A vineyard of syrah grapes located along Foxen Canyon Road.
Twenty years on, ‘the Sideways effect’ continues in the Santa Ynez Valley. The film, directed by Alexander Payne, follows the misadventures of two middle-aged friends on a bachelor weekend road trip through Santa Barbara’s Sta Rita Hills, visiting some of the area’s most celebrated vineyards and restaurant staples.
The protagonist, Miles, played by Paul Giamatti, is a struggling writer and amateur wine enthusiast. An ardent supporter of the cool climate Pinot Noir produced in the Sta Rita Hills, he takes his best friend, washed-up actor Jack Cole, to experience the region’s wines just before Jack’s wedding.
Along the way, Miles notoriously professes an ironic hatred for Merlot while putting Santa Barbara Pinot Noir on a pedestal, only to later drink the wine he’s been saving for the right moment, a 1961 Château Cheval Blanc from a paper cup. The special wine is, of course, a Merlot blend.
Miles’s declaration seems to have famously influenced wine market trends for drinkers everywhere. A closer look at the film reveals a few subtly embedded wines that are worth seeking out on a Santa Ynez Valley tasting tour.
Santa Barbara locals agree that despite their often cringeworthy behaviour, the humorous duo gives a genuine look into a wine region still not overexposed by corporate marketing teams or Instagram influencers while yet honouring its innate authenticity.
Like Santa Barbara’s local Pinot Noir, the Sideways film aged beautifully, and its wine trail remains a wonderful choice
