(Flash Review)

This was much better than SOMM (2012), which following sommelier students studying and attempting to pass their final exam. This documentary focuses more on the wineries, traditions, the lands and various processes. While there are many alluring tours of famous winery's vast and old cellar collections (never has moldy bottles looked so appetizing) and tons of eloquent wine descriptions and conversations, there was also a bad ass scene of a man opening a rare bottle of wine with a large sword and gracefully and properly pouring it into an awaiting wine glass after he told you why this vintage is so good and how excited he was to taste it. It did try to teach you why certain wine cost so much and why they are worth it....for those with an educated pallet. But it also didn't turn its nose up at the under $10 bottles either and it did show how those wines are produced differently. Pretty big difference. I felt more educated after and it was very enjoyable and picturesque. Solid and effective documentary.

Fantastic film! I just attended a screening of "Into the Bottle" in Manhattan with a group of other Sommeliers and wine industry professionals and was blown away. Jason and Geoff have hit the mark once more with this incredible film taking us on a journey around the world to discover more about wine. Interviews with Sommeliers, industry professionals, and winemakers bring us the history, politics and everyday BS that go into bringing wine from the vineyard to our tables. Funny, touching and educational all at the same time. I recommend this movie to anyone who loves wine, or would like to de-mystify the magic of fermenting grape juice. EXCELLENT!!!

Director Jason Wise brings once again a glance in the wine universe with the "sequel(?)" to his 2012's feature debut, "Somm".

But after all, what does "SOMM: Into The Bottle" bring to the table? In the last two decades, in the whole world, there's been a Boom of the wine culture in its many aspects. Knowing wine became the cool, classy, charming thing. With that, naturally, many documentaries about wine, drinks, cooking and sommeliers popped-out all over the place, and some were fine, some were shameless propaganda, still, all of 'em had some input, some valuable information to the non-initiated in the subject. So, what does "Into The Bottles" have to offer?"

Well. To start from the very beginning of the movie, a question, and the first controversy. What the hell is a sommelier? (I'm paraphrasing, of course). Different opinions but not the imposition of it. After all, everyone got its own perception of reality. And that is the first thing that the second statement of the "Somm Franchise(?)" delivers. Isn't a exposition, isn't a lecture, isn't a disguised infomercial, is a discussion.

In the sidelines of divergent insights about a couple other subjects, the movie explores wine, from the making, to the drinking of a vintage wine, in the year it was made or 10, 20, 50 years later. At some point is shown a tasting of a wine from the 1800's.

It approaches every aspect of it. The history, the work, "the alchemy", the business, the art of drinking. Ten chapters, ten stories about wine, ten precious vintage wines. People changing the international panorama for wine by making what, where and how no one else did or would do at that time. Inovating to improve the product, the perpetuation of that craft-work in the family, through generations. The celebration of a special occasion.

In resume, the director made a nice work of explaining wine. The movie goes into the bottle, and shows the essence of what wine is, beyond the spirit. Delivers information in many levels, and still is able to engage the most alienated viewer, for being a good movie. The authenticity of the experts interviewed was also a plus. They were having a good time, and giving their sincere opinion about the stuff, not marketing some product.

Again, if fall into the propaganda topic. I really hate to sit through any kind of truth preaching propaganda, that wants to be right by all means and tries to shove that idea into my mind with every word in the script. As a documentary, "Into the Bottle" give me information, thrills me with stories and opinions. And great inputs, like "Sometimes you just need to drink a $5 bottle of wine" or "Wine is to drink, wine isn't just culture, it is also food" and many other quotable moments.

To finish, a little more technical, I thought that the photograph was just delightful, great shots of the vineyards, awesome transition shots with those drawings. And the edition also deserves a big compliment, 'cause none of the old footage felt forced or out-placed, and the transition were smooth, natural.

If all the documentaries in the world were a little bit more like it, people would watch more documentaries. If you know a lot about wine, you will really like it, if you only like to drinkin' it and passing out after the third bottle, you might like it as well, but try not to pass out during the film, you might loose some nice information.