MONDOVINO
Directed, Director of Photography & Edited by: Jonathan Nossiter.
Produced by: Jonathan Nossiter & Emmanuel Giraud.
Released by: THINKFilm.
Language: English, French, Italian, Portuguese & Spanish with English subtitles.
Country of Origin: USA/France. 131 min. Not Rated.
DVD Features: Commentary by Jonathan Nossiter. Additional scenes (50 min.): "Mondovino VI: QUO VADEMUS?" (Part 6 of a 10-part series). English subtitles.

A trained sommelier, filmmaker Jonathan Nossiter offers a fascinating global look at the people behind the Burgundies and Bordeaux we drink. From 77-year-old French winemaker Yvonne Hegoburu, who tends her 6.5 hectares of vineyards herself, to migrant grape pickers in California and slick French wine consultant Michel Rolland, Nossiter introduces viewers to the world of wine. He pits traditional wine producers in southern France and Italy against giants such as Robert Mondavi, owner of California’s Robert Mondavi Winery, a half-a-billion dollar a year business. Nossiter lingers in lush French vineyards, reclines in the back seat of Rolland’s Mercedes, and explores the international effects of wine critiques with critic Robert Parker. Some experts accuse Parker, whose nose is insured for $1 million, of spurring wine fraud across the world - allegedly winemakers eager to find their way into his reviews will alter the color and concentration of their wines.

If Sideways stimulated your interest in the drink, Mondovino’s multilingual worldwide tour will expand your understanding of the industry, opening your eyes to unknown issues and little known facts about the production and sale of wine. But it is also a documentary about its craft and future.

Nossiter makes wine personal through the details he captures. Close-ups reveal wrinkles in winemakers’ worn faces, and panning shots of the subjects at home and at work perhaps divulge more than words. In almost every scene, Nossiter films his subjects’ dogs; there’s a plethora of close-ups of boxers, bulldogs, and basset hounds who play, gnaw on stolen chunks of fine cheese, and gaze quizzically at the camera. At times funny and always informative, Mondovino offers both sides of the story, but moves viewers to root for the underdog. In one of the most touching moments, Antonio Cabezas, a self-professed uneducated Argentinean winemaker who earns only $60 a month, offers Nossiter a bottle of wine. He is the only one to do so in the entire film. Deborah Lynn Blumberg
March 23, 2005

DVD Extras: The director's commentary is simple, yet very informative as Nossiter begins by stating he will not speak much; he hopes his film "can stand on its own." Usually, he is correct in this assumption; his commentary adds facts or background knowledge only when needed. The bonus footage will be enjoyed by any viewer that appreciated Mondovino, as it is filmed in the same style and has the same strong emotional pull. Many of the characters return, and the most touching moment is where independent winemaker Michel Lafarge reappears with his wife, children and grandchildren. The family is seen embracing their struggles together while still being able to smile and laugh. For those who enjoy both the film and the bonus footage, the entire 10-part series will be available on DVD soon. (Mondovino is only the beginning.) Emily Genzlinger
August 10, 2005