BOTTLE SHOCK

 

“Bottle-shock aka Bottle-sickness is a temporary condition of the wine characterized by muted or disjointed fruit flavors. It often occurs immediately after bottling or when wines (usually fragile wines) are shaken during travel. After a few weeks, the condition usually disappears”

 In 2008, I saw a movie called BOTTLE SHOCK, based on a true event when a California wine defeated a French wine in a blind taste test in the 1976 wine competition termed “JUDGEMENT OF PARIS” or in my own term “A SLAP IN THE FACE for the French wine industry”!

The winning wine was none other than the 1973 CHATEAU MONTELENA CHARDONNAY

The wine almost did not make it. It has turned brown in the bottle (a condition later known as Bottle Shock) and the owner Barrett Sr called for the whole vintage to be dumped. Luckily, his son Bo discovered that the brown color is only temporary and managed to recover the wine and travel to Paris for the competition.  The rest is history!

I am lucky to get my hands on a bottle of 2005 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay after watching the movie. It is crisp, medium body with good acidity. The appearance is golden yellow. The nose and palette have complex hints of honey, sweet oak, citrus and stone fruits. Definitely worth a sip!

THE ORIGIN OF SIP

I first came across the Japanese Manga KAMI NO SHIZUKU (神の雫) aka DROPS OF GOD in 2008 when someone passed me book 1 - 15 of the comics to decide if we should make this into a movie. 

Written by a Japanese Brother and sister duo, the manga series has taken the wine world by storm and has indirectly spiked up the sales of wines featured in the comics! The story combines a mystery plot which involves a competition to find 12 mystery wines known as the "Twelve Apostle" in order to unravel the 13th heavenly wine known as "Drops of God"! All the wine featured in the manga are real wines. The stories are told in a fun and contemporary way which make learning or reading about wine fun!!

Finally, the movie did not get make (much to my disappointment). Instead, it ignited my passion for wine! Like all faithful "followers", I went around looking for the wines featured in the comics! The more I drink, the more addicted I've become. To take it to higher ground, I enrolled in a wine course and currently holds the WSET Advanced certificate in Wine and Spirits! What does that mean?

It means I am now a CERTIFIED DRINKER!