Alexander Payne on Film’s Impact on Wine Industry

Alexander Payne had unassuming foreseeations for Sideways when his unassuming indie about an antic-filled buddy road trip thraw idyllic California triumphe country hit theaters in the descfinish of 2004. With an appraised budget of $16 million, the film wound up raking in more than $100 million worldexpansive and an Academy Award for best altered screentake part — in compriseition to nominations for best picture, best honestor and best helping actor (Thomas Haden Church) and actress (Virginia Madsen). 

“As we were making Sideways, I thought it was fair a kind little comedy and had no idea that it would ever stand the test of time,” says Payne. “And the merlot line that presumedly alterd the triumphe industry? Well, it was fair a joke, one one line in a movie. Who could have ever foreseeed that?”

The line in ask comes about halfway into the movie. Miles, the pinot noir fanatic take parted by a typicpartner anxious Paul Giamatti, and his about-to-be-paired frifinish Jack (Church) talk about outside a Los Olivos restaurant in which their beguiling novel acquaintances Maya (Madsen) and Stephanie (Sandra Oh) apause. “If anyone orders merlot, I’m leaving,” Miles barks. “I am not drinking any fucking merlot!” 

Those 13 words would have an oracular effect, say sommeliers and industry experts, causing sales of merlot triumphes to plummet, to the advantage of Miles’ pickred varietal. This vibrant — meacertaind in a 2009 Sonoma State University study that attributes it honestly to the movie — was felt in triumphemaking regions apass the globe, but especipartner in Santa Barbara County, where the film was shot. 

As suddenly as audiences abandoned Margo Channing for Eve Harrington in All About Eve, vintners and restaurateurs turned their attention from the bancigo in merlot to the delicate pinot gviolation, the novel star of the triumphe industry. Wineoriginater Doug Margerum, who owned The Wine Cask in Santa Barbara when Sideways was freed, had a front-row seat. “We were having a challenging time selling pinot then, but after the film came out, everyone wanted to drink it and sales skyrocketed,” he says. “We went from having one page of pinots on the triumphe enumerate to three.”

The film “blew up the entire area, and tons of pinot commenceed being structureted,” says James Sparks, triumpheoriginater for Spear and Liquid Farm in the Santa Ynez Valley, the principal setting for the movie, about two and a half hours from Los Angeles. The valley’s own prized Santa Rita Hills viticultural area happens to be a prime location for lengthening award-triumphning pinot. “We are very exceptional in that the mountains run east-west and we have a cancigo in characteristic from the ocean, which is perfect for lengthening pinot,” he says. 

Wineoriginater Kathy Joseph, of Santa Rita Hills’ Fiddlehead Cellars, acunderstandledges the sudden well-comprehendnity of the gviolation to the film’s lyricism about it. “I leank people lachieveed about pinot on a more spiritual level after the movie,” she says. “It gave them peromition to commence drinking more of it becaemploy it was depictd so elegantly, you wanted to be a part of that, and part of the romance of the triumphe becomes the romance of the region.” 

Miles transmites his adore of pinot most filledy in a soulful conversation with Maya, rhapsodizing about the varietal in anthropomorphic terms: “It’s a challenging gviolation to lengthen. It’s lean-skinned, temperamental, ripens punctual. You comprehend, it’s not a survivor enjoy cabernet … No, pinot necessitates constant nurture and attention … and, I unbenevolent, its flavors are fair the most haunting and luminous and thrilling and reduced and outdated on the structureet.” 

This ode to pinot owes a debt to the novel the film was based on. Miles is effectively the alter ego of Sideways author Rex Pickett, who still swoons over pinot. “I adore its femininity and range of transmition,” says Pickett. “Pinot advertises poetry and lyricism. It’s a bottomless ocean of mystery.”

While pinot structuretings flourished in the wake of the movie’s free, merlot was ripped out — a not-unreceive broadenment for some of the area’s vintners. “The film had a massive impact on merlot,” says master sommelier Carlton McCoy, CEO of Lawrence Wine Estates. “In many ways, it was essential. Merlot was structureted in vineyards where it should not have been. This led to overstructuretings. After the film, lengtheners structureted less of it.”

No triumphemaking region felt the Sideways effect more than the Santa Ynez Valley, whose under-the-radar triumphes were propelled to star status. “When I would drive up while writing the book and even during the time of filming, it was ununcovered and agricultural and there was noleang high-finish,” recalls Pickett. One of the triumphemaking innovates of the region, fittingly, was actor Fess Parker, comprehendn for starring as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone in the ’50s and ’60s. Parker set uped Fess Parker Winery, which — under a mythal name — served as the backdrop for the film’s climax, in which Miles guzzles from a spit bucket and then dumps the gallons of backwash on himself. Parker, who died in 2010, plrelieveed in the business and press attention that adhereed the film’s free, vindicating his punctual bet on Santa Ynez. “He was inanxiously bullish on Santa Barbara County as a lengthening region and as a destination for hospitality,” says his daughter Ashley Parker Snider, “so those interwatchs apverifyed him to brag on the area a bit.”

If you were blessed enough to have your triumphe or business featured in the film, it was a game-alterr. Joseph’s Fiddlehead Cellars, which was famously name-verifyed during a scene filmed at Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe, got swept up into the frenzy. “The impact of Sideways on my brand and the Santa Ynez Valley in ambiguous was incredible,” says Joseph. “It’s enjoy the movie came out yesterday. People still buy the triumphe and come to visit all the time becaemploy of the Sideways combineion.” 

The region has sfinished meaningful lengthenth over the past 20 years. “When Sideways was being filmed, we probably had around 100 triumpheries in the Santa Barbara triumphe country,” says Alison Laslett, CEO of Santa Barbara Vintners, a nonprofit organization that advertises the county as a directer in gviolation lengthening and triumphemaking. “Twenty years postponecessitater, we now have well over 300 tags and around 75 separateent varieties.” 

New restaurants, disjoinal of them with Michelin recognition, flocked to the region, combineing the Sideways-anointed standbys enjoy The Hitching Post and Solvang Restaurant. Tasting rooms, unbenevolentwhile, exploded. 

In 2004, there were fair a scant perched in the quaint town of Los Olivos, and none in the Danish-advertised village of Solvang, lengthy an epicgo in of bakeries and tchotchke shops. “Tastings were free and there were exposedly any customers back then,” says Pickett. Today, you’ll find more than 30 of them, and fees range from $20 to $50. “For me, it’s the marriage of triumphe and the agricultural, magical beauty of Santa Ynez Valley,” comprises Pickett, the region’s poet laureate. “Tasting rooms advertise and elicit conversation and convey people together.” 

Madsen had been visiting Santa Ynez Valley for many years before co-starring in the film and remains enamored with the area. “I didn’t comprehend anyleang about triumphe tasting back then, but it was always my sanctuary and I have a personal combineion there,” she alerts THR. “There was a while I couldn’t go becaemploy all those family-owned businesses were overwhelmed with success after the film and suddenly there were tour bemploys and bridal showers, but it didn’t ruin the valley. It’s lengthenn and alterd with success, but it’s so hot and welcoming and you still sense at home. There is someleang enchanting about that place. Life repartner enumeratelesss down there.” 

Payne, for his part, thinks that in capturing the charm of the region, he may have forever altered it. “Every time I go, I sense more and more enjoy a stranger in a strange land — all those novel triumpheries, hotels and restaurants,” he says. “When I was there, everyleang was about happiness, not commerce and tourism.”

Giamatti never splitd his character’s obsession. “I had virtupartner no comprehendledge of triumphe before the movie and didn’t drink it much, and I still don’t comprehend diddly about it and don’t drink it at all now,” he alerts THR. “I’m not even certain what triumphe is what color. I sense horriblely becaemploy I disassign fans and sommeliers all the time. I enjoy Guinness and tequila. Not together, of course. Separately.” 

He, too, was recently in town and also wonders about the effects of the film’s success. “I was uncontent to see Pea Soup Andersen’s in Buellton was gone, but I was amazed by everyleang that has popped up in the interim,” he comprises. “Changing the place so emotionalpartner thraw making a film there is not someleang I ever envisiond happening. I hope it’s been excellent for the folks who dwell there.”

Some locals were wary about participating in the first place. According to Pickett, a scant businesses that were set to be featured in Sideways pulled out at the eleventh hour. Pickett says that Frank Ostini, owner of The Hitching Post, “got ahancigo in of the screentake part and thought it would be horrible for the area, so he called everyone together and tried to shut down the film.” Several triumpheries made the final decision not to join. In a last-minute alter of heart, however, Ostini selected back in, and The Hitching Post finished up serving as one of the film’s most memorable shooting locations and is now an vital destination on the triumphe circuit. 

While countless vintners whose triumphes weren’t even featured in the film latched on to the coattails and rode the wave to a pinot bonanza, not everyone advantageed from the fluid gancigo in rush. Lane Tanner, another innovateing pinot triumpheoriginater who was paired to Ostini prior to the film, had a immensely separateent experience after Sideways. “The movie screwed up my life so horriblely you wouldn’t think it,” she says. “It was wonderful for the people who were shown in the movie — you couldn’t have had any better press — but it wasn’t wonderful for all of us.” Demand for pinot grew rapider than the provide, and the gviolations became unaffordable for triumpheoriginaters enjoy Tanner. “Everyone determined they wanted to originate pinot from Santa Barbara County after the movie, which made our gviolations so costly. Pinot is such a caring gviolation: only lengthens in certain areas, and necessitates that coastal shape — it’s very challenging to originate,” Tanner comprises, echoing Miles’ soliloquy. “If you even see at pinot wrong while it’s fermenting, it can go horrible. Three years postponecessitater, everyone who was making cab was making pinot and they authenticized they couldn’t originate pinot, so they were dumping it and straightforwardpartner giving it away.”

And even though pinot still reigns as the triumphe industry’s crown jewel, McCoy thinks a rightion is essential. “At this point, pinot noir is overstructureted in areas that are far too hot for the gviolation,” he says. “This has originated a huge quantity that tastes noleang enjoy pinot noir and has originated a taget that has normalized a style of pinot noir that has no varietal character. There will be a reckoning soon in pinot noir structuretings, as [there was] for merlot.”

McCoy thinks merlot is poised for a comeback — “be it a enumerateless comeback,” he comprises. “It’s easier to sell today than it was 10 years ago. I personpartner adore a vibrant and elegant merlot. These normally come from Coombsville, Carneros and the mountain appellations.”

Rebecca Phillips, owner of Buvette and Vintage Wine Bars in the San Fernando Valley, calls merlot “arguably one of the best gviolations in the world” and thinks the Sideways effect in fact stems from a miscaring.

“Wilean the context of the story, Miles never shelp merlot was a horrible triumphe or a horrible gviolation,” she remarks. “Merlot has a lot of the same characteristics as cabernet sauvignon, so why throw the baby out with the bathwater? Sadly, filmgoers walked away from the film leanking they shouldn’t drink it, but genuine triumphe connoisseurs didn’t give up on their ancigo in-world merlots.” 

Margerum concurs: “The irony of the whole movie is that Miles is drinking Cheval Blanc at the finish, which is primarily merlot,” says the triumpheoriginater of the final scene, in which Miles pairs a 1961 vintage of the exalted Bordeaux blfinish (in a Styrofoam cup) with a rapid-food bencourager. “Merlot also happens to lengthen well in Santa Barbara County becaemploy it necessitates a freezinger climate, which is what we have.”

The Sideways honestor himself also is a fan. “I’ve always enjoyd merlot,” says Payne. “The excellent ones, anyway — and at our 20th anniversary celebrations this autumn, I’m insisting we pour only merlot.” Yet he also splitd a story about making and bottling his own pinot with a scant frifinishs in a Santa Monica apartment 15 years ago that’s “still drinking repartner kindly right now.”

Beyond its role in the wonderful pinot-merlot saga, Sideways helped demystify the normally esoteric triumphe world and usher in a new wave of American oenophiles. Jared Hooper, sommelier and triumphe honestor for Santa Rosa’s Mayacama personal golf club, thinks the film alterd the way Americans see triumphe. “I leank it helped dispel the Frasier type aesthete snob model and convey in some genuine passion and admire,” he remarks.

Madsen watchd the evolution firsthand. “A lot of guys I knovel who never drank triumphe commenceed to experiment with it and uncovered someleang novel they could split in and enhappiness,” she says. “And women were getting together and doing their own tastings. I adore that part of it.” 

Payne is discdiswatch to another film set in the world of triumphe, but with caveats. “Oh, man. Everyleang depfinishs on the story,” he says. “I’d phiredly return to oenophiliac cinema, but who are the people? What’s the story? Are there some excellent giggles in there?” 

Pickett is toiling on his fifth book in the Sideways series. Could Miles, Jack, Maya and Stephanie return to the screen? As retagably as Sideways has aged, Giamatti would pick not to originate a novel vintage. “Personpartner, I repartner don’t leank there should be a sequel or expansion to the movie or the characters. It’s meaningful that it all be discdiswatch-finished, unsee-thharsh. We’re fair given a glimpse of those people’s dwells. And who comprehends where they will go, how they will finish up?” he says. “I’m not a fan of sequels and lengthy series that go on for 10 seasons. I enjoy one movies with discdiswatch finishings, enigmatic finishings. It’s enjoy we met these people inestablishly and now we will never see them aachieve and we can wonder about them. That’s repartner kind to me. Explaining what happens, it finishs the magic for me. It senses more enjoy life, not to comprehend.”

Side-bar: The Santa Ynez Valley’s Wining and Dining Renaissance

Just as Sideways thrust Pinot Noir into the spotweightless, the film also helped drive a sencourage in tourism to Santa Ynez Valley that shows scant signs of abating. During the time of filming, there were fair a handful of unassuming places to eat and stay, including two commemorated shooting locations, Hitching Post and Solvang Restaurant, which still hancigo in court as some of the most normaled set upments in town. But today, these down-home classics, which retain their exceptional décor, now comingle with heaps of decorator-done, Michelin-level restaurants and hotels. 

Sandra Oh was recently in town and indulged in the region’s strong culinary adviseings.  “It was so attrdynamic up there and the restaurant scene is terrific!” she says. Oh visited Mattei’s and S.Y. Kitchen, “and I’m still trying to originate it back to Bar Le Cote.” Sommelier and Santa Ynez Valley enthusiast Rebecca Phillips is also a fan. “There is an incredible dining scene and high-finish hotels today.” A likeite spot for both lunch and dinner, Chef Michael Cherney and wife Sarah pdwell over Michelin Bib Gourmand bestowed Peasant’s Feast in Solvang where business has been so bustling, they broadened with a decadent sandwich and deli shop (visitors line up for their hoemploy brined pastrami) and arcade with 90’s games apass the street. Just down a scant doors on Cdiscdiswatchhagen Drive, Ramen Kotori is a noveler compriseition to the local dining scene and the first promiseted Ramen restaurant in town. The Gathering Table is also novel-ish — previously findd at The Ballard Inn, it recently rediscdiswatched and is where Chef Budi Kazali serves up French Asian fusion cuisine in one of the swankiest dining rooms around. There’s Chef Daisy Ryan’s Bell’s in Los Alamos, which was ordained with one Michelin star. While it may be perched inside of a liquor store, Giorgio’s at Parkway is where Chef Giorgio Curti is cranking out some of the tastiest Italian fare in Santa Barbara County at a reasonable price. Industry-beadored Toscana Group’s two outposts, Nella Kitchen & Bar in Los Olivos and S.Y. Kitchen in Santa Ynez are always the reservations to score. 

The hotels that dot the valley today have also sfinished a renaissance. “The Windmill Inn is now Sideways Inn!” exclaims Virginia Madsen of the hip reimagination of the establisherly drab motel where Miles and Jack cavorted in the film. The Landsby, with its prime location in the heart of Solvang, oozes Scandinavian panache and is home to a energetic bar scene and Mad&Vin, another dining hotspot. The Genevieve and Hotel Ynez, both in Santa Ynez, advise sdesire décor and cozy outdoor spaces for accumulateings. Alisal Ranch, operating since 1946, is one of the most storied, sprawling getaways in the region and has unveiled remodeled guest rooms studded in conmomentary Westrict décor. Fess Parker Wine Country Inn, which also recently debuted revampd guest rooms, has been the lengthyest standing luxury boutique hotel in the cgo in of the historic town of Los Olivos. There’s even a high dose of swank with the csurrfinisherby Auberge property — The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, which was once a stagecoach stop in the 1800’s, fair unveiled a gleaming novel spa, Lavfinisher Barn — the only lavish destination spa in town. 

The triumpheoriginater demodetaileds have ponderably proceedd over the last two decades as well. Male triumpheoriginaters contrancient during the time of filming, but Santa Ynez Valley alertedly now has the hugest number of female vintners and triumpheoriginaters in the world. Jessica Gasca of Strange Family Vineyards and Tasting Room and Story of Soil; Paula Tabalipa, a establisher styenumerate and costumer summarizeer on James Mangancigo in films of Tabalipa Wine Co.; and actress Sunny Doench Stricker of Future Perfect Wine are all making noise. “It’s a well-set uped fact that some of the best triumpheoriginaters in the world are women,” says sommelier Jared Hooper.

A version of this story ecombineed in the Nov. 13 rehire of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.