Paris-based wine expert Steven Spurrier heads to California in search of cheap wine that he can use for a blind taste test in the French capital. Stumbling upon the Napa Valley, the stuck-up Englishman is shocked to discover a winery turning out top-notch chardonnay. Determined to make a name for himself, he sets about getting the booze back to Paris.
The people who made Bottle Shock obviously love their wine. They're not that crazy about the French. And they are firm believers in the screenwriting rule of leaving no underdog-formula cliche unused.
– Rene Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
22 Aug 2008
fresh:
Rickman adds a welcome astringency.
– Andrea Gronvall,
Chicago Reader,
22 Aug 2008
fresh:
Bottle Shock is... utterly charming.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
15 Aug 2008
rotten:
Unfortunately, Miller can't decide whether he's doing a relationship movie or one about the intrigue of world-class winemaking. Mingling the two left me with a somewhat sour aftertaste.
– Rick Warner,
Denver Rocky Mountain News,
15 Aug 2008
fresh:
Comedy and drama are nicely balanced in this mostly true tale.