s, and found them to her liking. Did she single handedly catapult Napa Valley to wine world dominance with her blessing? More likely that credit goes to the Judgment of Paris, but it's nice to know that Zsa Zsa was on the right side of history. 

Hahndorf Hills Winery of Australia's Adelaide Hills region makes a Zsa Zsa Zweigelt. They say they were the first to grow the German grape in Australia, so they must know what they're doing. Do they know that Zsa Zsa was Hungarian? Who cares? How often do you get a chance to drink a Zweigelt wine?

If you are intent on having a clambake, or any sort of party-oriented meal featuring shellfish, try a Muscadet. The Loire Valley bottling is sometimes labeled as Melon de Bourgogne, even though it is not from Burgundy and has nothing to do with melons. You'll be pleased with it as a crisp accompaniment to a clambake, crabwalk, lobster party or crawfish boil. Well, actually, have a beer with the crawfish.  

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New Vintages From Sonoma-Cutrer: The Cutrer Chardonnay

From the heart of the Russian River Valley, Sonoma-Cutrer is celebrating the release of three new vintages of some of their most popular wines. Newly bottled are the 2022 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, the 2021 The Cutrer Chardonnay and the 2021 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. 

The celebration of new vintages come at a time when Sonoma-Cutrer is being acquired by Duckhorn for $400 million. Maybe they’re popping the cork on some sparkling wine in addition to these wines. 

For the first time in its four-plus decade history, Sonoma-Cutrer features an all-female team led by their newest and first female Director of Winemaking Cara Morrison, and Senior Winemaker Zidanelia Arcidiacono. The team follows the company line of combining Burgundian tradition with Californian innovation, always making sure to respect the terroir and the people of Sonoma County.

The Sonoma-Cutrer The Cutrer Chardonnay shows a pale yellow color in the glass. The nose is heavily laced with oak spice, vanilla and butter on top of the beautiful citrus, peach and pear display. On the palate, the fruit is rich and ripe while the oak is also quite pronounced. I lean towards oakier Chardonnays over the holidays, for some reason. This one hits me just right in that respect while bringing a zingy acidity to the full mouthfeel. It is gorgeous. 

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Bubbles From Halter Ranch In Paso Robles

Halter Ranch Vineyard is located in the beautiful hills of western Paso Robles. The Santa Lucia mountain range is the backdrop to the 2700-acre estate. Only two hundred of those acres are devoted to organic grapes, 20 different varieties, as well as walnut and olive orchards. The rest is all Mother Nature, including oak woodland and wildlife corridors. Owner Hansjörg Wyss is described as a "Swiss entrepreneur, philanthropist, and world-leading land conservationist." Winemaker Kevin Sass spends a lot of time in the vineyard. He says that is where great wines begin. 

The Halter Ranch Libelle Sparkling Picpoul Blanc 2020 is made from estate grapes, grown right there in Paso Robles' Adelaida District. The wine is made like Champagne, 100% Méthode Champenoise, where the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle to create natural carbonation. Alcohol is a low 11% abv and the retail price is $85. 

This wine is straw colored, but it pours up with plenty of white, frothy bubbles. They dissipate quickly, however, leaving what looks like a frizzante white wine. Citrus and minerals dominate the nose, but a pretty, floral note peeks through as well. The longer I smell it, the more the citrus fruit comes forward. The palate is juicy and refreshing, with a bracing acidity to match the lemon, lime and grapefruit flavors. Nutty notes play into the flavor package, too. This is the first sparkling Picpoul I've had, or even heard about. I'm impressed. It is fun, but not frivolous.

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Blood Of The Vines - Hollywood Babylon

Pairing‌ ‌wine‌ ‌with‌ ‌movies!‌  ‌See‌ ‌the‌ ‌trailers‌ ‌and‌ ‌hear‌ ‌the‌ ‌fascinating‌ ‌commentary‌ ‌for‌ ‌these‌ ‌movies‌ ‌and‌ ‌many‌ ‌more‌ ‌at‌ ‌Trailers‌ ‌From‌ ‌Hell.‌ This week, we have a trio of movies that expose the soft underbelly of Tinseltown, our own private Hollywood Babylon. And what Babylon would be complete without a wine to go with it? We suggest pairings for each of these films. 

Blake Edwards earned a place in my heart with his 1981 film, S.O.B. I believe it has brought me as much laughter as Blazing Saddles or Fargo, or One, Two Three, which is saying a lot. The movie pokes deliciously dark fun at the workings of Hollywood. There is the director, who goes nuts while making a movie. There is the studio, which wants to salvage what they see as a flop coming down the road. There is the editor, who can't wait to take his scissors to the film. There is the doctor, who, well, opens the next fifth of vodka. 

Robert Preston is a revelation in S.O.B. My history with doctors is checkered. Dr. Whitepockets never wrote a prescription. He just pulled a sample pack of pills from his labcoat and handed it to me. Dr. Insult never saw an infirmity that didn't make him laugh. His hallmark line: "Yeah, it sucks getting old." Dr. Dental finagled insurance companies like a body shop owner. They were practically paying me when he was through with them. But Preston, as Dr. Irving Finegarten, delivers a career performance and steals nearly all the best lines in the script. 

Oh, right, like some desperate winemaker would dare to slap the letters S, O and B on their wine label. Wait a minute. There happens to be one right here. SOB is a kosher wine from Israeli winemaker Ya'acov Oryah. He blended Carignan, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Grenache grapes into a wine which, he must have felt, could only be described by those three letters. Maybe they mean something else in Israeli. Anyway, it’s a $60 bottle. Standard Operational Business.

The 1950 classic, Sunset Boulevard, shows us how cruel Tinseltown can be. Fading silent star Norma Desmond lived in the fantasy that she was still the greatest movie star of them all. She hired people to tell her that she was still all that and a tub of popcorn. Her world view was summed up with, "No one ever leaves a star. That's what makes one a star." If you leave the wrong star, you could end up face down in the swimming pool. Warren Zevon wrote about Hollywood. "Heaven help the one who leaves."

Norma Desmond would accept nothing less than a good Champagne for her good times. When she’s ready for her close-up, she’ll take a bottle of Moet AND a bottle of Chandon, thank you kindly. The Imperial will do, if you have nothing better. 

From 2019 we have Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. You know it's a fairytale from the title, so there is little surprise that one of the more tragic events of Hollywood history gets rewritten for a happy ending. Not to spoil, but the baddies get theirs in true Tarantino fashion, with one going out in a real blaze of glory. 

I would like to have known TV Bounty Hunter Rick Dalton. He seems like he would have been a great guy to have a beer with, even if the "beer don't need no buddy." His pal, driver and body man Cliff Booth, I'm not so sure about. He seems like a guy on whose good side you want to stay. I don't think I would go spear fishing with him. 

There is a fair amount of drinking in this movie. For the pairing, Rick will have a Whiskey Sour and Cliff will down a Bloody Mary. But a wine pairing for Once Upon is a tough call. The film was set a few years before Napa Valley found its way onto the world wine map, and there was still something called California Burgundy. But maybe Rick picked up a Barolo or Chianti while he was off doing Spaghetti Westerns and brought some home on the spacious jet airliner. 1969 vintages will run upwards of $150. Or, you could just make a blender of frozen margaritas. It's a long movie. 

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