From Sideways · 2004 · Exact movie pairing
Merlot
In the movie
Theatrical
- 00:39:38 Miles's meltdown in the car before the double date — 'If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any [expletive] Merlot!' The line that made a generation swear off the grape.
Merlot is the film's punchline — Miles's most quotable line torched its reputation for years (the "Sideways effect" really did dent US Merlot sales). But the joke is on him: good Merlot is plush, dark-fruited, and lovely, and — the film's own irony — Miles's most prized bottle, the '61 Cheval Blanc he saves for years, is Merlot-based. So pour one without guilt. The three above are widely-stocked and under ~$25 (the Decoy a small step up), proof that the grape Miles refuses is very much worth drinking.
Where to find a bottle
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