5 Documentaries About Wine

This weekend, we’re waiting out the surprise showers of springtime with some of our favorite indoor activities. Pop some popcorn or grab your other favorite snacks, pour a glass of wine, and immerse yourself in a documentary about delicious vino!

The documentaries are perfect for any wine lover who wants to increase their knowledge and be entertained at the same time. Enjoy a peek behind the curtain into a few areas of the wine world that deserve some attention. From the soil to your glass, so much art, science, history, and more goes into every wine you know and love. Below is a short list of some of our favorite wine documentaries—and a suggested wine pairing, of course. These are not only informational about wine and wine regions, but they are also incredibly entertaining, and we promise you will feel like more of a wine expert after you have watched them. 

Wine Documentaries to Add to Your Watchlist

MONDOVINO - This documentary follows well-known players in the wine world. You will hear about everything from winemaking to marketing and travel to five different continents as they uncover the complexities of the industry. Since the story of wine reaches all over the globe, this film includes a variety of languages, so be sure you are up for reading subtitles. Complete this watching experience with our Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This series will take you on an emotional rollercoaster; you will want something steady, reliable, and delicious to come along for the ride.

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A YEAR IN BURGUNDY - The Burgundy region of France is known worldwide for making some of the most expensive wines in the world. In this film, you will follow importer Martine Saunier and seven families as they work through the 2011 vintage. After watching this, you’ll get an even greater sense of how winemaking is far more than what lands in your glass. You will also see precisely why Burgundian wines command their prices. It's not a Burgundy (in fact, it’s a Bordeaux varietal) but we still love the 2021 Jewel Petit Verdot for this viewing. 

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DECANTED -  "What does it take to make it in Napa Valley?" Nearly every wine lover knows Napa Valley for its reputation of making outstanding wines, and this film follows some of the most elite winemakers that represent the region, discussing what it takes to craft wines of distinction. Napa Valley may sit in the spotlight, but critically-acclaimed, high-quality wines are also made right here in the Livermore Valley. We are pairing this documentary with 2020 Cuvée Dray, our Bordeaux-inspired red blend that won Best of Class in the San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition. 

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IT STARTS WITH WINE - The team at Wine Enthusiast created this multi-part series. In season 1, you will visit Uruguay, Argentina, and a neighbor to the east, Bonterra Vineyards. What makes this series interesting is how much they also incorporate each region's unique food and culinary culture as a part of what makes their section of the wine world so unique. Here at Ruby Hill Winery, we value sustainability in all our vineyard practices. Our Peacock Patch Zinfandel is one representation of the way we celebrate the natural beauty of our vineyard and our intentions to preserve it. Sip on this one while you watch!

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Do you have a favorite wine-centric documentary film or series that you haven't seen listed here? Send us an email at info@rubyhillwinery.net or tag us on Instagram @rubyhillwines and let us know what we should add to our list!