Pinot Noir

When you're on house arrest on a Thursday afternoon due to a huge honking zit on your cheek and theres nothing good to watch on telly, not even astro re-runs, you frolic through bro's dvd collection, pick a provoking title and get comfortable.

My choice, Sideways.
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh

The storyline - two blokes headed for a road trip to celebrate the ill-fate of one-half of the duo. Marriage. A last chance at freedom and sex. Jack, the out there smooth talker who gets the women. Miles, the refined subdued pinot-noir loving divorcee stuck in his own shell.

The movie speaks of real themes. Friendship. Wine. Lies. Forgiveness. And an excellent script.

There was one part which struck me. When the sweet Maya asked Miles of his love with pinot noir and pinot noir alone.

Uh, I don't know, I don't know. Um, it's a hard grape to grow, as you know. Right? It's uh, it's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's, you know, it's not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and uh, thrive even when it's neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they're just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and... ancient on the planet.

It really, was an expression of who Miles gathered himself to be. His role and presence in the world, his silent potential, silent beauty. that only those privileged few could see, understand and enjoy it.

His speech on pinot noir triggered what a friend had once said.

'The world is divided into the Observers and The Observed'.

Miles falling into the former.

I dont know. i thought his description of Pinot Noir was beautiful. But, to be brutally honest, reflected into the world of human relationships, its bull. Its repression. Miles was, repressed, and was justifying it.

How quaint.