Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, Bill Pullman, Rachael Taylor Every performance is excellent.

I had no idea whether this story is true – Chateau Montelena was about to go under at the time it won first prize for its Chardonnay at the Judgment of Paris, 1976. The truth may have made a better story, but for the film these facts fit well.

The scenery (miles of vineyards) is authentic. Having bought, drank, aged in storage, and sold wine, the movie is a delight to see as much activity, enthusiasm and dedication to growing, crushing, aging, bottling and selling wine. Wine perfection is a slow process. This movie does not show all that time. The tasting in Paris took wine near the end of the aging stage into bottles, and tested one wine against another.

One point should not be overlooked, which the movie shows. Many French wines fit the delicacy and exquisiteness of France’s culinary output. The movie shows Americans make wine that go with hamburgers, fried chicken and guacamole.