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.
Comedy and drama are nicely balanced in this mostly true tale.
– Cathy Frisinger,
Denver Post,
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:
Bottle Shock is... utterly charming.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
15 Aug 2008
fresh:
Rickman adds a welcome astringency.
– Andrea Gronvall,
Chicago Reader,
22 Aug 2008
rotten:
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.