When I think about wine movies, one always floats to the top of my brain. The 2004 movie, Sideways.
I’m sure most of you have heard of it or seen it several times. I know I’ve watched it over and over again. I love the characters, their idiosyncrasies, and their obsession with wine…most specifically Pinot Noir. It has everything a wine-lover wants…wine (and lots of it), tasting rooms, vineyards, wineries, and wine lovers sharing their love of the grape.
The story centers around two forty-somethings: a depressed, unsuccessful writer, Miles, and his unemployed actor best friend, Jack. Jack is going to be married the following weekend and Miles is taking him on a golf/wine tasting road trip to Santa Barbara County wine country for some bro time. As they make their way along the wine route, they stop at tasting rooms and a restaurant in Buellton, CA where Miles is well known and has visited often on his previous trips. They meet Maya, a waitress, and Stephanie, a tasting room manager. They are both really into wine and as the movie unfolds, you come to realize (especially through Miles’ and Maya’s relationship) that the wine is central to not only the story, but their own personalities and relationships. The story is so well told through their experiences with wine. That’s why I love it. In fact, I loved it so much that I read the book and it’s two sequels (Vertical and Sideways 3 Chile) all by Rex Pickett. Sideways, at its heart, is more than just a romantic comedy, it’s a romantic wine tasting that draws you in and makes you feel. It’s wonderful and you definitely should grab a bottle of your favorite wine and watch it if you haven’t already.
In my travels along the wine routes in California, I decided to stop in Solvang and Buellton. These two towns were a large part of the movie, so I thought I’d see how similar they were to the scenes in the actual movie. Solvang is a very cute Danish town and looked exactly like in the movie. It was fun walking around, going to the tasting rooms in town, and checking out the Windmill Inn where the characters from the movie stayed. Along with the shops and fantastic wine selections in the downtown, the Solvang Restaurant makes something called aebleskivers. What’s an aebleskiver you ask? It’s like a Danish popover, a pastry that is served with raspberry jam and powdered sugar. They are to die for…just amazingly delicious! If you go to Solvang, definitely get some!
The other major place I wanted to check out was the Hitching Post restaurant in Buellton. So, one evening I pulled into the parking lot and went in. I didn’t want a table, I wanted to sit at the bar, take in the ambiance and taste their Pinot Noir. As I sat at the end of the bar observing the people enjoying their dinners and wine, I noticed a plaque on the wall. I walked over. It was a plaque memorializing the scenes that took place at the Hitching Post in the movie, Sideways. It was so cool to see that it was a special memory for this restaurant. I’m sure many, many fans of the movie over the years have done the same thing I was doing. I returned to my perch at the end of the bar and savored every drop of their delicious Pinot and pictured Miles and Jack at the other end of the bar.
So, my detour was a success! I got to re-live some of my favorite scenes in the movie. At the time, the movie really had an impact on wine and the wine industry. Miles loved Pinot Noir but there was a scene where he loudly voiced his dislike and disgust of Merlot. Because of this scene, Merlot sales dropped around 2% between the movie’s release in 2004 and 2008, while Pinot sales during that period rose 16%. It’s crazy what kind of impact a movie can have!
Sideways had a big impact on me personally, it helps me remember why I love wine so much.
Here are two my favorite scenes in the movie. Miles talking passionately about Pinot and Maya talking passionately about the life of wine. Perfection. Cheers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCS1Gnwbtp0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8P3kF2DHj4
I have such fond memories of this film.
I haven’t seen it years.
Their metaphor of wine for life is just so well acted. Hats off to the writer and actors.