Watch Mondovino

Mondovino is a 2004 documentary film directed by American filmmaker Jonathan Nossiter. The movie is essentially a critique of globalization and its impact on winemaking traditions across the world. The film features interviews with a host of prominent personalities in the wine industry, including Albiera Antinori, Allegra Antinori, and Lodovico Antinori.

The documentary begins with Nossiter's journey to the traditional winemaking regions of Europe. The interviews with the winemakers are interspersed with shots of the beautiful landscapes and vineyards that they call home. The Antinori family, one of Italy's most respected winemaking dynasties, are featured prominently in the documentary. Albiera, Allegra, and Lodovico Antinori are seen talking about their family's centuries-old winemaking traditions and how they have managed to navigate the challenges posed by globalization.

The film then moves on to the new world, with Nossiter exploring the impact of globalization on winemaking traditions in countries like the United States, Japan, and Argentina. Here, the documentary takes a dark turn, as we see winemakers who are more concerned with marketing and branding than the quality of the wine itself. The film's criticism of the globalization of the wine industry is most evident in this section, as it shows how multinational corporations are taking over the industry, leaving little room for small, family-run wineries.

Throughout the film, Nossiter uses his interviews with the winemakers to highlight the differences between industrial winemaking and traditional winemaking. He argues that industrial winemaking results in homogeneous wines that lack character and nuance, while traditional winemaking celebrates the unique terroir of each vineyard and produces wines that are a reflection of the people and the land from which they came.

One of the key themes of the documentary is the power dynamics within the wine industry. Nossiter shows how multinational corporations have managed to dominate the industry, using their marketing budgets to promote their wines over those produced by small, independent wineries. He also highlights the role of wine critics, who he argues have become too influential in shaping the industry. Critics like Robert Parker are seen as having too much power, with winemakers crafting their wines to suit their tastes rather than letting the terroir speak for itself.

The documentary ends with Nossiter's return to Europe, where he sees a glimmer of hope for traditional winemaking. He highlights the work of winemakers like the Antinori family, who have managed to stay true to their traditions while still adapting to the changing industry. He argues that by working together, traditional winemakers can fight back against the industrialization of the industry.

Overall, Mondovino is a thought-provoking and fascinating documentary that will appeal to anyone with an interest in wine or globalization. The film is beautifully shot and features a wealth of interviews with some of the industry's most prominent figures. While the documentary is critical of the direction that the wine industry has taken in recent years, it ultimately ends on a hopeful note, suggesting that traditional winemaking can still thrive in a globalized world.

Mondovino is a 2004 documentary with a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0 and a MetaScore of 67.