Wine from Here – Natural Wine in California
This documentary is about the budding natural wine movement in California.
Runtime: 60 mins
Released: 2011
Film Synopsis:
Each natural wine producer will have his own definition of “natural wine”, but most would rally in saying that they are dedicated to put the terroir on a pedestal. Through lively and in-depth interviews with natural wine producers in their own working environment, the vineyard and the winery, the film reveals the passion and the techniques that distinguish these natural wine producers from other wine producers, emphasizing the importance of organic and sustainable farming, the reliance on native yeasts during the fermentation of the grapes, and the restrained use of sulfur. Ultimately, “Wine From Here” captures the values of a new generation of wine drinkers who care about authenticity and the environment. The film is the story of this generation’s favorite winemakers who are today pioneering a new trend in California‘s wine industry.
Watch the film:
The Filmmakers:
Martin Carel
Adventurous by nature, Martin has traveled the world and lived in no less than five countries. During those years, he built up a multidisciplinary profile, combining international relations and software engineering. Back in Montreal, he helped launch several tech startups, but eventually took off for what turned out to be an audacious journey: making a documentary film on the budding natural wine movement in California. Which was also a great journey for his palate!
Matthieu Tanguay-Carel
Matt is a travel photographer-turned cameraman. He’s been carrying his camera and tripod all over California’s wine country to interview natural winemakers in their natural environs. Matt came to San Francisco by way of Germany where he worked as a software engineer. Like his brother Martin, Matt has a penchant for travel and sampling the local cuisines
Press:
Wine From Here is a really enjoyable film, beautifully shot and with a series of nicely chosen interviews that deliver a really engaging story of the winemakers, merchants and journalists who are hooked by the pursuit of authenticity in wine. They believe that great wines have a sense of place, and that California has some special places to grow wine grapes – although, up till now, most winemakers haven’t really caught this ‘somewhereness’ in their wines because of overmanipulation in the winery and an addiction to irrigation and sprays in the vineyard. Now it seems that there’s a real counterculture, and Wine From Here is the first film to explore it in depth. Jamie Goode, London-based wine journalist, book author and blogger
FEATURED WINEMAKERS
Chris Brockway, Broc Cellars
Darek Trowbridge, Old World Winery
Gideon Beinstock, Clos Saron
Hank Beckmeyer, La Clarine Farm
Jared Brandt, Donkey And Goat
Kevin Kelley, Natural Process Alliance
Mike Dashe, Dashe Cellars
Paul Draper, Ridge
Steve Edmunds, Edmunds St. John
Tony Coturri, Coturri Winer
FEATURED WINE EXPERTS
Alice Feiring, author and wine writer
Ian Becker, wine buyer at Arlequin Wine Merchant
Hardy Wallace, former merch man at the Natural Process Alliance
BLIND TASTING EXPERTS
Angela Osborne, winemaker at A Tribute to Grace Wine Company
Chris Deegan, wine director at Nopa Dagan Ministero, co-founder of Terroir Wine Bar
Hank Beckmeyer, vigneron at La Clarine Farm
Ian Becker, wine buyer at Arlequin Wine Merchant