This immensely enjoyable documentary profiles the unique lives of four sommeliers as they travel to France to enter the World Wine Tasting Championship.
Joseph, Marlvin, Pardon and Tinashe are refugees who escaped violence in Zimbabwe to build new lives in neighbouring South Africa. Each of them struggled in the new country, facing prejudice and economic hardship as they supported their families.
Finding jobs as waiters, each soon discovered a taste for the complex subtleties of wine. They all committed themselves to the art and ascended to the rank of sommelier. After meeting each other, they decided to form a team to enter the Olympics of the wine-tasting world in France.
Warwick Ross and Robert Coe’s corker of a film charts Joseph, Marlvin, Pardon and Tinashe’s lives through interviews with the men and their families. The dangers each faced make their journey to France all the more extraordinary. No less moving is the team’s pride in their Zimbabwean roots, representing their country on the world stage and offering a different perspective on a country torn apart by conflict.
The affection the men also show for each other is palpable, while one of their coaches, Denis Garret, adds hilarity to this buoyant, uplifting film. For an activity as sedate as wine-tasting, Ross and Coe’s 2021 documentary draws out a surprising amount of suspense as they chart the team’s journey through each stage of the competition.
"Inspiring documentary on first Zimbabwean wine-tasting team” Wendy Ide
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CERT: 12A