John Cleese's Wine for the Confused (2004)

I have enjoyed John Cleese's version of a layperson's approach to wine both times I have seen it. (Always my favorite Monty Python member, Cleese has also hosted an impressive documentary about the social and artistic importance of the human face.) Cleese takes a folksy approach to the frequently confusing world of wines, where (as in the art world) snobbery often reigns. He starts with a simple outdoor wine-tasting among a circle of friends (including the always affable Brendan Fraser) and talks them through finding simple words to describe the flavors they notice; words like "fruity" or "nutty" or "raspberry" are offered (if memory serves). He then uses this experience to begin encouraging his friends (and through them, his viewers) to use their own senses, rely and build on their own experiences, and trust their own judgment when deciding what kind of wines they like to drink. He visits a few vineyards, nibbles a few grapes, and dialogs with a few sommeliers (wine stewards) to provide a thoroughly enlightening introduction to wine and its enjoyment. He caps off the show by hosting a blind wine-tasting (again informal and outdoors) which entertainingly proves that one person's $15 wine is another person's $200 wine (and vice versa). The special features include additional insightful tips on wine enjoyment from Cleese, three discussions with a handful of winemakers, and Brendan Fraser's trenchant wine evaluations (such as "Put it back in the horse"). 4 stars.