Blood Of The Vines - You Dirty Rat

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌This week, our three films all star the great James Cagney. Wine pairings accompany each film, of course.

You know, Cagney never really said "You dirty rat" in a movie. He did call people dirty rats a few times, but that "You dirty rat - you killed my brother" quote we grew up hearing impressionists do on Ed Sullivan is a pop culture invention. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's just the kind of dirty rat I am.

Cagney paired with Humphrey Bogart in 1939's The Roaring Twenties. The script follows a trio of foxhole buddies through the Prohibition era. One is a lawyer, one is a bootlegger, and one is a cabbie. Well, at least one of them made an honest living.

The 1920s ruined a lot of honest guys, though. These pals started running booze to keep people wet during the dry years, which actually sounds honorable. If you're running liquor during Prohibition, you could do worse for yourself than hooking up with someone in the legal field and someone in transportation. 

Things don't end well for Cagney the gangster here. His character's epitaph is delivered by one who knew him well: "He used to be a big shot."

There is a boutique winery/wine bar in Woodinville, WA patterned after a 1920s speakeasy. Prohibition Cellars' Scarface Syrah comes from the Walla Walla Valley for $65. 

In the 1949 classic White Heat, Cagney is in the familiar territory of gangsterville. He tried to move away from the tough guy roles, but his career faded a bit and he, uh, bit the bullet, and went back to playing baddies. The tough guy in White Heat was really a mama's boy at heart, although a psychotic mama's boy. 

The trail of violence runs through a couple of prison sentences. After one of them, Cagney's character decides to get the band back together for some more robbing and killing and such. That was really all he knew how to do, even though he kept getting caught. His last opportunity goes by the wayside when he shoots the fuel tank on which he stands. Now, you can say that's a stupid move. But if you're a psycho gangster who wants to go out in a blaze of glory, that's probably your only move. "Made it, Ma! Top o' the world!" 

A white heat wine could be mulled Pinot Grigio, if you have no Ripple in the house. But for a wine pairing that befits the top of the world claim, let's look at Argentina's Bodega Fernando Dupont. That winery sits nearly 8,000 feet above sea level in the Andes, and it's in a valley. Oh, there's a tasting room there, too, and they say it has quite the view. The reds are blends of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. 

1961's One Two Three is set in West Berlin, before the wall between east and west was built. Cagney delivers a tour de force performance as a big wig with the Coca Cola Company. He is called upon by his boss in Atlanta to play host to the big guy's teenage, southern belle daughter. While vacationing in the Rhineland, she gets hitched to a card-carrying commie. Cagney's comic chops were never better, Horst Buchholtz turned in a stellar job as the Red Devil from the East, while Pamela Tiffin scored as the impressionable Lady Coke. 

The movie was loosely based on the 1939 Billy Wilder-penned film, Ninotchka, which lampooned the Soviet Union under Stalin. With the USSR still ripe for satire in the Cold War '60s, Wilder borrowed heavily from his previous work for One Two Three's framework.

Cagney reportedly hated co-star Buchholz and wished he had "knocked him on his ass" for stealing scenes. My wife chuckled at that. "That's rich coming from Cagney," she said, adding with a grin, "Maybe we should talk to Mae Clarke about it." Grapefruit for breakfast, anyone? Top o' the world!

They drink a lot of Coke in One Two Three, but when in Germany, drink Riesling. Blue Nun was a popular German wine back in the '60s, but I'm sure Jimmy Cagney wouldn't even wish that on Horst Buchholz. How about ordering a Spätburgunder? It's really a German Pinot Noir, but just saying the word puts me in mind of Cagney's "Schlemmer!" Rudolf Fürst is considered a "magician" with the grape, and his wines run in the $30 range. One: buy the movie! Two: buy the wine! Three: enjoy your evening! Go!

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Hail Minerality! Sicilian Wine Delivers

What's not to love about a good, savory white wine? Here's one I found at Trader Joe's. 

The Valenti Enrico IV 2024 is an Etna Bianco D.O.C. wine. Made from 100% Carricante grapes (check your Century Club list,) the wine was grown on the volcanic slopes of Sicily's Mount Etna. Alcohol sits at 12.5% abv and it sells, usually, for about $20 or less.

This wine has a greenish gold tint in the glass. The nose offers plenty of minerality, from wet sidewalk to limes. The palate is similarly blessed with savory salinity as well as a racy acidity. Notes of pear, stone fruit and Meyer lemon also appear, but are more subdued. The finish is quite long and tart. Pair with shrimp or crab, or simply enjoy a sip or two. It's a delicious wine. 

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A Most Interesting Red Wine From Bugey

The wine club to which I belong is run by a guy whose opinions I respect and whose tastes lie on the adventurous side of "what was that again?" He says, "Mondeuse is a wine that sits at the crossroads of gamay (fresh, rarely dense), cabernet franc (savory, earthy), and Rhône syrah (brambly), and I often also pick up a unique, nearly camphoraceous dimension that distinguishes it from any other grape." Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

The Quinard family has farmed in the Bugey region of France since the mid-19th century. In the 1970s they altered their focus specifically to grapes, leaving out all the other food and animal interests they had been associated with for more than a hundred years. Their organic certification came in 2009.

The Caveau Quinard Grand Hautins 2023 is made from the Mondeuse grape, which may send you scurrying to your Century Club notes. It is a unique grape, and not one to be taken lightly. Alcohol tips 13% and it is usually available for less than $25. 

This wine is a medium-dark ruby color in the glass. The nose is fully dark, showing plum, blackberry, sour cherry, and anise aromas. The palate is a shocker. I had never had a wine made from the Mondeuse grape, and I was taken aback. Those dark fruits are noticeable, but they appear alongside a massive minerality. The earthy tone of this wine takes no prisoners. I would say it's like a brawny Pinot Noir, but that description doesn't do it justice. Maybe a Pinot Noir blended with Syrah, except we know that never happens. Right? This wine is an experience, one for which you should brace yourself. 

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Blood Of The Vines - A Crock Of Crazies

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week, a trio of movies about people who operate way outside the norm. There are crazy wine pairings to go with each.

Maniac Cop is a 1988 slasher flick which the title gives away: a cop is the bad guy. That might have been a tougher sell thirty-eight years ago than it is today. Of course, "defund the zombie cops" might have turned into a thing even back then. If you didn't see Maniac Cop in the theaters, don't let it slip on social media. It wasn't a money-maker, but enough paying customers lined up that there were two sequels. I guess the writer-producer kept hoping the idea would catch on. Director William Lustig probably had his hopes up, too.

The cop in question was framed, sent to Sing Sing, then killed in the shower. But, you can't keep a bad cop down. He resurrected himself and came back for vengeance. With the setup, a stint in the graybar hotel, and a prison murder, it sounds like his kill list might have been rather lengthy. Not to worry. He's a maniac cop, remember. Killing comes easily to him. 

The prison doc who did his autopsy reveals that, at the time, the corpse showed signs of life. Well, there's a guy who's on the list with a bullet. "He may not have been quite dead" is a fairly weak alibi for doing an autopsy on a living person.

If you can't stand anymore, and I surely can't, let's drink. The Cordant Maniacal GSM is a Paso Robles blend of, well, Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Do we have to spell it out? It's a $25 trip into Rhone-style craziness. 

1972's Three on a Meathook offers the kind of entertainment you might expect from that title. If I told you three girls go to the lake for the weekend, would you expect them to be back at school on Monday? If I throw in mentions of car trouble, getting a ride with a stranger, and "He lives with his dad," would you feel like you just read the script? I know you would.

TFH legend Eli Roth goes on and on about the trailer for this movie. He describes how the trailer goes on and on while a serious voiceover goes on and on about nothing in particular, ending with the film's title. Roth points out that the film actually has three women on three different meathooks, which sounds like false advertising. It also sounds like a spoiler alert I should have mentioned earlier. But what are you expecting with Three on a Meathook? None on a meathook? Sorry if I spoiled the ending for you.

I had high hopes for wine pairings from a Brooklyn butcher known as Meat Hook. They suggested sake for roast beef. I suggest we keep looking. There's a cocktail called The Meat Hook, but we want wine, man, wine. Nothing goes with meathooks like a good Cabernet Sauvignon, so let's pop a cork. Smith and Hook's Paso Robles Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is just sitting there, waiting for a rib eye steak to come along. $50.

A good, old fashioned slasher movie, Maniac came from 1980, directed by William Lustig, formerly of the world of video porn. You get the opportunity to come up above ground, and this is what you make?

The villain in Maniac is a goofy looking guy who gets his jollies by murdering young women, scalping them, and adorning his mannequin collection with the bloody hairpieces. I understand the film now has a cult following. Of course it does, and what a great cult to join. The meetings must be buzzing with its members' favorite mutilation memories. Can I just jump to the wine pairing now? Thank you.

Orin Swift makes a California Chardonnay called Mannequin. The label even shows some, which have yet to be graced with a head of hair. Get yours for $48. Be careful when you cut off that foil cap. 

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French Grapes, Tuscan Soil, Italian Rosato

If you're looking for a special rosé wine, you may be looking in Provence, or California. But don't skip over Italy. There are some good pinks coming out of the country with the boot.

From the heart of Tuscany comes Campo di Sasso's Rissoa 2025. The Toscano Rosato I.G.T. wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Syrah, fermented in stainless steel, aged 30 days on the lees, and two months in the bottle. Alcohol sits at 13% abv and it sells for about $32.

This wine is a rich salmon color, with a nice clarity. The nose features cherries, strawberries, a hint of lemon and stone fruit, and a light minerality. Flavors of fruit dominate the palate. Cherry, pear, apricot, lemon, and tangerine all play together. There is a subtle salinity running through the sip. The medium finish is fruity and the acidity is fresh but not racy. I had it with shrimp scampi, and it worked out just fine. 

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Vermentino From Tuscany

Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi is the CEO and co-owner of Tenuta di Biserno and Tenuta Campo di Sasso, wineries on the coastal reaches of Bibbona in Tuscany. There, the microclimate balances warmth and maritime freshness. Ripeness is moderated, extraction kept light, and structure allowed to step aside for wines that feel expressive and uncontrived.

Two wonderful white wines, Occhione and Rissoa, reflect a nuanced expression of the estate, one that is expressive of their environment.

Occhione is a Vermentino wine, a grape for which I have quite a fondness. This Toscana I.G.T. wine is 100% Vermentino and was vinified and briefly aged in stainless steel tanks. It has alcohol restrained at 13% abv and a retail price of around $20. 

This wine colors up in a light straw tint, and it's a little cloudy. The nose offers minerals and various types of citrus aromas, like lime, orange, and lemon. A strong note of apricot and peach also appears. The palate has stone fruit, citrus, and a good streak of salinity. That savory edge lasts through the rather lengthy finish, while the acidity is brisk. This is a nice wine as an aperitif, but it also pairs well with a spicy shrimp dish. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Bingeing The Bard

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week, a trio of Shakespeare movies. You didn't know they had movies back then, did you? A wine pairing will be given for each.

From 1996, we have Looking for Richard. Al Pacino took his first turn as a director for this documentary. He plays himself and Richard III, and does both non-ironically. Filmed portions of Richard III are featured, alongside interviews with others who have thundered Shakespeare's words as they trod the boards. The Bard's enduring effect on pop culture is examined here. 

A homework assignment: try to work the phrase "hoist on his own petard" into everyday conversation. I know it's from Hamlet, but it's the best I can do in the winter of my discontent. 

A wine pairing! A wine pairing! My kingdom for a wine pairing! From Othello, we learned that "Good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used." Mark this: they say that Richard III drank liters of wine every day. They also say he was drowned in a barrel of Malmsey. True or not, here is the pairing. The Rare Wine Company makes a line of Madeira wines which are astoundingly good, if a little pricey. Their New York Malmsey is as good a pairing choice as any with Looking for Richard. $50. Try not to drown in it. 

The 1953 epic Julius Caesar gathered a handful of Oscar nominations, but only one win, for Best Art Direction. Marlon Brando was hailed for his role as Marc Antony, largely because he didn't mumble his lines or stand in the street yelling, "Stellaaaa!" That was, however, a helluva soliloquy.

Those ancient Romans loved their wines, and they were kinda snooty about it. They derided beer as being fit only for those living north of the Alps. I once poked fun at a Westsider by asking how long since he had been east of the 405. "You mean Lincoln!" was his proud reply. Planeta makes a wine even today which pleased Julius Caesar, a Sicilian Nero d'Avola/Nocera blend called Mamertino. It will probably cost you about 30 pieces of silver. 

In the 1935 version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Warner Brothers decided to take on Shakespeare. They did so with a cast including James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, and Olivia de Havilland in her first film. Reviews were mixed and the film cratered at the box office, but as rain wears the marble, so does time soften the critics' slings and arrows. 

The story features fairies, spritely royalty, passion, deception, mistaken identity, a love potion, and a bad play. Were the events of the night real, or were they just a dream? As the Bard said, dreamers often lie, and dreams are not to be trusted. No more than those who create them. 

You need not dream of California Dreams Chardonnay. It's affordable, found on the lowest shelf of the realm. To dream of drinking wine, they say, is to dream of joy and friendship. To dream, perchance, of broken wine bottles foretells excessive passion. Take yours from a vessel unbroken, or a shattered container, as you like it. 

 

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Orange Wine By The Liter At Trader Joe's

My wife recently laughed off my restaurant order of an orange wine with lunch. She said with a happy smile, "Orange? Is that for breakfast?" Well, it certainly could be, and if you want to swing that way I won't tell a soul. In fact, I'll join you. When the sommelier came around and asked how I liked it, I had to try to keep from gushing. But that was several orange wines ago.

This Côte Mas Orange 2025 is made by Paul Mas in France's Languedoc region. The Vin de France is composed of 55% Grenache Blanc, 25% Grenache Gris, and 20% Macabeo grapes. Alcohol sits at 13% abv and the liter bottle costs $10 at Trader Joe's. It's so good you'll be glad you're buying it by the liter.

This wine has a light orange color, owing to the skin contact with the white grapes from which it's made. The nose is almost all citrus, mainly tangerine and lemon, with some spice thrown in for good measure. The palate is a delight. Apricot, citrus, and a bit of fancy teabag flavors are in the mix. I notice the reviews for it are less than enthusiastic, but I'll stamp my foot in favor of it. 

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Orange Wine From Three Unlikely Grapes

Le Clot l'Origine produces Le Trouble Fait, a natural orange wine from Marc and Caroline Barriot in the Roussillon region of southern France. Labeled as a Vin de France, non-vintage effort, the wine was made from 30% Muscat of Alexandria grapes, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, and 40% Syrah. Alcohol sits at 12% abv and the retail price is about $25.

The name Le Trouble Fait translates to the troublemaker, or one who stirs up trouble. The grapes were organically and biodynamically farmed to create a wine which is suitable for vegans.

This wine is cloudy in appearance with a peach-like tint to it. The nose is complex, with notes of watermelon rind, pineapple, green apple, and citrus. The palate is savory and tart. There are flavors of sour cherry, apricot, Meyer lemon, and pineapple juice. A cloak of salinity wraps around the flavor package. This is one of the more interesting wines I've tasted lately. I don't know if it's for everyone, but it is for me. I would like to pair it with a shrimp salad or even have it with an eggs-and-sausage brunch. Breakfast, even, if you don't have to go to work. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Revenge: A Dish Served Cold

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 get vengeful, as we pair wines with movies about getting even.

Denmark produced Riders of Justice in 2020. In case you didn't think the Danes had a good sense of humor, this movie should dispel that notion. It's an action/comedy based on two sides trying to get back at each other. You may think it's rather bloody for a comedy, or you may think it's kinda funny for an action flick. Either way, justice will be served. 

A case of mistaken identity starts all the action. By the time the error is realized, how do we stop it? More killing. More killing is the answer. And then unwrap some Christmas presents. That's how we stop it.

The Danes have been making wine from grapes for less than 20 years, but they have a history of cherry wine and mead, which are pretty expensive. Given that, let's keep looking for a suitable wine pairing. Carmen Delanz Carménère results from a case of mistaken identity. Carménère was known in Chile as Merlot until some diligent wine scientists uncovered the masquerade. It's a $30 bottle. 

2018's Mandy stars Nicolas Cage. Guess who's getting revenge here? Certainly not the long-suffering folk who waited patiently for decades to see Cage cast as a lumberjack with a grudge. Where's my crossbow?

The film didn't make a lot of money, which is too bad, since that's one of the main reasons for making a movie in the first place. Oh, you can say you're all about the magic of cinema. But just wait until you've released a couple of stinkers and see how easy it is to get that art film made.

This revenge pic pits our lumberjack against a cult and members of a hellish biker gang who are hallucinating on LSD. The movie has attracted a cult following, which is no surprise since, y'know, Nicolas Cage, lumberjack, vengeance. 

The Count's Revenge references Buena Vista Winery's founder, Count Agoston Haraszthy. He died in a river full of crocodiles in Nicaragua in the 19th century, so it's only natural that his descendants want some retribution. However, they exact this by putting a golden crocodile on the bottle, which I don't see as any sort of worthwhile comeuppance for the killer reptiles. At $200 a bottle, maybe we're the ones who should get even. 

If you were old enough to go into a theater by yourself in 1955, you likely remember sitting in the icy air conditioning, soaking up the scares from Gill-man in Revenge of the Creature. Younger folks *ahem* will remember the Friday night Fear Theater presentations on TV, or the double features on the Saturday kiddie show at the movie house down the street. The former always featured homemade popcorn in a big bowl, while the latter always featured Raisinettes and M&Ms bouncing off our heads. 

Revenge of the Creature was surely one of the highlights of 1955, along with The Honeymooners and "Speedoo" by the Cadillacs. It was a three dimensional fright fest which also went under the names Return of the Creature, and for those who didn't get the connection, Return of the Creature from the Black Lagoon. You have to really spell it out for some people.

In Revenge, Gill-man has apparently recovered from the hail of bullets he suffered in the original film and is incarcerated in an oceanarium to be studied by scientists. They make the critical mistake of bringing in a beautiful female researcher, and Gill-man falls in lust again. He can't help it, he's a sucker for a pretty face. It's terror in the city this time around, as nobody wanted to go back to the Amazon to shoot this sequel. 

Look for a fresh-from-Central-Casting Clint Eastwood here, as a young scientist trying to explain why there's a missing rat in his labcoat pocket. "You were going to try and blame the cat. Well, weren't ya, punk?"

Here is the perfect wine for Gill-man: Gillman Vineyard Clairet. Okay, so there's no hyphen. Any other complaints before we move on? This blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot can run anywhere from $60 to $100.

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Wines For The Calorie Conscious

If you are watching the waistline, Mezzacorona Ventessa has low calorie wines that you may enjoy pairing with diet dishes. 

The 2025 Pinot Grigio is from the Vignetti delle Dolomiti IGT, in the Dolomite Mountains. The term ventessa is described as a delicate wind that blows through the Alpine vineyards. The grapes are sustainably farmed and the wine is vegan and gluten free. Alcohol for both the white and the rosé versions are very low, at 9% abv and they retail for $11. 

This white wine has a pale straw tint in the glass. It's very clear. The nose is fruity and floral, the way you expect a Pinot Grigio to smell. The palate shows stone fruit, hints of citrus, and a note of minerality. It's not terribly complex, but it is tasty. Pair it with salads, seafood, or just sip it. 

The 2025 Mezzacorona Ventessa Rosé is also made from Pinot Grigio, just with more skin contact for the pink color. It shows more red fruit notes, but stays pretty much in the same lane of the white wine.

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I'm A Hog For This Super Tuscan Blend

Super Tuscans are not my first choice when it comes to Italian wines. That does not mean I won't enjoy one now and then. The 2024 Tenuto de Biserno Insoglio del Cinghiale is a Toscana IGT wine made up of 45% Syrah grapes, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% other varieties.

The wine was fermented in steel tanks, then aged 40% in French oak barriques for at least four months, the remainder in steel. Tenuta de Biserno owner Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi  says the name "Insoglio" is a place where wild boars wallow in the Maremma region of Tuscany. Alcohol tips 13.5% abv and the wine sells for around $30. 

This wine is dark ruby in the glass. The nose shows black cherry, plum, and some spice. On the palate, fruit is forward with an earthy minerality following. The tannins are smooth, and the finish is long, with dark berries being the predominant flavor. I used this one for a pasta sauce, but it would also pair quite well with any beef or pork dish. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Fuller's Earth

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 are happy to feature three films from the late, great, Samuel Fuller. Unfortunately, I can claim no relation. We are happy to drink a toast to the man, with a wine pairing for each movie.

 Fuller wrote and directed The Big Red One in 1980. With Fuller directing and Lee Marvin starring, I'm sold already. It's a war picture taken from Fuller's own experiences in WWII. The Big Red One is the nickname of the 1st Infantry Division in which he served.

Fuller's tale was nearly three hours long, so United Artists, the distributor, took out the scissors and snipped it down to just under two hours. They did that without Fuller's consent, so imagine his surprise. After his death, the Reconstruction edit restored Fuller's sprawling vision. 

If you ask me, and demand a knee-jerk answer, I'd say I'm not a fan of war films. Then I would think of movies like M*A*S*H, Catch-22, Coming Home, and this one, and I'd have to revise my thinking. Hell, even White Christmas has a wartime setting and a dandy little tune about how much we love our commanding officer. 

Big Red opens with an American soldier in hand-to-hand combat with a German counterpart. He is told that the war is over, but he doesn't buy it. Later he finds out it was the truth. The story follows the soldier's bootsteps through the war and into a place where enemies turn into partners. 

The Fuller Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Vineyards is a good one, if you can find it. Sadly, winemaker Bill Fuller passed away last year. The 2023 vintage is what remains. It's a $100 bottle, but very scarce.

1963's Shock Corridor was also written and directed by Fuller, who produced it as well. The story is Samuel Fuller through and through. A journalist commits himself to a mental institution in order to solve a murder in the hospital. He's the original man on the inside. 

The movie's one-sheet promises "sights you’ve never seen before," and it's likely true. The nymphomaniac attack and the lover/sister act are about as lurid as it got in the early '60s. Some of the scenes come off like a Fuller fever dream.

The experience of pretending to be insane takes its toll on our intrepid newspaperman. He gets the killer to confess and writes his story, but it turns out to be a hollow victory. 

Bottle shock in wine is a temporary condition, but shock therapy can be the gift that keeps on taking away. The movie Bottle Shock was about wines from Chateau Montelena in Calistoga, so let's go there. You may think it's crazy to spend $200 on a bottle of wine. Shocking, I know. But Montelena's flagship Cab is a taste worth experiencing. 

Pickup on South Street is a Cold War classic, written and directed by Fuller. It's not an ad for an F-150 for sale in Cerritos. It's the story of a small-time hood who picks the wrong pocket and ends up with microfilm secrets intended for the Commies. Okay, Richard Widmark. You're in the spy business now. 

An earlier version of the script was titled Pickpocket, but Darryl Zanuck thought that sounded too European. I don't know why that makes me laugh, but it does. The movie drew criticism from none other than J. Edgar Hoover, who claimed he didn't like the film's politics. Maybe he just wanted a better look at Jean Peters' wardrobe.

Sans Liege Winery of Paso Robles makes a 100% Grenache called The Pickpocket. Aged for two years in French oak, we hope it doesn't taste too European for you. It's a $50 bottle.

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A Field Blend Wine From Vienna

If you are a fan of field blend wines, those featuring different grape varieties that were grown intermingled and fermented together, you'll enjoy a Gemischter Satz wine from Vienna. That's what Austrians call a field blend. The 2025 Natural Red from the Fuchs-Steinklammer estate is a great example. Here's what the importer has to say about the winery:

"In 1989 Kurt Fuchs of the northern 21st district and Helene Steinklammer of the southern 23rd district, married and merged their two wine estates. Together, they are the culmination of hundreds of years of winemaking with family history dating to 1697. Joining their two estates also created the only winery in Vienna that both owns and cultivates grapes from both the northernmost region of Vienna as well as the southernmost region, allowing their family to make a wide range of styles of Gemischter Satz." Their sons Stefan and Alexander now make the family's trademark juice.

This bottle comes from the estate's northern Bisamberg Vineyard, a field blend of red and white grapes all grown and harvested together, then co-fermented after the grapes were foot crushed. Alcohol tips a light 11% abv and the wine sells for about $30. 

This wine has a light red tint to it, a shade darker than a rosado. The nose is also rather light, quite muted. There is some raspberry, some minerality, a hint of citrus, but not much there at all, really. The palate shows a little better, with ripe red fruit and an earthy streak. The mouthfeel sits somewhere between a rosé and a red wine, not too light and not too full. It’s a pleasant sip, and will pair nicely with a pork or chicken dish. 

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From The Volcano With Funk

Nerina Cardile is, like her grapes, native of and rooted in Sicily. A psychologist by trade, Cardile turned in her bust of Freud for a tractor that fits between the rows of grapes.

Her 2024 Vulcanica is made from 85% Nerello Mascalese and 15% Nerello Cappuccio grapes. This red, and a white indigenous blend, are the only two wines she produces. It's made with spontaneous fermentation, unfiltered and unfined. Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and it sells for about $30.

This wine has a brick-red color to it, medium dark. The nose is quite savory. Let's be straight. It's kinda funky. Aromas of raspberry and plum are all but vanquished by the funk. Not that it's a bad thing. It's just a funk thing. Be ready. The palate lets a bit more of the fruit get loose, but you're not escaping the funk zone entirely. The savory experience pairs with an astringent acidity and medium firm tannins. This is what I think of as a country wine, one that packs a punch and doesn't worry about being pretty. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Big Adventures

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 enjoy three big adventures on film, and a wine pairing for each.

We'll open with Peewee's Big Adventure, from 1985, Tim Burton's debut in the feature film category. I was never a Paul Reubens fan, so I missed Big Adventure at the time and haven't seen it in the years since. I am a Tim Burton fan, but not even his graduation to Batman director could draw me into the world of Pee Wee. That won't stop me from toasting the film, though.

The adventure noted in the title is Pee Wee's quest to recover his stolen bicycle. Pee Wee's neighbor wants to buy the bike, Pee Wee won't sell, and the neighbor warns that he'll regret the move. Shades of My Mother the Car, with bad guy Avery Schreiber fixated on getting his hands on the car by hook or crook, mostly crook. 

There is a wine called Pee Wee. It’s a Nero d'Avola from Australia's Lino Ramble, in the McLaren Vale. Get your Pee Wee on for $30.

John Carpenter continued his fascination with Kurt Russell in 1986 with Big Trouble in Little China. Russell's truck driver character helps a friend recover his green-eyed fiancée after she was taken in San Francisco's Chinatown. His adventures have him underneath the city, where he meets a sorcerer, a magician, and delves into the world of martial arts. The big fight also contains some swell knife throwing, if you like that sort of thing.

Big Trouble kinda flopped at the movies, but it has maintained a legion of fans over the years.  Personally, I always want to hear Russell say, "The name's Plisskin," but I understand that sometimes we must move on.

Gerard Bertrand likes to putter around in his winery in the south of France, making delectable juice. His Trouble xp is a non-filtered, cloudy, organic, vegan wine. I know it sounds like I'm trying to talk you out of it, but it really is good. It's just $26 and it comes in three colors, red, white, and pink.

2008's Speed Racer is exactly what it sounds like. It's the movie version of the cartoon series of my childhood, which was very popular with my younger sister. It was probably popular with a lot of younger sisters. It had to be the introduction to anime for a gazillion kids, too, but I won't hold that against it. 

Half the cast of characters have Racer as part of their names, so it's nice that they use first names a lot. The Racer family runs Racer Motors, and scion Speed has gasoline flowing in his veins. 

Speed and all the other Racers (Racer X, Mom Racer, Pops Racer, etc.) delve into the dark world of racing corruption. A big corporation is fixing races, and those who care want to see that it stops. While we're at it, can we look into FIFA's red card corruption? That ref has got to go.

Emile Hirsch plays Speed, and you'll also enjoy Susan Sarandon as Mom Racer, John Goodman as Pops Racer, and Christina Ricci as Trixie, Speed's girlfriend. She's not a Racer. Yet. 

Adobe Road Winery has a line called The Racing Series. Owner Kevin Buckler married his passion for racing to his love of the grape. The wines - Redline, Shift, The 24 and Apex - are California-grown and sell from $50 to $80.

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An Alpine Red Wine From Northern Italy

White wines from the northern part of Italy are fantastic, but here is an Alpine red wine.

From Vigneti della Dolomiti IGT, in the Trentino-Alto Adige of northern Italy, the grapes for this wine are Schiava. They are also known as Trollinger or Vernatsch, depending on where you are at the time. Schiava grapes likely originated in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, as their growth has been recorded there since the 13th century. Alcohol hits a moderate 12% abv and it sells for less than $10 at Trader Joe's.

The 2024 Vola Schiava is light red, with a rusty tint to it. The nose has aromas of blackberries, plums, and blueberries, with a savory dash of earth. The palate is a fruity as you’d like, with strawberry, current, and licorice red rope flavors. The tannins are somewhat soft, which makes for a good sipping wine. Chill it for a hot summer day on the patio.

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Blood Of The Vines - Dragon Around

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week, a trio of films dabbling in dragons, to one extent or another. We also have some fire-breathing wine pairings for each.

Dragons Forever is a 1988 action/comedy martial arts movie from Hong Kong. It was directed by and starred Sammo Hung, which is one of the great names in the world, by the way. If I were named Sam, I would identify as Sammo in a Hong Kong minute. Jackie Chan also appears in the film.

The story centers on a fishery that is revealed to be the home office for a drug kingpin. The ruse was probably derailed when nobody complained about the smell. When I was a kid, we had a menhaden plant down the coast that stank to high heaven when the wind was right. We called it the fish factory, even though we knew there were no fish being produced there. 

The fishery sues a chemical company for polluting the water, the chemists send in a lawyer and his criminal buddies to try and dig up some dirt on the fish guys, and they discover the drug ring. Oh, and the drug kingpin is a martial arts expert. It had to happen. It would be a pretty dull courtroom drama if it didn't. 

No Shaoxing or Tiger bone wine for me, thanks. I would cook with Shaoxing, if I could find it anywhere. Let's pair a Washington state Riesling with Dragons Forever. Winemaker Charles Smith makes Kung Fu Girl, and it will pair well with all the Chinese takeout and Jackie Chan movies you can manage. It should run you about $12.

From 1961, Valley of the Dragons is a black-and-white sci-fi done on the cheap, just how we like our sci-fi. This flick is based on some Jules Verne material and was made from stock footage used in 1940's One Million B.C. In fact, TFH Chief Guru Joe Dante explains that Valley of the Dragons is "60-percent footage from other films, all of which are better than this one." Ed Wood must have been green with envy.

Two guys get swept from earth by a passing comet and deposited in what appears to be prehistoric time. I particularly like the dinosaurs, noted in the title as dragons. The one that's actually an armadillo is my super fave. 

The guys adapt quickly to their new surroundings and spend some time battling large insects that look like plush toys you might win at a county fair here on Earth. They also meet and fall in love with a couple of prehistoric cave babes. What with the easily defeatable bugs and the lusty ladies in this place, they decide to sit tight and wait for another comet to come around as their ticket home. Looking good, Hector. Feeling good, Denning. 

The wine made in Paso Robles at the Ancient Peaks Winery has the dust of another era on it. The oyster shells in the vineyards are remnants of a time when the land was a seabed. Their 2021 Whole Cluster Syrah is described as "out of this world." Fitting for a sci-fi. $60. 

Here's more comedic action from Hong Kong. Way of the Dragon came out in 1972, starring Bruce Lee. It was originally released in the US as Return of the Dragon. Oddly, Lee's next film was Enter the Dragon. That makes it sound like they were released out of order, but I don’t think that's the case. What does it matter, anyway? Bruce Lee is Bruce Lee.

Lee not only starred in but also directed this film. It was his first time in the director's chair, and he died not even a year after its release. Lee's character is in Rome, where he helps a restaurant owner who is being harassed by gangsters. Chuck Norris makes an appearance as a badass hired by the mob boss. The mob needed to hire a badass? A blond one? From Oklahoma? No. Norris fans can be satisfied that their hero offers no mercy and accepts none, either. 

Luigi Baudana makes a wine in the Langhe region of Italy that he calls Dragon. It's the symbol of courage, he explains, and that's what it took to design a field blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Nascetta, and Riesling. You can get it by bravely plunking down $25. 

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Gimme A Gavi

Rosa dell’Olmo is located in Piedmont. They produce Barbera d’Asti, Barbaresco, and Barolo wines, along with today’s feature, Gavi. Piedmont has produced wines since the 6th century, with modern styles emerging in the 19th century.

The Gavi wines are white, this one, the 2024 Rosa dell 'Olmo Gavi, is made solely from Cortese grapes. Alcohol sits at a restrained 12% abv and the price is $10 at Trader Joe's. 

This wine offers a nose that's floral, fruity, and full of minerals all at once. The pale straw color in the glass leads to a palate loaded with stone fruit and citrus minerality. The slight acidity makes for a nice, full mouthfeel. Steel fermentation gives a clean, brisk taste. Pair it with pasta primavera, salads, chicken, or fish.

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California Pinot Noir From Monterey County

California's Monterey County is thought to be a good region for Pinot Noir, with good reason. The weather is cool, just the way the grape likes it. The 2021 Talbott Pinot Noir is a good example of California Pinot. 

The grapes were grown in the Santa Lucia Highlands, the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, to be precise. This Talbott estate vineyard is located on the northeastern edge of the AVA. Alcohol sits at 14.9% abv and it sells for about $43.

This wine shows a medium ruby color in the glass. The nose displays aromas of plum, blackberry, and black tea. On the palate, black fruit dominates, there is a cola note and some traces of coffee in the sip. Big fruit with a savory side is no surprise in a California Pinot Noir and it delivers here. Minerals play a large role, while the tannins are medium firm with an astringent quality. The finish is long and savory.

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