Watch Barolo Boys. The Story of a Revolution

Barolo Boys: The Story of a Revolution is a 2014 Italian documentary film directed by Paolo Casalis and Tiziano Gaia. The film tells the story of a group of rebellious winemakers who challenged the traditional ways of producing wine in the Barolo region in Piedmont, Italy, and turned the industry on its head with their innovative techniques and daring experimentation.

The movie follows the journey of a group of young Italian winemakers who came to be known as the 'Barolo Boys'. These bold and ambitious young men gained fame for their unorthodox methods of winemaking, which they believed could bring out the unique terroir of the grape variety, and create vintage wines of unparalleled quality.

The film takes its audience through the history of winemaking in the Barolo region, which was almost exclusively dominated by a few aristocratic families who had been producing wine for generations, using traditional and conservative methods. These conformist winemakers frowned upon the idea of changing their ways and experimenting with new techniques, fearing that such experimentation would taint the authenticity and heritage of their wines. However, the young Barolo Boys were not intimidated, and they decided to take on this entrenched establishment.

The film reveals how the Barolo Boys refused to follow the usual winemaking practices, such as blending different grape varieties or using international yeasts. Instead, they pushed the boundaries by fermenting the Nebbiolo grape variety in steel tanks, experimenting with aging different batches of wine in different oak barrels, and fermenting the must on the skins for up to 60 days, which is far longer than what was norm then. They also used corks rather than crown caps, in line with the most revered and expensive wines in the world.

The documentary reveals the challenges that these young men faced, including running the risk of going bankrupt during their early years of experimentation, to attracting a huge following from other like-minded winemakers and wine lovers who also had begun to appreciate the unique tastes of the modern Barolo wines.

The film features interviews with key players of the Italian wine industry. It includes the likes of Joe Bastianich, the renowned American restauranteur, and wine critic who played a critical role in bringing Nebbiolo wine to the attention of the international scene, Oscar Farinetti, the founder of Eataly, one of Italy's most famous retail stores, who supported the revolution by giving these winemakers the much-needed platform and exposure. In addition, Carlo Petrini, the founder of Slow Food movement also played a crucial role in supporting the Barolo Boys by promoting the 'natural wines', an innovative concept which the Barolo Boys helped create.

The film does not shy away from discussing the impact the Barolo Boys had on the traditional winemakers, some of whom were outraged at the upstart's audacity and the possible threat that such new ways could cause to their heritage. Some traditionalist winemakers saw the actions of the Barolo Boys as revolutionary and disrespectful of the industry's long-established norms. Others, however, began to see the benefits of the revolution in Barolo, having tasted some of the outstanding wines that these young upstarts were producing.

Overall, Barolo Boys: The Story of a Revolution, is a fascinating and informative documentary that showcases a group of young and ambitious winemakers who dared to think outside the box, and questioned traditional winemaking practices. Their daring moves resulted in a revolution that changed the face of the Italian wine industry, and led to the emergence of some of the most highly respected Barolo wines in the world today. This inspiring story is a reminder of the power of innovation and daring, both in the wine industry, and beyond.

Barolo Boys. The Story of a Revolution is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 3 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8.