Anyone Heard of the New Wine Movie "Red Obsession"??

WINE TALK
1

I see there is a new movie about China’s obsession with Bordeaux coming out this week in theaters. And it has a 100% Tomatometer rating! Anyone heard of it? It’s called Red Obsession. I want to see it. Here is the trailer…

2

+1

I liked the trailer and it is spot on; looks like it might be a cool movie?

3

I saw the title and thought that it was about the McCarthy era…

4

It’s a documentary. And it’s average.

Some cool imagery and interviews with some crazy Chinese buyers - one of who made his fortune making vibrators! - but the doco itself is pitched low and does not tell anywhere near the whole story, along the lines of “2009 and 2010 was a Chinese-led Bdx price bubble (no issue there), which burst in the 2011 EP, as all markets do” without explaining the vintage-specific Bdx pricing and poor 2011 vintage as key reasons behind the price decline. The only mention of Burgundy was a La Tache poster in an auction sale room, which is fair enough in a doco on Bdx, but when you’re looking at the Chinese influence on the market for fine wine, it surely rates at least a mention.

5

I quite liked it. Beautifully shot and non judgemental about its subject matter.

6

I found it a bit much to juxtapose the comment from the Frenchman about the necessity of “love” when producing wine with the vacuous nature of the Chinese boom, and I wonder if the documentary digs into that dichotomy.

7

Great trailer!

8

+1

9

Does that lady always giggle went she drops 1.5 million?

10

That’s Calvin Klein’s burg based fragrance, right?

11

she laughs when she drops 15 million…

note this is RMB… so it’s a 6.25:1 conversion…

12

It plays in St Helena next weekend. Think I will check it out.

13

It’s not the “Boom” that’s vacuous.

The doco does tell the tale of the reasons behind the buying - sometimes for love, sometimes out of sheer compulsion and often for status. It also tries to explain the status thing, which I think it did ok at doing. And I think it also does ok at contrasting the raison d’etre of the producers (love, or money, or both) with the buying rationale.

14

It’s playing at the Siskel Film Center in Chicago September 7, 9, 10 and 11 with City Winery providing a speaker on the 7th and a wine tasting on the 9th.

15

Looks interesting. Not playing anywhere near me but it is on Comcast’s PPV…Gary

16

I can’t wait, i find it thoroughly interesting.

17

Watched it. Little in the way of surprising coverage for the average WBer but the cinematography is quite nice and many of the interviews are just phenomenal, especially with the Bordelais and Chinese collectors. I give it a thumbs up and will also add that as an informative documentary it will be especially compelling to those less familiar with the modern Bordeaux market or wine collecting in general.

18

Just watched this on Fios on demand. I had seen the trailer months ago and was eager to see it. As already mentioned, the cinematography is beautiful. My 32-inch HD probably didn’t do the film justice. I was a little disappointed they didn’t discuss the counterfeit market more (only a few minutes was spent on the topic), but as the wine world is still new to me (only been seriously reading/learning for a few years now), it was a great introduction to Bordeaux and its new relationship with China. As well as good insight into why China is such a large player in this world now.

19

Coincidentally, in Shanghai for work this week and i can’t find any decent wines… been drinking beer/bubble tea…
i guess i’m not at high end enough restaurants…

20

I watched this on Amazon Instant over the weekend and it was beautiful. Overall, I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t as compelling as I thought it could’ve been.

In addition, it wrenches my heart to see people buy things that I care so much about just because they can, and not out of an equal passion on their part. Wines the likes of which I could plan an entire weekend around, even if only for a few bottles worth, are bought and sold strictly for status and not for the enjoyment and appreciation. It isn’t a wealth envy thing either, because even if I had millions to spend on wine every year, I would still appreciate every glass.

Soapbox over: [soap.gif]