Wine Film Review - Blood into Wine

Blood into Wine is an intense film about a man’s passion to grow grapes and make wine in the unlikely northern Arizona region.  It is a profound look at wine as a driving factor in someone’s life and what it takes to plant a vineyard and run a winery.  I thought that it was witty, entertaining, and real.  Maynard James Kennan is such an interesting person and I would recommend this documentary to wine enthusiast of all levels.  The overall theme of satisfying individuals and not the masses (or wine critics for that matter) helps dispel the “nose in the air” stigma wine can sometimes have.  I think Maynard is the poster child for the complete opposite of a bunch of rich people sitting in a room sipping $5000 bottles of wine mentality.  He’s a rock star for goodness sakes.  I think that’s the most important message of the movie, that wine is for everyone.

The documentary follows Maynard through planting, harvesting, bottling, and releasing wine from his Arizona vineyard.  The plot includes visits from celebrities, wine critics, his partnership with wine maker Eric Glomski, a comedy duo show, and historian and spiritual culturist perspectives on the region.  A scene in the movie that really stands out to me is when he talked about bottling the wine he named after his mom.  That was particularly moving to me.  Another major component of the movie was incorporating the culture of Arizona into the process.  Maynard seemed very spiritual and he uses that when talking about his wine mission.  He really embraces the spirit of the region and appreciates the flavor and components it gives to his wines. 

http://www.azstronghold.com/

There are three main growing regions in Arizona.  The documentary takes place in the Verde Valley (north of Phoenix) region.  There are many different types of grapes grown in this region.  The graphic below shows the layout of one of Maynard’s joint ventures, Arizona Stronghold Vineyard.  Some of the larger blocks are for Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc.  The terrain is rocky and some of the rock was described as volcanic.  The vineyard in the film is built into the hill side.  The climate in the region is also decided to be quite suitable for growing grapes. 

Arizona is not the first place people think as a wine region.  This setting makes for the perfect exploration of why wine has such the stigma of being the drink for the rich, educated, and snobbish only.  This documentary shows how wine is moving into the cabinets of college students, rock stars, housewives, and millionaires alike.   There is literally a wine for everyone.  Saying you don’t like wine is like saying you don’t like food.  There’s so many different options and a range of flavors that cover every taste.  By highlighting how strange Maynard is, this film exemplifies the change in culture and attitude towards wine.

On top of the ideology themes throughout the movie, it also depicts the entire process from planting the grapes to selling the bottles of wine.  It talks about all of the processes involved and especially talks about the hardships involved.  It makes the process seem real and really depicts what it’s like to start a vineyard and winery.  It was eye opening to me because I had no idea it was so involved to plant the grapes and grow them.  I assumed all of the work was in the actual wine making process but growing the grapes has its own set of issues and challenges.  The movie also talked about the problems with the local government and how even if you can get your grapes to grow and keep away the wild boar, zoning issues and regulations could pose a bigger threat.    

Taking Geography of Wines has completely changed my view on wine.  If I hadn’t taken the class, I would have been much more shocked to see a rock star planting grapes in Arizona.  This class as really taught me that wine is for everyone and isn’t just about social status.  I feel like people outside of this class will be much more surprised by the setting and the owner.  I could also understand the process of wine making and some of the terms used because I learned them in class.        

I would absolutely recommend this movie to a “wine audience.”  I’m actually going to recommend my mom Netflix it because she is a wine enthusiast.  I really enjoyed watching the movie.  It brought a neat perspective on the wine business and conventions.  I think it’s important for a wine audience to see this movie because not only does it actually show the entire process, but it also depicts a nonconventional place and owner.  This movie could really open up eyes to the real business of wine making and the shift to inclusion for all wine drinkers.