The Auswine Forum

Really enjoyed this movie, in fact I had a great laugh on numerous occasions.

I know bugger all about California wines and their regions so didn't really know if the places and wines were real. I was speaking to someone who has just returned from a stint in the US industry and the majority of wines they mentioned and the bar they frequented "The Hitching Post" are all real.

I assume the hideous glitzy tourist cellar door where Miles skulled the spitoon isn't for real although there's probably plenty like it!

Loved it too. Loved lots of things about it. But what I loved most was that Miles HATED merlot, but adored, as his all time favourite wine, Cheval Blanc (as if the scriptwriter was cunningly implying that, in effect, Miles hated himself, because his most cherished wine has merlot in it).

J2.

my favorite moment in the movies are:
1) naked chase by the husbund...
2) "quaffable but not transendent"

good "buddy flick"

707 wrote:Really enjoyed this movie, in fact I had a great laugh on numerous occasions.

I know bugger all about California wines and their regions so didn't really know if the places and wines were real. I was speaking to someone who has just returned from a stint in the US industry and the majority of wines they mentioned and the bar they frequented "The Hitching Post" are all real.

I assume the hideous glitzy tourist cellar door where Miles skulled the spitoon isn't for real although there's probably plenty like it!

I believe that's Fess Parker, can't remember what it's called in the movie though. Apparently he's the actor that played Davie Crockett a billion years ago.

Steve

Glad you enjoyed the movie. You should get the DVD. Its even better when you watch it and enjoy a bottle of wine!

The winery is called the Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard but its called Frass Canyon in the movie. The Miles and Jack Trail (Sideways:The Map) has it and the other wineries marked. Things have gone a bit over board with Sideways. There are Sideways tours and Sideways wine clubs etc.

BTW Frass is insect droppings!

Mike

Mike, insect droppings, having a laugh at all that. Very clever ideas in this movie.

Bit scary though, I'm sure I'm not that old but I can remember both Davie Crockett and Daniel Boone very clearly, I've got both theme songs going in my head right now. I reckon Parker was Daniel Boone.

Ah the good old days of B&W TV and the innocence of childhood absorbing all that American pioneer stuff as gospel. A few recent documentaries I've seen on the same era about displacing the Indians throws a different light on it however.

Thanks for the links, I might have to follow the route when I visit the States, I might be a Pinot fan by then. I just hope that Maya didn't hit it off with Miles and is still available, very cute!

707 wrote:Thanks for the links, I might have to follow the route when I visit the States, I might be a Pinot fan by then. I just hope that Maya didn't hit it off with Miles and is still available, very cute!

Steve

Then you should get the DVD and listen to the Thomas Hayden Church (Jack) and Paul Giamatti (Miles) voice over during the movie. They both provide a very vocal appreciation of Virginia Madsen's (Maya) attributes!

Mike

KMP wrote:Then you should get the DVD and listen to the Thomas Hayden Church (Jack) and Paul Giamatti (Miles) voice over during the movie. They both provide a very vocal appreciation of Virginia Madsen's (Maya) attributes!

Mike

The DVD isn't released in Australia until 11 May 2005 so we'll have to be patient

Saw the movie on DVD at home. Surprisingly, my alcohol-allergic wife really liked the film, even though I started to get bored 20 minutes from the end. However, I too liked the film, particularly for the wine references and mannerisms (my wife thought I should have been paid royalties), although I thought it would have been better had it been 20-30 minutes shorter.

I thought I was a legend when I clicked that Merlot (the despised grape of the main character) was 50% of Cheval Blanc... then I "Googled" the movie for reviews in the US and once again I was shown to be quite ordinary.

All wine references were real.

Adair

707 wrote:Mike, insect droppings, having a laugh at all that. Very clever ideas in this movie.

Bit scary though, I'm sure I'm not that old but I can remember both Davie Crockett and Daniel Boone very clearly, I've got both theme songs going in my head right now. I reckon Parker was Daniel Boone.

Ah the good old days of B&W TV and the innocence of childhood absorbing all that American pioneer stuff as gospel. A few recent documentaries I've seen on the same era about displacing the Indians throws a different light on it however.

Thanks for the links, I might have to follow the route when I visit the States, I might be a Pinot fan by then. I just hope that Maya didn't hit it off with Miles and is still available, very cute!

Correct Steve...Fess Parker was Dan'l Boone, not Davy Crockett.

I also picked up on the Merlot/Cheval Blanc gaff....But I also think I recall that Miles' favourite bottle of CB was a 62 which I believe was a crap year!!

M.

Anonymous wrote:Correct Steve...Fess Parker was Dan'l Boone, not Davy Crockett.

I also picked up on the Merlot/Cheval Blanc gaff....But I also think I recall that Miles' favourite bottle of CB was a 62 which I believe was a crap year!!

M.

It was the 1961 - Clive Coates: 17.5 out of 20: Very good full colour. A touch dense on the nose. Rich, concentrated and ample though. On the palate a wine of amplitude, spicy, almost exotic animal/gamey fruit. Very good acidity. Fullish. Long. Vigorous. Fine plus. May, 1998.

Adair

Anonymous wrote:Correct Steve...Fess Parker was Dan'l Boone, not Davy Crockett.

M.

He actually played both. From his bio on the winery site

Parker began acting professionally in 1951 as a stage performer in the national company of Mister Roberts. In 1954, Walt Disney signed Parker to play the title role in Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.

In 1964 Parker began filming his network television series, Daniel Boone. During six years as one of the highest rated shows of its time, Parker not only starred in the series but co-produced it and directed five of its most popular episodes. Parker continued to star in numerous box office hits for Disney, Paramount and Warner Brothers' Studios, while laying the foundation for his second career as real estate developer.

Mike

KMP wrote:Then you should get the DVD and listen to the Thomas Hayden Church (Jack) and Paul Giamatti (Miles) voice over during the movie. They both provide a very vocal appreciation of Virginia Madsen's (Maya) attributes!

Myself, I find Sandra Oh (Stephanie) to be cuter, but the actors probably couldn't make too many fresh comments about her since she is married to the film's director, Alexander Payne!

Cheers, Staybaker.