Not too many works of art have changed the course of wine appreciation, but Sideways is on the short list.
The 2004 movie, with its scenes extolling the virtues of pinot noir and the dismissive line, “I am not drinking f—g merlot!” changed not only public appreciation for the two varietals but led to agricultural adjustment, as merlot prices plummeted through the rest of the decade and pinot noir became the trendy wine of choice for many consumers
Sideways, directed by Alexander Payne, was based on a book by Rex Pickett which, though later a best-seller, was unpublished when the director picked it up. Even after the manuscript was optioned for Payne’s production company, it still could not find a publisher.
It was only when the movie went into production in 2003 that Pickett was able to land a publisher for the book, receiving a modest advance of only $5,000.
These and other tales will be shared by Pickett later this month when he comes to the Papapietro Perry tasting room on Dry Creek Road, on Aug. 27. Since the success of Sideways, he has written several other books, including Vertical (2011) and Sideways 3 Chile (2015). The next Sideways book, set in New Zealand, will be published later this year.
Pickett will be joined by executive winemaker Ben Papapietro to showcase the winery’s 2020 Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir. The release won the Pinot Cup this year at Pigs & Pinot, the popular food-and-wine event at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen, located at Hotel Healdsburg.
This is the third time that the Peters Vineyard wine has placed in the competition, making Papapietro Perry the only winery to win twice and place second once. The 2016 Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir was the Pinot Cup Runner-Up in 2019, and the 2005 release took home the Pinot Cup in 2009.
The release received 97 points and Double Gold awards at the North Coast Wine Challenge earlier this year.
The winery was formed in 1998 by garagiste winemakers Ben Papapietro and Bruce Perry. Their success led them to open their Dry Creek tasting room in 2005, located at the complex of tasting rooms at 4918 Dry Creek Rd. Perry died in 2022.
At the Aug. 27 event, Renae Perry will moderate the discussion to inform attendees more about the “passion for pinot” that led the winemakers and the author down their respective paths.
Participants in the event will receive a signed hardcover copy of the book Sideways, and a bottle of the 2020 Peters Vineyard pinot.
Pickett is holding similar themed events on his current tour. He appears at Sonoma’s Sebastiani Theatre on Aug. 19 at a screening of the movie Sideways, along with a tasting of wines from premiere area pinot noir producers.
‘Pinot Noir & Sideways with Rex Pickett’ will start at 5pm on Sunday, Aug. 17. Both on-location and virtual guests are welcome. Tickets are $85 club members, $105 others, available at papapietro-perry.com.
