Back in November, a good friend of mine gave me the film Blood into Wine, a documentary about Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer) and Eric Glomski and their vineyard and the resulting wine brand, Caduceus. Â This past weekend, I finally got around to watching it and I’m sorry that it took me so long.
I’m not going to spend hundreds of words writing a review of the film because A) I’m a wine writer, not a film writer, and B) I want you to see the movie, not just rely on my review of it. Â That being said, there were a few things I wanted to bring up. Â First of all, it’s great to see that Maynard is truly in love with what he’s doing, and isn’t just investing in a vineyard because he likes wine. Â He’s on the property doing the work and putting in the sweat-equity.
Second, it’s great to see another wine region outside the state of California. Â I’m not trying to hate on California – I loved Napa and Sonoma when I was out there in October of 2009 and I look forward to visiting again this year and maybe hitting Russian River Valley as well. Â That being said, as somebody that lives in Virginia and is constantly dealing with the idea that we’re a wine producing state that isn’t California, it’s nice to see somebody challenging preconceived notions about where wine should and does grow and what quality of wine you can get from it.
There, that’s my review of the film. Â Go and see it yourself, and if you’ve tasted some of the wines that they’re making there I’d love to hear about it as I can’t order directly from their website (they don’t ship to Virginia right now), and I’ve yet to find a way other than a distributor to get it.
I literally just posted a review of this documentary on my blog! I’ve had the 2009 Shinola from Caduceus Cellars and it’s probably one of my favorite wines that I’ve ever tasted. Smooth, complex, with a lasting finish. I’m really interested in tasting their Nagual del Judith…
I am very jealous that you’ve been able to try some, but glad to hear that it’s good. The Judith is on my list of ones to try as well and I’m seriously thinking of having some shipped to some friends in DC and then having them mail it to me here in Virginia.
I’ve had the opportunity to try the 2006 Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra (which is actually a California wine not an Arizona wine), the 2008 Arizona Stronghold Mangus, and the 2008 Arizona Stronghold Cochise. I like all of them, though they are all quite different. I’m surprised that you can’t get the Arizona Stronghold stuff since they sell it at almost every Costco I’ve been to including those out of Arizona. I know our Total Wine & More stores carry their products as well, though you might have to ask their wine buyer if they every plan on getting them. Haven’t had the opportunity to try any of the more expensive Caduceus wines because of finanaces, but both Arizona Stronghold wine’s are worth the money and the Chupacabra is worth picking up to cellar for a few years(I believe it will mellow quite nicely).
There are distributors for Virginia, but I can’t order directly from their website and have them shipped here. I’m friends with the owner of a local wine shop and I think I’ve convinced him to order some into his shop so that we can try it. Hopefully I’ll be able to write up a review of the actual wines before too long and not just the movie itself.