Food ‘n Flix Bottle Shock Round-Up

Forgive my tardiness with posting the May Food ‘n Flix round-up.   You see, I’ve been at the lake for a full week with family.  It was glorious.   We boated and relaxed and caught up and relaxed.   I may post some photos at some point.  More to come.

Needless to say, we were quite busy with helping host and ferrying people around.   It was a great post-pandemic-much-needed family reunion!

But, as we have just returned home and unloaded vehicles, it’s time to pen this round-up.  Let’s jump right in….Bottle Shock is of the based-on-a-true story genre.   It tells the David and Goliath tale of the fledgling (at least on the world market) California wine industry circa 1976.   An entrepreneurial British wine snob wants to create a blind tasting between French and California wines, thus the “Judgement of Paris” takes place and puts Napa on the map.  (You can read the announcement post here.)  Granted, there was very little food featured in the film but I loved all the inspired-by posts.

Camilla (Culinary Adventures with Cam) had seen the film many times.  Although Bottle Shock is based on a true story, “it turns out that the movie makers used lots and lots of artistic license when it came to telling the story of how, in 1976, a bottle of Chardonnay from the Napa valley bested the French competitors in a blind tasting in France! From the stereotypical portrayals of snooty French to hippy Californians…and from the period vehicles to the dusty, undeveloped Napa valley landscapes” she found the film endearing.   Camilla didn’t splurge on a bottle of Chateau Montelena but did buy another Napa wine to pair with her delicious guac.  (Guacamole was one of the few foods seen on screen.)

Frog’s Leap Shale and Stone Chardonnay with Guacamole

Wendy (A Day in the Life on the Farm) did splurge on a bottle of Chateau Montelena.  She served it up with some seared scallops for an anniversary dinner.  “Let me tell you this was a very nice bottle of wine.  Was it worth twice the price of other Chardonnay’s I have had?  No.  But I did enjoy it and it paired very nicely with our scallops.”   

Amy’s Cooking Adventures also mashed up some delicious guacamole.  Even though Spurrier turns up his nose when offered guacamole as a pairing with chardonnay, Amy was intrigued.  “I, however, love both avocados and guacamole and was fascinated by this pairing, even though I almost exclusively drink red wines.  I found a white chardonnay labeled Perseverance (I like the red from the same label), and thought it was the perfect sentiment for the scrappiness of 70’s California wine makers…well, their movie counterparts, at least.”

Elizabeth (Literature and Limes) used Spurrier’s discovery of Kentucky Fried Chicken for inspiration.

I had to include this clip.

She writes:  “The scene I chose for my inspiration (and shown in the picture above) is when Steven Spurrier, a sommelier, driving through Napa Valley. There’s rows and rows of grapes abound. And he’s looking at a map, trying to get his footing. As he’s stopped looking at the map, he reaches over to his big red and white striped bucket of KFC. He pulls out a piece of fried chicken, inspects it, sniffs it, and eventually takes a bite that leaves a very satisfying crunch.”

Here are her Spicy Fried Chicken Fingers.

Terri from Our Good Life is back!    We had a few issues getting her included in this post but I rectified it a few days later.  Terri enjoyed the setting, the vibe, and the tunes from the film.   “The movie offered a lot of wine but not much in the way of food (there was a scene about Portuguese sardines and water crackers) although there was a fun wine tasting note: ‘I detect bacon fat laced with honey melon.’ Spurrier has his first guacamole and Kentucky Fried Chicken, which he seems to like.  Here’s a recipe I published on Grilled Pineapple Guacamole that was wonderful!”

(She also previewed a digitasting wine experience she has coming up.  Can’t wait to hear more about that.)

As the host, I had grandiose ideas of doing my own blind tasting and I also purchased a bottle of Chateau Montelena Chard, a bottle of Stag’s Leap Chard, and a bottle of Trader Joe’s “Two-Buck Chuck.”   I did not (and still have not) had time to pursue any sipping and comparing but please be assured that a post is coming soon!

Instead, I threw together a Grazing Board that works with whatever wine you have on hand.

Thanks for waiting patiently for this round-up.

Please note that the June Food ‘n Flix feature is The Pickle Recipe hosted by Culinary Adventures with Camilla.  You can read her announcement post here.