The Chronicle had a good story on recent developments (read: drama) surrounding the production of “Bottle Shock,” the first of two in-the-works films about the famed 1976 Judgment of Paris, where a Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and a Stag’s Leap Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon beat out their French counterparts and shocked the wine world.

Thing is, this one — call it Judgment Lite — is only about Chateau Montelena.

According to W. Blake Gray’s story and an early draft obtained by the Chron, the filmmaker (Randall Miller, “Noble Son”) never so much as mentions Stag’s Leap or the fact that the competition even had a red portion. Isn’t that ridiculous?

Then again, this IS Hollywood. And in order to get their version out sooner, I can see why they’d take the easier way out, focusing on sexy controversy and some pretty embarrassing events that aren’t even confirmed. I’ll explain. Read on.

You’ll recall that Mike Grgich was at Chateau Montelena at the time and actually made the winning Chardonnay. And ever since he left in 1977 to start Grgich Hills, he and Barrett have disagreed over who should get credit for the Judgment winner.

Personally, I’ve never understood the disagreement. Winemaker’s make the wine. They get the credit. It’s like the difference between directors and producers in the film world. It’s kind of pathetic that a feud as old as me is carrying on to the silver screen so the world outside of our wine bubble will think this industry is a bunch of tannic infighting.

If you’re still interested, here’s the gist of this screenplay: Bill Pullman stars as Chateau Montelena owner Jim Barrett while Alan Rickman, of “Harry Potter” fame, plays Steven Spurrier, the British wine merchant who organized the tasting. Grgich appears briefly in the beginning but has no lines because his role is pretty much left out of the movie. Filming began this week in Sonoma and Napa counties and runs through early September.

Personally, I’m looking forward to the competing script by veteran screenwriter and Sonoma vineyard owner Robert Mark Kamen. His story is based on George Taber’s book, “Judgment of Paris,” and from what I’ve heard, it tells the WHOLE story of the American Dream in Napa Valley. So Grgich, a Croatian immigrant, is featured prominently, natch.

Rumors are swirling that everyone from Danny DeVito to Keanu Reeves will play him at some point in his life. Whoever the actor, he’s got to know how to rock that beret. They’re behind; Kamen’s still writing and I’m sure with bigger names, casting is a longer stickier process. But if they’re telling the whole story, including the reds, I’m more interested in seeing this version.

My friends and I are obsessed with South African wine. For me, I think it’s more the idea of Stellenbosch. I’m familiar with the Sauvignon Blancs and eccentric Pinotage but otherwise have a lot to learn. That’s why this event from Uncorked, their last of the summer, comes at the primo time.

It’s called Savor South Africa: A New World of Wine. It’s from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 23 at the Officer’s Club, 1 Fort Mason, in San Francisco.

Here’s a blurb about the event from their site:

“We’ve saved the best for last for our last summer tasting showcasing the world-class wines of South Africa. And special wines deserve a memorable venue so we’re returning to the majestic Officer’s Club in Fort Mason overlooking Aquatic Park and Alcatraz.

Did you know that South Africa has been making wine for over 300 years and is the seventh largest producer of wine in the world? You’ll sample over 60 wines from all the top wine regions including the Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschoek, Walker Bay and Constantia. In addition to Chardonnay, Cabernet, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Pinot Noir, you’ll try their wonderfully refreshing Chenin Blanc and their highly unique Pinotage.

Top brands like Warwick Estate, Glen Carlou, Kanonkop, Waterford, Fairview, Simonsig, Meerlust, Neil Ellis and Saxenburg amongst many others will be represented. Rounding out the evening, AG Ferrari will provide a wide array of artisan cheeses, breads, meats and olives
to complement the wines, while DJ Sol adds his signature smooth lounge grooves - all in one very cool, wine-filled mansion overlooking the bay.”

Ok, it’s pretty much gonna go off.

Tickets are $30 through August 17th, $40 after (if available). Get yours at Uncorked.

Last night was Livermore’s Taste of Terroir, a wine pairing contest of sorts that takes place in the gorgeous Palm Event Center, on the Michael Katz property off Vineyard Drive in Pleasanton.

Ah the power of a good pairing! It was definitely a positive way to experience Livermore wines, particularly the reds, which I often find too hot for my taste (15.9 % alcohol in a Syrah is not uncommon; neither is 14.4 % in a Tempranillo, which was billed to me as a “lighter red wine”).

I had just come from the new Livemore Safeway on First Street, the chain’s first uber-lifestyle store with a deluxe wine bar I will be covering in the August 8 Food & Wine section. Phil Wente was manning it, pouring free samples of Murrieta’s Well wines. YUM. With their luscious White Meritage lingering on my palate, I headed straight to that station at Taste of Terroir.

The balanced structure and fruit of the Sauvignon Blanc-Semillion blend provided just the right softness for the poached rock shrimp on spicy couscous salad with lemon vinaigrette, courtesy of As Good As It Gets Catering.

But that wasn’t my favorite pairing. My favorite pairing involving a white wine was the John Christopher Cellars 2005 Chardonnay. They served it with seared scallops with chevre and brandied pears topped with organic feta. The pear flavors echoed in the Chardonnay was outstanding, not to mention the mimicking richness and pillowy butter of both scallops, this varietal and the chevre.

I think the most successful pairings help people understand and eventually appreciate a wine’s true style. That’s what this one did for me, a person who doesn’t typically like traditional Chardonnay. For a moment I was over the new, trendy unoaked expressions. Only for a moment though.

There were two fantastic red pairings and both won, which you’ll see below. The Garre Cafe made a phenomenal strawberry stuffed with smoked quail, goat cheese and aged balsamic vinegar to go with Garre Winery’s 2004 Gina Maries Private Reserve Merlot. Pow! The vinegar-kissed berries brought out all that is good and true in Merlot. Try it at home sometime.

The People’s Choice and Judges Award went to the same pairing, a 2005 Syrah Clark’s Corner Syrah from Mitchell Katz Winery that was served with wild boar sliders on sweet potato brioche with Syrah-sour cherry ketchup. Yowzers. Most of us felt that the Syrah was too young on its own, but paired with that lip-smacking ketchup, it was truly a whole new wine.

Best Expression of Local Ingredients
Garré Winery & Garré Café
2004 Gina Maries Private Reserve Merlot, Livermore Valley
Smoked Quail stuffed Strawberry with Goat Cheese and aged Balsamic Reduction

Judges Best
Mitchell Katz Winery at Ruby Hill and The Palm Event Center
2005 Syrah Clark’s Corner, Livermore Valley
Wild Boar Sliders on Sweet Potato Brioche with Syrah-Sour Cherry Ketchup and Baby Arugula

People’s Choice
Mitchell Katz Winery at Ruby Hill
2005 Syrah Clark’s Corner, Livermore Valley
Wild Boar Sliders on Sweet Potato Brioche with Syrah-Sour Cherry Ketchup and Baby Arugula

We had wine club this weekend at Megan’s darling cottage in Alameda. A welcome breeze broke the afternoon humidity as we sat on a bench under a luscious olallieberry tree in her pebble-studded backyard. What better way to whet the palate than a chilled glass of Godello, a citrusy and refreshing white wine from Valdeorras in the northwestern Spanish region of Galicia.

On the table this month: Monastrell, Spain’s answer to Mourvedre, a thick-skinned black grape and a tannic powerhouse that grows in the hot climate of central Spain, namely Jumilla and Yecla. With it’s glinty garnet color, I found Spain’s version slightly lighter and more rustic, with plenty of earth and leather in the glass. Yes, I’ll say it: barn yard.

My gut and what limited exposure I’d had to Monastrell told me this was a blending wine, best to power up Grenache and Tempranillo or make a more nuanced steak wine out of Cabernet or Syrah. Our blind tasting proved that point: the unanimous winner was in fact the only blend on the table. It wasn’t exactly a fair tasting. Would you put a bottle of straight Carignan in a blind tasting with a bunch of blends? Probably not.

But I did find plenty of single varietal versions of Monastrell that weren’t the heavy hitters I was expecting but rather medium-bodied and thus perfect with a smoky paella. Quite the food wines, I found. And they were all under $15. Who knew. Read on for the results:

The wines:

The winner: 2004 Finca Luzon from Jumilla. (50% Monastrell, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Tempranillo). Tons of earth and blackberries with a finish that went on and on.

Second place: 2005 Vinos Sin-Ley M5 (as in to the fifth power) from Yecla. Dark rubies swirling in cigar and tobacco.
Third place: Bellum 2004 Providencia from Yecla. A boderline light-bodied wine with smooth flavor and a silky finish.
Fourth place: 2004 Hecula Castano. This is the one I brought. I rated it second (after the blend) and so did Brian, who sat next to me. I didn’t find it as visually pleasing as the other wines (a tad cloudy perhaps a little decanting would’ve help), but the flavor and finish — earth plus smoked, peppery meats — were insanely delightful. It was a recommendation from Kevin Hogan at The Spanish Table in Berkeley. A home cook and the wine buyer-manager, he’s a wealth of information and an expert on all things Iberian. If you don’t subscribe to his e-newsletter, you must.
Fifth place: 2005 Casa Castillo from Jumilla. Too hot. Prune flavors, almost cooked. The finish did nothing for me.

The onslaught of new specialized wine bars in San Francisco continues, and Amelie is definitely my happy place. I finally checked out the Euro-heavy wine bar last night during happy hour. And I think I like it as much as Yield, maybe even more.

At the corner of Polk and Washington streets, everything about Amelie is warm and glowing, including the walls. Red frosted wine bottles illuminate them and offset the muted wooden shelves holding some of my favorite bottles, from Ceago Vinegarden to Taltarni.

Like Nectar, the bar offers casual table and chair seating upon entrance. Or you can sit on comfy stools at the bar or grab a cozy booth in the back. Up to you. Jenny and I were feeling the bar, thanks in part to the gorgeous men manning (how’s that for a double entendre?) it.

One was Germain Michel, co-owner and former wine director at Chou Chou. He and Samie Didda, Chou Chou’s owner, own Amelie. They named it after Samie’s daughter. The list is half European, with a big emphasis on France and southern France (woohoo!) and quality, affordable producers. There are also selections from South Africa, New Zealand, California, Australia, Chile and Argentina.

I’m in my French white stage and Jenny’s big on big reds, so we tailored our flights to suit our palates and shared the goods. Major tip: take advantage of Amelie’s happy hour. From 5:30 to 7 p.m. you can customize a flight of three wines for only $10. And we’re talking generous pours. I had a fabulous Alsatian Reisling, a Vouvray from the Loire Valley and a Viognier from the southern Rhone. Jenny had a biodynamic Lake County Merlot, a southern Rhone syrah, and a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley.

We munched on $3 aperitifs: baby shrimp “tacos” on round tortilla chips and goat cheese crostinis drizzled with honey. Another happy hour secret: if you order a regular glass of wine, you get a free aperitif. All in all a gorgeous addition to the wine bar scene and a short cab ride from Civic Center Bart.

They’re open 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday. Check them out at Amelie.

Have you heard the news? An all-sparkling winery is moving into the Livermore Valley.

I recall rumblings of Wente starting a sparkling facility but never got confirmation on why it tanked. Little Valley makes three sparkling wines, but they’re flavored and not particularly serious. Battaion’s will be, or so winemaker Dustin Battaion and his wife Chandra promise.

They will focus on traditional and contemporary sparkling wines using only the finest local grapes. Dustin’s background is in organic grape growing with an emphasis on producing traditional sparklings in the French method.

Battaion Cellars’s tasting room is currently under construction, but you can taste the wines in their all-bubbly portfolio by calling 925-245-9242 and making an appointment. Their temporary digs are at 8626 Lupin Way in Livermore.

The winery currently offers four sparkling wines available for purchase. Traditional styles include a 1996 Vintage, a Non Vintage Brut, and a Blanc De Noirs; a pink California Sparkling wine, made entirely with Pinot Noir grapes. For those who like sparkling Shiraz or Lambrusco, their Cuvee Rouge, an aromatic red sparkling made with Syrah and Grenache grapes, should be just the ticket. Wines go for $24 to $35.

I’m interested in speaking with Dustin, given Livermore’s heat and the early harvest necessary for making sparklings.

Get more info at their web site.

My friend Ryan made the most gorgeous pork tenderloin last night. He’d marinated it overnight in a host of goodies — from honey and soy sauce to some secret Chinese spices — and grilled it to moist perfection. Mad skills. Sometimes I wish I was a boy.

Anyway, I had a hunch that La Crema’s Viognier would be a good match for Ryan’s dish. Typically, pork goes with medium-bodied whites just as well as medium-bodied reds, but because of the intense salty-spice of his marinade, the juicy tangerine, lemon peel and jasmine of this particular Viognier was an excellent complement.

Technically a blend, it has just a smidge (4 percent) of Chardonnay in it, which I think really rounds out the mouth feel. His wife, Elizabeth, and I were in heaven. Seriously, clone that man.

Good to note as well: a small percentage (less than 10) of the blend was aged in French oak for four months, and therefore produces a touch of cream that enriches the varietal’s character. The rest of the wine was fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks, ‘natch.

The 2006 Viognier retails for $20 and is only available in their tasting room in downtown Healdsburg. It’s darling, and if you haven’t been, I highly recommend a visit. The Pinot Noir alone is a good enough reason.

I don’t get a huge kick out of telling people what to drink. But the inspiring wines of Domaine De Nizas, an artisan winery near Pezanas in the Languedoc region of southern France? These I demand you experience. I’ve raved plenty about Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, another underreported southern region. Now it’s all about the ‘Doc. And to some extent, Syrah from the ‘Doc.

I’ve tried all six wines in their portfolio and can tell you they come from a place where terroir is still paramount, where regional Mediterranean flavors mingle with an elegance that is honed from listening to the land — a mere 156 acres in the case of this property.

The vines range from gnarled 60-year-old Carignans to modern clones of Syrah — perhaps the golden child of the Domaine’s expression. They — that’s winemaker Bernard Meunier, winemaking consultant Bernard Portet of Clos Du Val fame and managing director Arnaud Deville — can trace each bottle to a specific vineyard plot. Naturally, in the grape biz, this makes for ultimate quality control and constant improvement.

Vines are planted high in density and produce low yields, further ensuring optimal expression. Think of it as extreme terroir. Naturally, people who love their land in this way also practice sustainable agriculture. Domaine De Nizas uses cover crops, grows grass between the vines and sprays minimally.

Now that I’ve proved their quality, let’s talk about the soil. They’re blessed with a dynamite trio: limestone clay, villafanchien (a blend of river pebbles and red clay that is often found in Chateauneuf-du-Pape), and basalt. Yes, ancient volcanic flow. Combine that with a superior climate that comes from a location 20 miles from the Mediterranean Sea, and you can understand why the wines are of such distinction. All are under $35. Onward:

Domaine de Nizas Rose, AOC Coteaux du Languedoc:

There’s one word for this dazzling rose quartz wine. Sex. It’s a powerhouse of spice compared to last year’s vintage. Arnaud tells me it’s because they upped the Syrah to 40 percent and lowered the Grenache. It’s spectacular with a spice-flecked salmon and one you should reach for the next time you’re dining with someone who “doesn’t drink pink wines.” Please. Get over yourself. Try Nizas’ style and then come see me with your bottle, er, tail, between your legs.

Carignan Vielles Vignes, Vin de Pays de Caux: A friend of a friend was so taken with the unique aroma and mouth feel of this 100 percent old vine Carignan that she served it at her wedding. Go Jen! Merlot and Chardonnay? Phsaw. It’s gorgeous and anything like it is hard to find, especially made in the states.

Domaine De Nizas Reserve, Vin de Pays d’Oc: Only 500 cases of this blend of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are made and at $35 a bottle, it’s their high end baby. With soft tannins and an acidity that will develop over the years, it’s a sophisticated bottle that demands the $50-plus price tags of Napa Cabernets. Yet the comparable alcohol content of this wine (14.5 percent) won’t singe your tongue.

If you can’t get your hands on the reserve, try either of the Domaine’s signature Syrah blends: Le Mas Rouge or the AOC Coteaux du Languedoc promise a medley of dark floral, chocolate and espresso aromas and flavors of spice, sexy, spice.

To learn more, go to the Domaine de Nizas web site. Simply translate into English, or go through Clos Du Val’s site. To buy locally, try those devilish Thieves in Lafayette.

Check this out: As you know, the 21st Annual Napa Sonoma Wine Country Film Festival is rolling through the Valley this month. It will hit American Canyon’s Cartlidge & Browne Winery July 19 to 22 for a host of activities. In case you’re not familiar, that’s the winery with the big “Stick Your Nose In Our Business” sign you see on Hwy. 29.

On July 21 there will be a showing of “Maroa” as a benefit for Aldea Children & Family Services, an organization which supports children and families with behavior, mental and social health problems in Napa and Solano Counties. I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard “Maroa” is a film based on the real life stories of Venezuelan children who have been rescued from the barrios and transformed by the power of classical music.

If you’re interested, it will be shown at 8:45 p.m. on July 21 in the outdoor venue at the winery; tickets cost $15.00. Here’s the cool part: the winery’s founder and president, Tony Cartlidge, will prepare a paella dinner on preceding the showing of the film from 5 to 8 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at 707-935-3456 or the Wine Country Film Festival Web site. They can also be purchased at the door.

Bonus, for skateboarders and skateboard enthusiasts: Also on July 21 at Cartlidge &
Browne: an enormous skateboarding ramp will be built for a demo from 1 to 4 p.m. This follows the 11 a.m. showing of “Rising Sun: The Legend of Skateboarder Christian Hosoi,” a film
chronicling the rise, fall and rebirth of the skateboard superstar, including interviews with friends like Tony Hawk.

For details on Cartlidge & Browne Winery, visit their Web site.

Stop the presses. Er, make that the blogging tool. At the recent California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition, Charles Shaw’s 2005 Chardonnay was named the best in the state. Yes, it beat out about 350 other Chards from every price point.

That’s right C-heads, good old Two Buck ($1.99, actually) Chuck. I thought the whole Chuck model was to introduce people — young people who don’t have a lot of money — to wine, and once they realize it’s something they can have on their table every night and not just for special occasions, they would move up, to say, a $6 bottle of Bogle.

But no. It continues to sell. In fact, the exclusive Trader Joe’s line accounted for a whopping 8 percent of wines sold in California last year. That’s crazy! Chuck, released by vintner Fred Franzia, just celebrated its fifth anniversary and 300 millionth bottle. It’s like the Big Mac of wine!

I can see why people are calling it the Judgment of California. A penny for Grgich’s thoughts. And I have to agree with Laurie Daniel of the San Jose Mercury News. I bet the reason it won is because wine judges, like critics, taste, vote and probably pee in opinionated herds.

Oaky, butter bomb Chardonnays have been out for almost five years. Younger California winemakers keen on the millennial palate have been making crisp, fresh, fruity and food-friendly Chards for a while now. They’re certainly not complex, but they sell, because they’re cheap and have nifty marketing and bright funky animals on their labels.

Wine judges have to be oh-so-cool and up on these sorts of trends and industry fluctuations. Another reason Chuck could’ve won is their lack of consistency. While I’m not too familiar with their Chardonnay, I can say that, bottle to bottle, their reds are totally off.

I recall loving a bottle of the Cabernet in college, then getting a headache off it the second day. A Merlot was practically a different wine - lush, silky - the third night I drank it. And the first Thanksgiving that they released the Gamay Beaujolais, my friend Jenny and I split a case, we liked it so much. The second year it tasted like Robitussin.

Point made?