Wine and Movie Pairing: Modern Bordeaux and Maestro
Modern Bordeaux and Maestro
This week’s Wine and Movie Pairing represents a highly anticipated movie with lots of awards potential. Let’s take a look at Maestro with Opus One.
To succinctly summarize Maestro would be to put its title character - the great American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein - into a neatly labeled box. Leonard Bernstein hated labels.
While the movie does give audiences a timeline of Leonard Bernstein’s career highlights and some stirring musical and dance performances, the screenplay largely examines the life of Leonard Bernstein through his relationship with his wife, Costa Rican-Chilean actress Felicia Montealegre. The film beautifully captures time on screen, and the transition from black-and-white into Technicolor is just one of the ways the movie captures the love story between Mr. and Mrs. Bernstein.
Maestro has been in development since 2018, after actor/director/co-writer Bradley Cooper finished production for A Star Is Born. After winning the approval of the Bernstein children to begin pre-production, Bradley Cooper famously spent six and a half years preparing to conduct a six minute scene set at Ely Cathedral.
In one sweeping shot.
With the London Symphony Orchestra.
Live.
This is a spoiler free zone, but the movie can (and has been) critically summarized by that one six minute shot. It must be seen to be believed.
Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan give outstanding performances, and there are some beautiful directing and cinematography moments (Matthew Libatique, the Oscar-nominated Director of Photography for A Star Is Born, serves up another visceral, musically shot movie). While slightly unexpected, the screenplay offers a fresh take on Leonard Bernstein’s life, and the seal of approval from the Bernstein estate will go a long way towards Maestro’s future as a modern classic.
Speaking of modern classics, there’s only one wine that comes to mind when thinking about a musical genius in two different roles, and that is Opus One. From the proprietors behind two of the world’s most recognizable wines (Robert Mondavi in Napa Valley and Baron Phillipe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux) comes a wine built on the fine wine traditions of its founders, aspiring to “the pursuit of uncompromising quality” vintage after vintage.
When Robert Mondavi and Baron Phillipe de Rothschild on vacation in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, the two wine giants immediately shared a mutual interest in creating a wine label that combined the best of both Napa Valley and Bordeaux. Using fruit from the historic To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville AVA, Opus One is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend that uses all five of the signature grapes found in Bordeaux.
The 2018 vintage is youthful and fruit-forward, with lots of black cherry and cassis in the foreground, but some additional spice (courtesy of 17 months in new French oak) add complexity and a smooth texture that plays nicely with the wine. Enjoy its youthful impact now, or cellar it for a while to see how this finely tuned masterpiece appreciates over time.
Suggested food pairings include beef, game, and lamb, so I’ll tip my hat to Bradley Cooper’s hometown and say that the 2018 Opus One is best enjoyed with a Philly cheese steak sandwich. Thinly sliced ribeye steak with sharp cheese, caramelized onions, and green bell peppers hits all of the classic pairings for Bordeaux red blends.
Of course, you could always see if Bradley Cooper himself will serve you the cheese steak. If you do find Danny and Coop’s Cheesesteaks, please enjoy a bottle of Opus One with it and let me know what you think of this high-low pairing. I’m inclined to believe that Lenny himself would approve.
The 2018 Opus One is available direct to consumer for $455. Please call ahead or chat with your local wine store staff about this unforgettable bottle of wine.
Maestro is now streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned for availability on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Further Reading
GQ interviewed classical music guru Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who served as Bradley Cooper’s conducting consultant on the set of Maestro. Get a glimpse into the most climactic six minutes of the film.
Here’s some fast facts about Opus One, compiled in a catchy listicle from VinePair in 2018.
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