Bottle Shock (2008)

The story of the early days of California wine making featuring the now infamous, blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as "Judgment of Paris".

Director:

Randall Miller

Writers:

Jody Savin (screenplay), Randall Miller (screenplay)

Stars:

Chris Pine, Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chris Pine	...	Bo Barrett
Hal B. Klein	...	Shenky
Alan Rickman	...	Steven Spurrier
Jean-Michel Richaud	...	Maitre d'
Dennis Farina	...	Maurice Cantavale
Bill Pullman	...	Jim Barrett
Kirk Baily	...	Loan Officer
Freddy Rodríguez	...	Gustavo Brambila (as Freddy Rodriguez)
Philippe Bergeron	...	Pierre Tari
Rachael Taylor	...	Sam Fulton
Louis Giambalvo	...	George Taber
Greg Collins	...	Trucker
Luis Saguar	...	Man #1 (as Louis Saguar)
James Hiser	...	Man #2
Geoff Callan	...	Man #3

Storyline

In 1976, Steven Spurrier, a sommelier in Paris, comes to the Napa Valley to take the best he can find to Paris for a blind taste test against French wine. He meets Jim Barrett, whose Chateau Montelena is mortgaged to the hilt as Jim perfects his chardonnay. There's strain in Jim's relations with his hippie son Bo and his foreman Gustavo, a Mexican farmworker's son secretly making his own wine. Plus, there's Sam, a UC Davis graduate student and free spirit, mutually attracted to both Gustavo and Bo. As Spurrier organizes the "Judgment of Paris," Jim doesn't want to participate while Bo knows it's their only chance. Barrett's chardonnay has buttery notes and a Smithsonian finish.

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Plot Keywords:

wine | overalls | flat tire | airport | blowing out a tire | 

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Taglines:

Based on a true story of love, victory and fermentation.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language, some sexual content and a scene of drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

5 September 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Borban az igazság

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$277,839, 10 August 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$4,040,588, 17 October 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shocking Bottle,Intellectual Properties Worldwide (I),Unclaimed Freight Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Montgomery Paulsen, who plays an uncredited role as the wine store patron, is a professional winemaker by trade.

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Goofs

In one scene, a CA license plate of the form "1 ABC 123" is shown, while such license plates weren't issued until 1980. In 1976, CA license plates had the form "123 ABC"

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bo Barrett: [voice-over during a vineyard pan] It wasn't always like this. Before Paris, people didn't drink our wine. I mean, my friends did. But you could hardly consider their palates discerning...
Bo Barrett: Hell, we were farmers... sort of...
[pan to empty bottles of Montelena label and several early twenties/late teens smoking hookah]

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Shock! Shock! Shock! (2013)

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Soundtracks

Drivin' Wheel
Written by 'Lonesome' Dave Peverett (as David Peverett) and Roderick Price
Performed by Foghat
Courtesy of Bearsville Records, Inc.
By Arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing

User Reviews

Bottle THIS!

Bottle it and take it home with you.

Savor it again and again. This is a stunningly beautiful film. It's just about perfect. My BF didn't think he'd be interested and found himself riveted.

Besides being a great script and incredible story, it's the total package, I loved the soundtrack, the cinematography was amazing, the edit, the timing, the cast, the scenery, the vistas, and OMG some of the most wonderful romantic and captivating locations.

I don't want to spoil it, but it'd be a mistake to compare this gentle masterpiece to Sideways. Nothing at all similar. We were captivated from the first minute. It is an incredibly inspiring, uplifting tale of human achievement - overcoming great odds... and manages to make some strong statements about us, and about our culture... without becoming syrupy or pedantic.

When you get the chance, don't turn away. Enjoy.