Wine has always held a special place in human culture, symbolizing everything from celebration to sophistication and even decadence. Its presence in cinema often mirrors these symbolic roles, reflecting and amplifying the themes of the films in which it appears. For Jason Wise and Jonah Beer, spotting wine scenes in film is more than just a passing interest — it’s a passionate topic they delve into with fervor. In their latest SOMM TV Podcast episode, “Famous Wine Cameos in Movies Part 4”, the duo explores the nuanced portrayal of wine in four iconic films: Prometheus, Big Night, Caddyshack, and The Godfather.
Wise and Beer approach each movie with a blend of cinematic analysis and wine expertise, offering listeners a unique perspective on how these two art forms intersect.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at each of these films and how they use wine to enhance their storytelling.
Prometheus: A Toast to the Future
Ridley Scott’s Prometheus might be a sci-fi thriller about the origins of humanity, but it also features a rather memorable moment with wine. This isn’t your average scene, though. It’s more like a futuristic toast.
But of course, this being a Ridley Scott film, it’s not just any wine — it’s a plot device that reflects the film’s themes of creation and destruction.
“If you believe in the canon of Alien and all the movies that came after, even the god-awful Alien vs. Predators; if you believe in all this stuff, then Ace of Spades Champagne is why the xenomorph and aliens exist,” says Wise, egging on Beer. “Do you think Champagne will exist in 2089, let alone Ace of Spades?”
“I’m going to be an optimist on Champagne in 2089,” quips Beer, “but I’m going to be a pessimist on Ace of Spades.”
The wine scene in Prometheus humanizes the characters just before the horror unfolds, making it a moment of calm before the storm.
Big Night: The Perfect Pairing
If there’s one film that captures the joy and complexity of food and wine, it’s Big Night. Directed by Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci, this 1996 classic tells the story of two Italian immigrant brothers struggling to keep their restaurant afloat in 1950s New Jersey. Wine plays a central role in the film, not just as a drink but as a cultural touchstone representing tradition, heritage, and family bonds.
The film’s climactic scene — a lavish, multi-course feast prepared by the brothers — showcases wine as an essential component of the meal, elevating each dish and bringing people together.
Beer explains, “Wine brings it all together. It plays that part, bridging everything from the party to the dinner. Brunello di Montalcino is the right character for it. It’s for where these guys are from; it’s perfect.”
Caddyshack: Chaos in a Bottle
At first glance, Harold Ramis’s 1980 comedy Caddyshack seems like an unlikely candidate for a discussion on wine. The film, known for its irreverent humor and zany characters, might not immediately bring to mind the elegance of a fine vintage. However, wine does make a subtle yet significant appearance in the film, particularly in scenes that contrast the old-money establishment with the brash new generation.
The film’s most memorable drinking moment “is adlibbed, completely shoehorned into the film, and yet steals the entire movie,” explains Wise.
“Bill Murray and Chevy Chase don’t appear in any scene together. But when they finished the movie, [the producers] said, ‘Let’s put them together and see what happens.’ And it’s just insanity.”
Caddyshack is less about refinement and more about letting loose, as characters glug with reckless abandon. Wise explains, “They’re smoking weed and drinking out of a jug of wine. And it’s just back and forth with smoking and drinking this stuff.”
“The jug wine says everything you need to know about this groundskeeper,” Wise continues, “In that, he went to the corner grocery store and bought the cheapest thing he could find.”
For Wise, Caddyshack’s wine scene gets an A+.
The Godfather: Wine and Power
Finally, we arrive at The Godfather, a film where wine plays a role as iconic as the characters themselves. In this legendary film, wine is more than just a drink; it symbolizes power, tradition, and the intricate ties of family and loyalty.
The scene isn’t just a wine scene — it’s the wine scene, the famous dinner scene where Michael Corleone is about to take a drastic step that will forever change his life and the course of the story. The wine in this scene isn’t just a prop — it’s a silent witness to the tension that builds between the characters.
“It’s 1938 Italian table wine, and the waiter takes the proper amount of time to cut the foil and pull the cork, and the whole time, you’ve got Michael Corleone and Sollozzo just waiting to talk, and the tension’s getting bigger and bigger and bigger,” describes Beer.
“The wine is right there dead center in the frame, and it just sits there like it’s imposing between the two of them for the entire scene until Michael excuses himself for the bathroom,” Beer continues. “So I feel like this is not only an important wine scene but it’s one of the more pivotal scenes.”
Wine and film share a special relationship, one that’s beautifully showcased in these four films. From the futuristic to the absurd, the celebratory to the sinister, wine enhances the narrative in subtle and profound ways.
So next time you pour yourself a glass, consider pairing it with a movie — because, as these films show, wine isn’t just for drinking; it’s for storytelling.
