Shiraz or Syrah? New Film Exposes the Truth

Do you know the differences, and the secret stories behind these grapes?

Would you like to know why you love one style and not another?

Our guest this evening is making a movie that will turn the wine world on its head, and change the way we think about Shiraz and Syrah.

Director and producer Rudolf McClain joins me live from his home in Sonoma County, California.

Click on the arrow above to watch the video.

P.S. Join us Sunday October 22, at 6 pm eastern with Heidemarie Fischer Pfaffl of Weingut R&A Pfaffl.

www.nataliemaclean.com/live

Want to know when we go live Monday with Heidemarie Fischer Pfaffl?

Click on the Follow and Like buttons on this page to get notified when we go live.

We’ll be simultaneously broadcasting on Facebook Live, YouTube Live Stream and Twitter Live Video via Periscope.

Watch previous episodes of the Sunday Sipper Club (SSC) and find out who’s coming up next.

If you’d like to read the comments for this tasting, or make a comment yourself, visit:

https://www.facebook.com/natdecants/videos/10155505914744845/

Here’s a sampling of our lively discussion from our tasting…

 

 

 

 

“Que Syrah, Shiraz”
Hello Merlovers! Check out our next wine film!
“Que Syrah, Shiraz” a documentary all about Syrah!

This is a film about Syrah wine or should I say Shiraz? Is Syrah from the Rhone region of France or the city of Shiraz in Iran and what about Australia? Could the Romans have brought the varietal from Syracuse, Sicily to the Rhone Valley? How did this grape make its way to the United States? How do you know what to expect from a wine labeled Syrah vs. Shiraz?

What part does Petite Sirah play in all of this and why does this varietal have multiple spellings (e.g. Petite Sirah, Petit Syrah, Petite Syrah)?

Who will find the truth? We will! Join us as we travel the world to find the true story of “Que Syrah, Shiraz!”

Rudolf MClain – Bonny Doon Vineyards

FILM ON SYRAH/SHIRAZ ANNOUNCES CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
Director/Producer of Merlove’s new project

Sonoma, California, August 2017 —- Director/Producer Rudolf McClain, known for his documentary about Merlot, Merlove, has announced his new project, Que Syrah, Shiraz, and a crowd-funding campaign launching on August 28, 2017. The fundraising campaign’s goal is $350,000: this will underwrite filming in France and Australia, and support the post production process. The goal is to make the documentary film-festival ready by the end of 2017. “We welcome all lovers of great wines to lend us a hand so that we can bring this entertaining and compelling story to light,” McClain explains.
Donors are invited to the Indiegogo page. McClain explains some of the “perks” for contributing to the crowdfunding campaign: Signed Merlove DVDs, Full-Sized Movie Posters (24×36), (Limited Run) Signed Canvas Full-Sized Posters (26×38), The Girl and The Fig “Fig-Rig” Food Truck Outdoor Screenings for 100 of your closest friends, or see your name on the big screen as a Producer of the film!

Rudolf in the Vineyard

 

“The goal of Que Syrah, Shiraz is to explore the origin of the Syrah/Shiraz varietal and discover its expression in the world of wine today,” McClain explains. “We will tell the tale of its origins and the lives it has touched. This is an amazing story that includes civilizations around the world, DNA testing and the Wild West,” he adds. More than 20,000 acres of Syrah are planted in California, nearly 3,000 acres are planted in Washington State and hundreds of thousands of acres are planted in France and Australia. “This movie will turn the wine world on its head. Wine lovers will discover a new reality… a world in which, as Randall Grahm puts it, ‘Syrah tastes WAY BETTER than Cab’ (Cabernet).”

Rudolf Vineyard Photography

 

McClain continues: “This is a film about Syrah wine or should I say Shiraz? Is Syrah from the Rhone region of France or the city of Shiraz in Iran and what about Australia? Could the Romans have brought the varietal from Syracuse, Sicily, to the Rhone Valley? How did this grape make its way to the United States? How do you know what to expect from a wine labeled Syrah vs. Shiraz? What about Petite Sirah? Who will find the truth? We will! Join us as we travel the world to find the true story of Que Syrah, Shiraz!

Rudolf Recording

 

McClain has already filmed winemakers in California including Randall Grahm (Bonny Doon), Justin Smith (Saxum), Steve Lagier (Lagier Meredith), Pax Mahle (Pax), Gary Eberle (Eberle Winery) and Sean Thackrey (Thackrey & Company) – brief moments of these vintners discussing the quandaries surrounding this grape varietal can be found in the Indiegogo crowdfunding movie trailer. Also included in the Indiegogo trailer are retired UC Davis professor and viticultural geneticist Dr. Carole Meredith and the founder of Balzac Communications & Marketing, Paul Wagner. Charles Smith (Charles Smith Wines) and Christophe Baron (Cayuse) are scheduled to be interviewed this week.

 

The Winemaker

Rudolf McClain produced and directed Merlove, a feature length documentary released in 2008. The film celebrated Merlot in response to the film Sideways. Merlove was selected for four film festivals and enjoyed a week-long theatrical release in Washington State, 25 screenings in theaters around the country and is now available on Amazon.com. Merlove has reached hundreds of thousands of wine lovers around the world. Since the production of Merlove, Rudolf has produced and directed many short films, commercials and documentaries, including the last scene of the upcoming film, Judgment of Paris.

 

Rudolf N. McClain ~ Producer/Director

McClain grew up in the Napa Valley where his family has roots running over 100 years deep. His mother Beth Lincoln was raised in Oakville (The Lincoln Ranch) McClain’s Grandfather, Bill Lincoln, formed “Lincoln Farm Equipment” which served the local wine industry for over 20 years.

Rudolf Directed and Produced the critically acclaimed feature film, Merlove. Merlove is a documentary about Merlot wine in response to the movie Sideway. Merlove stars wine celebrities Jean-Claude Berrouet (former winemaker for Chateau Petrus), Gary Vaynerchuk (host of Wine Library TV) and Michel Rolland (International Wine Consultant). Merlove was released in theaters June, 2008 and on DVD in November, 2009. It was also selected for the Sonoma International Film festival (California), Oenovideo Film Festival (France), and Paso Robles digital film festival (California).

Since the completion of Merlove, Rudolf has produced and directed over 50 films for clients in the Napa Valley.

He has demonstrated the ability to create and deliver content in all genres including commercials, fully scripted narratives and documentaries.