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The Top Wine Documentaries on Netflix

As the weather outside cools off and the days get shorter, an evening on the couch with a glass of wine sounds pretty inviting to us, too. If documentaries are your niche, here are our five favorite wine flicks currently available on Netflix.

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Prohibition

Wine to drink: We suggest Pinot Noir for its sexy ease and smooth flavors.

Our pick for binge-worthy wine viewing, this series comes in three parts. Highlighting the 18th amendment, this series focuses on the creation, reign, and fall of prohibition. This 2011 documentary follows the book, “Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition” by Daniel Okrent closely. The documentary reveals interesting facts and paints a picture of the speakeasy era surrounding alcohol illegality. Americans stocked up on their booze in the three months before the enactment of the law to the tune of 141 million dollars in purchases. Fun fact? The constitutional amendment to repeal prohibition became the 21st constitutional amendment; the same age one must reach to consume alcohol legally in the USA today.

A Year in Burgundy

Wine to drink: Burgundy, of course!

From planting to pressing, this documentary follows the lives of seven winemaking families in the Burgundy region of France for a full year. The film explores cultural impacts of the wine and how it shapes the economy and personality of the region. Director David Kennard, presents his 2013 flick in four distinct capsules — one for each season. The total film is about 90 minutes long, so it’s perfect for an after-dinner viewing.

A Year in Champagne

Wine to drink: Not just sparkling wine, make sure you have genuine Champagne on hand for this one.

The perfect follow up to “A Year in Burgundy,” this film tracks a full year in the Champagne region. The region, which produced France’s most famed of beverages, is the only place in the world where true Champagne can be produced. This 2015 film, also about an hour and a half long, follows six Champagne producers. Differences in small producers versus the big names in the game highlight different winemaking preferences and outcomes.

Sour Grapes

Wine to drink: We like Chardonnay for this one!

Our pick for learning while laughing, this entertaining 2016 documentary takes a look into counterfeit wine production. You get to play detective as the filmmakers explore how convicted counterfeiter Rudy Kurniawan dreamed up his scheme and then made it a reality. He made millions offering fake fine wines while his followers drank up the scheme.

SOMM

Wine to drink: Riesling

Fancy yourself a wine expert? See how you stack up to four sommeliers (that’s a certified wine expert) as they attempt to pass the Master Sommelier exam. With one of the lowest pass rates in the world, this exam brings with it not only esteem but also a lot of stress! This 2016 documentary provides eye-opening information and nail-biting suspense! Find out who passes in this 90-minute look at the professional wine world.

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