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Wine has been a focus of world filmmakers since the early days of cinema. After all: wine, popcorn, and a good movie makes for a great time, any day or night of the week. While many people know of the wine movie Sideways, which debuted over 20 years ago, there is a whole library of films and documentaries about wine worth exploring.
“Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out.”
– Martin Scorsese
Whether you’re looking to be educated or purely entertained, here is our 2025 list of wine-focused movies to queue up for your next movie night, along with some suggestions on which bottles to pair them with.
This movie follows an aspiring Master Sommelier from Memphis, TN and all the hiccups he encounters while pursuing his dream. The story is loosely based on the life of DLynn Proctor, who many of you may remember from the movie SOMM (also on the list of wine movies to watch).
Wine to try: Fantesca, Russian River Chardonnay (Sonoma County)
An instant classic that earned lots of Oscar buzz, this comedy-drama tells the tale of two friends touring the vineyards of Santa Barbara, and the misadventures, romances, and bonding that ensue. Read more here.
Wine to try: WALT, Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County)
SOMM is a documentary that follows four wine professionals attempting to get certified as Master Sommeliers, an honor that has only been bestowed on 269 people around the world in the past four decades.
Wine to try: Beringer, Private Reserve Chardonnay (Napa Valley)
This entertaining film is based upon the real-life event that helped California become recognized as a true player in the wine world. In it, a father-and-son team fight to beat French competitors in the international tasting contest of 1976, known as the Judgment of Paris, and turn the wine world on its ear.
Psst: we’ve got the scoop on Bottle Shock’s fact versus fiction.
Wine to try: Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
Set in the always-scenic locale of Napa Valley in the years right after World War II, this movie entangles a returning soldier (played by a young Keanu Reeves), an unwed pregnant woman, and her overbearing father.
Wine to try: Mount Veeder Winery, Merlot (Napa Valley)
Light-hearted and hilarious, this documentary (hosted by British comedian and Monty Python alumnus John Cleese) doubles as a brilliant introduction to the world of wine.
Wine to try: Duckhorn, Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley)
Movie buffs and wine lovers alike won’t want to miss a visit to Sonoma County’s Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Founded by the iconic film director, this winery lets people explore fine wine and incredible movies, with memorabilia from such hits as The Godfather, Dracula, and The Outsiders. Explore Now
This funny and slightly bizarre tale revolves around a wine salesman from Yakima who finds out his wife is cheating on him. He strikes up a friendship with the other man, and goes on a giddy cross-country adventure.
Wine to try: Kana Winery, Tempranillo (Yakima Valley)
A beautifully shot romantic comedy about a hard-driving investment banker, played by Russell Crowe in his heyday, who inherits a French vineyard and is enchanted by a young Marion Cotillard.
Wine to try: Chateau La Canorgue, Rosé (Provence, France)
This sweeping war movie is about Italian townspeople hiding a million bottles of wine from the Nazis during World War II. The film features fantastic shots of the sunny Italian countryside that will transport you without the plane ticket.
Wine to try: Minardi Frascati, Frascati Superiore (Italy)
A great journey into magical realism, this tale follows the quest of a French peasant attempting to become a master winemaker in the 1800s. He gets some help from angels along the way.
Wine to try: Vignobles Lacheteau, Chinon Cabernet Franc (Loire Valley, France)
A French winemaker’s strained relationship with his son reaches a breaking point when he offers the son of his dying estate manager a partnership in the winery.
Wine to try: Chateau Laroque, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (Bordeaux, France)
A neo-noir thriller about a philandering husband and wine merchant (played by Jack Nicholson), Blood and Wine details the protagonist’s plan to steal a valuable diamond necklace from one of his clients.
Wine to try: PEJU, The Beginning Petit Verdot (Napa Valley)
This French romantic-comedy is a poignant film about a French vineyard owner and widow who finds love again, both for wine and for life.
Wine to try: Chateau Leoube, Rouge (Provence, France)
Kevin Kline plays the charismatic son of French winemakers in this ‘90s classic. It’s a love story revolving around the ever-charming Meg Ryan, wine, and the romance of Paris.
Wine to try: JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset, French Kiss Sparkling Wine (Beaujolais, France)
An intrigue-packed melodrama set in the early days of California wine culture, this movie is recommended for its fascinating look at how the American wine industry survived Prohibition in the early 20th century.
Wine to try: Beaulieu Vineyard, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
An untraditional sequel to SOMM that is more of a spiritual continuation than a direct follow-up, this documentary provides viewers with intimate access to the insights of some of the most acclaimed sommeliers around the globe.
Wine to try: Trimbach, Riesling (Alsace, France)
Wine is now a worldwide obsession, and this documentary explores how globalization and international capitalism is affecting the art and craft of wine.
Wine to try: Robert Mondavi, The Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
A lavish and fascinating documentary about China’s growing thirst for Bordeaux, and the giant untapped market that could easily change the face of the industry.
Wine to try: Chateau Lafitte, Grand Vin de Bordeaux (Bordeaux, France)
This documentary about a young wine savant who cons the rich out of millions of dollars by selling counterfeit wine at auction takes a slightly humorous approach. You don’t have to be a wine enthusiast to find it interesting, shocking, and entertaining.
Wine to try: Domaine Ponsot, Morey Saint-Denis Villages (Burgundy, France)
Maynard James Keenan of the band Tool leads a double life: this film tracks his appreciation of music and of his other passion: winemaking.
Wine to try: Caduceus, Petite Sirah/Malvasia (Arizona)
This documentary film, set in the Langhe hills of Italy, tells the story of a group of winemakers who made Barolo become one of the most famous wines in the world.
Wine to try: Round Pond, Rosato Nebbiolo (Napa Valley)
The winemaking process is chronicled throughout a whole year in this documentary, which examines the work of several winemakers in the celebrated French wine region of Burgundy.
Wine to try: Domaine Borgeot, Bourgogne (Burgundy, France)
Merlot, once deemed unsophisticated by the wine elite, is proving it is worthy of recognition. In the wake of the Sideways Merlot-bashing epidemic, this doc featuring an animated bottle of Merlot offers an insightful look into the inner workings of the industry.
Wine to try: Markham Vineyards, Merlot (Napa Valley)
Part of a documentary trilogy by the director David Kennard (that also includes A Year in Burgundy and A Year in Port), this film captures how the world’s favorite bubbly beverage, Champagne, is created through a year.
Wine to try: Bollinger, Brut (Champagne, France)
Don’t let the bubbles fool you—although these two bubbly beverages are delightfully effervescent, there are some significant differences. We’re diving into the grapes, production techniques, and styles that make these two stand out. Learn More
An engaging documentary about the explosive popularity of Argentine Malbec, this film also spells out how wine has become a force in South American pop culture.
Wine to try: Pine Ridge Vineyards, Malbec (Napa Valley)
This true story follows three Italian winemakers and chefs who are attempting to stop the industrialization of their beloved hometown of Langhe.
Wine to try: Silvio Grasso, Langhe Nebbiolo (Langhe, Italy)
Jason Wise has done it again with his third installment of SOMM, this time gathering three of the greatest legends in wine to drink rare bottlings and share what got them hooked on wine.
Wine to try: Domaine de la Cote, Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara County)
This inspiring film follows an unlikely team of four Zimbabwean refugees-turned sommeliers as they compete in an international wine tasting championship.
Wine to try: Kanonkop, Kadette Pinotage (South Africa)
From hard-hitting documentaries to tender romances, the story of wine is as complex and layered as a good glass of Pinot Noir. Each tale, much like the wine itself, carries notes of passion, struggle, and triumph. So why only sip it when you can immerse yourself in its cinematic richness, too?
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