Ever heard of “the Sideways Effect”? It is one of the most fascinating and, frankly, unbelievable things that has happened in recent decades to influence consumers AGAINST drinking a variety of wine. Yup…it made Merlot not cool anymore. And made Pinot Noir the beverage of the cool kids.
Since this week I am holding an event on California wines, it only seemed natural to tell you about something that, unlike the Judgement of Paris I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, actually had a negative impact on one variety (Merlot) yet increased the sales of another (Pinot Noir).
The book Sideways, by Rex Pickett, tells the story of Miles, a character based on himself. He is a down and out, divorced struggling writer trying to overcome rejection in the Santa Inez Valley wine region.
Pickett’s book, published in 1999, later to become an Oscar winning movie in 2005, continues to have a major cultural impact decades after it was published.
In the story, Miles, played brilliantly by Paul Giamatti, has an obsession for Pinot Noir and despises Merlot. The turning point in the wine world comes from a scene in the movie where Miles adamantly refuses to drink Merlot and threatens to leave the restaurant if anyone at his table orders it.
The Sideways Effect – consumption of California Pinot Noir went up and Merlot went down.
Pinot Noir production in California has increased 170 percent since Sideways was released in October 2004. And Pinot Noir is now the second-most-planted variety in California’s Sonoma County. Merlot consumption dipped by a few percentage points but more importantly, prices fell. Additionally, it helped create a tourist boom in the Santa Barbara County wine region, where the story takes place.
The Sideways Effect. It has been studied by universities and wine associations, as a way of understanding what influences consumers and the role of literature and cinema in influencing tastes.
So, pour yourself a nice glass of Cali Pinot Noir and head over to your streaming platform and watch Sideways. And don’t tell anyone how much you like Merlot!
Cheers!
