Inside the Current Issue

Film Review: Mondovino Harlan D. Whatley Directed and written by Jonathon Nossiter, Mondovino (ThinkFilm - 35 minutes) is a documentary about the impact of globalization on the world's different wine regions. The opening scene is set in Brazil where workers are harvesting coconuts from palm trees. After this non-sequitur, the film bounces around the globe from California, Italy, Sardinia, France, Argentina and New York. Yes, wine is a global industry, with families like the Mondavis and Staglins in Napa Valley partnering with some of the oldest vintners in Italy and France to create a global branding and distribution of their wines. The amount of revenue generated by these big wine producers is often to the tune of several hundreds of millions of dollars; some are even publicly traded. Nossiter exposes how Robert Mondavi has elevated himself from businessman and winemaker to self-proclaimed "philosopher." In France we learn about the male dominated vineyard run by the de Montille family in Burgundy. In one scene, one of the sons, Etienne, chastises the workers for missing some of the premiere grapes during a picking, telling them "this is not a scene from a film." The daughter, Alix, works for a rival vineyard and compares her father, Hubert, to a good, burgundy wine: "he's a bit strong." Another, smaller winemaker, Aime Guibert, who refuses to partner with large wine producers like Mondavi, claims cynically in a Derrida-like moment that "Wine is dead. Let's be clear, wine is dead. And not just wine. Fruits. Cheeses..." Nossiter then takes us to Italy where two of the oldest wine families in Tuscany, the Antinoris and the Frescobaldis, discuss their view on globalization. The former sold their precious jewel of a vineyard, Ornellaia, to the Mondavi family for $56 million while the latter became the Mondavi's distribution and wine-making partner in Italy, raising the eyebrows of more than a few wine pundits. Despite the film's strong premise and interesting interviewees, its production quality is poor. Many of the scenes are shot in a shaky, hand held fashion. Often the shooter will focus on a worker in the background or a dog running around while in the midst of the interview. Perhaps the intent was comic relief, but to me it was tediously annoying. Mondovino is now available on DVD.

Wine on a Grad Student Budget Having lived in Manhattan for nearly sixteen years now, I find it harder and harder to purchase a decent bottle of wine for under ten bucks. But as a documentarian and a freelance journalist, it's my job to find things that fall into certain parameters - and if you're a CUNY graduate student, you're probably on a budget, so here is what I recommend: 2003 Domain Caton Pinot Noir (France) Ever since the Academy Award winning motion film Sideways, oenephiles and regular folks have gone Pinot crazy. Personally, I have been drinking Pinot Noirs, or what the French normally label as Bourgogne, for over ten years. But it is becoming more and more difficult to find a decent Pinot Noir for under twenty dollars, much less ten - especially in Manhattan. Recently, however, I stumbled across a very attractive looking label with an image of a French maison with a vineyard unknown to me. When I saw the $7.99 price tag, the rational side of my brain kicked in and said, "Buy it kid. At this price, what have you got to lose." Fortunately, my frugal Scottish genes were right. The color of the wine is a solid garnet red - frank and brilliant. The bouquet has a nose of a good intensity that evokes morello cherry, red fruits and fume notes. The taste is a full frontal attack and generous mouth. This wine has a beautiful tannic structure present that will keep itself a few years in cellar. My suggestion is to buy a few bottles for the semester and serve with anything from spaghetti and meatballs to a well-dressed burger. You can't go wrong with this wine at this price. 2004 Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc (California) So you're hosting a dinner party, perhaps after your graduate seminar's first paper was completed, and you want to serve both red and white to your guests. You now know what red to buy, but what to do about those needy blanco types? California Chardonnay is a big no-no, due to its harsh oakiness, so you spread your wine lover's wings with a nice, reliable and affordable Sauvignon Blanc. Woodridge is a Robert Mondavi vineyard, which means they not only put a lot of family pride and money into creating this crispy, fruity wine, but marketing it as well. The taste is more grassy and herbal with a hint of lemon, melon and pear. This is a great wine to pair with grilled fish and chicken, especially Asian and Mexican dishes. Another bargain basement bottle at $6.99 per bottle, which is less than what most Manhattan restaurants charge per glass. You can't go wrong with this Sauvignon Blanc.

Harlan D. Whatley received his MFA in Integrated Media Arts from Hunter College/CUNY, where he is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Film & Media Studies Department.