If there’s one thing that we can all agree is much better than tasting wine, it’s sitting down watching other people taste fake wine, am I right? No? Just me? Yeah, in fairness, when most people hear about “wine movies”, the first thoughts that come in their mind aren’t exactly the most entertaining ones, but I promise you that while there’s a lot of movies about wine that suck, there’s also quite a few which are pretty great! So why don’t we take a brief look at a few of my favorites? I’ll keep the descriptions brief because I don’t want to give away too much, but if any of them catch your eye, be sure to give them a watch! With that said, in no particular order, here are my three most beloved movies about wine!

1. Sideways

Oh, what an underrated classic this one is! “Sideways” tells the story of two middle-aged men, Miles (played by the always wonderful Paul Giamatti) and Jack (played by the equally wonderful Thomas Haden Church, who you may remember as the only good part of “Spider-Man 3”), who aren’t exactly happy with how their lives have turned out. Miles is divorced, unable to find joy in life and just basically existing without real purpose, and Jack, despite the fact that he’s about to get married, hides a whole lot of insecurities and issues behind his façade. As a form of bachelor’s party, the two of them go on a trip through California’s wine county, tasting various wines, getting into arguments about merlot, all the good stuff that any wine lover would enjoy. But the best part about “Sideways” is in the relationship between the characters. Jack and Miles complement each other perfectly, able to bring out the best, but also the worst, sides of each other. This isn’t just a great wine movie – it’s a great movie, period.

2. A Good Year

Unlike “Sideways”, which is a deep analysis of mid-life crisis and the human condition in general disguised as a buddy road trip comedy, “A Good Year” isn’t nearly that smart, but I’ll be damned if it’s not one of the best “feel-good” movies I’ve ever seen. It’s the type of film you’d put on after an exhausting day at work, to relax with a glass of wine without worrying too much about missing something, and knowing in your heart of hearts that despite what happens everything’s going to be okay in the end. The movie stars Superman’s dad himself, Russell Crowe, as a big-name bond trader with murky ethics who suddenly learns that the uncle who raised him passed away, leaving him as the sole beneficiary of his estate… Which includes a vineyard. Intending to whip the property into shape for a few days before reselling it and making a quick buck, this suit-and-tie businessman grows to learn that making wine isn’t actually as bad as he thought it was. If by the end of this movie you don’t feel like moving to the countryside, you don’t have a heart!

3. You Will Be My Son

This movie has my official honor and distinction of being the film with the most hilariously rude title ever, once put in its proper context – it’s not funny at all, but I still can’t help but chuckle a little when I think about it. “You Will Be My Son” is a French drama about a wine maker who’s trying to leave his business, his estate and his livelihood to his only son. The only problem is that said son is a disappointment, at least in his eyes, and the winemaker doesn’t consider him to be a worthy successor. The solution? Point to a random boy in the house (the steward’s child) and yell, you guessed it, “You will be my son!” Okay, I may have given you the wrong impression here, since this is anything but a comedic film – its core and heart revolves around the two boys (the real son and the chosen one), and how each copes with the situation that has been thrust upon them as tensions in the vineyard continue to rise. If you’re looking for something to tug on your heartstrings, this isn’t something you’d go wrong with.