For those of us who found Paul Giamatti's advice in "Sideways" (Pinot, good; Merlot, bad) to be the ultimate in oenophilia, "Mondovino" is a real eye-opener. Filmmaker Jonathan Nossiter took three years and traveled to several continents to make this fascinating documentary about the effect globalization is having on small ancestral vineyards as well as its impact on less sophisticated palates that are becoming accustomed to wine that tastes like blackberry jam and can be opened before you get home from the grocery store. Read the full review
A documentary that examines the effects globalization and corporate marketing of vinters like Napa Valley's Mondavi family on smaller ancestral vineyards in Europe, many of them going back hundreds of years.
Director: Jonathan Nossiter
Starring: Michael Broadbent, Hubert de Montille, Aime Guibert, Jonathan Nossiter
Run time: 135 minutes
Release date: May 6, 2005
Rating: PG-13 for brief pin-up nudity.
On the web
Official movie site
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: B
"It quickly becomes clear 'Mondovino' is about more than the wine business. The points Nossiter makes — about the uneven struggle between those who care about the wine first and profits second versus those who find more art in marketing than growing grapes — can be applied to other endeavors. Like, oh, making movies."
