Bottle Shock

Based on a true story, this movie is set in the mid 70's when France was unchallenged as the world's top wine producer. Alan Rickman is a British-born wine snob running a tiny wine shop in Paris who decides to put on a contest to attract customers. In the interest of appearing unbiased, he heads to California to pick up some competition, certain he won't find any. However, what he discovers among the rolling hills and bizarre people of the Napa Valley surprises him.

This movie is as unpolished as the 1970's California wine growers and just as vivacious. Californian wine is pitted against French wine, sons try to make their father's dreams come true, hippies bum a ride off a police officer after they run out of gas, and Alan Rickman provides just the sort of droll character we've come to expect from him. Nothing intellectual or sophisticated, this movie is best enjoyed with your shoes kicked off and a glass of wine in your hand.