Blind Ambition is a new film about four Zimbabwean sommeliers who form a team and compete in the World Blind Wine Tasting Championships in Burgundy.
It’s like a wine equivalent of the ultimate sports underdog tale, Cool Runnings, the 1993 film inspired by the true story of the first Jamaican national bobsled team.
But unlike Cool Runnings, Blind Ambition is all true. It’s a documentary directed by Australian filmmakers Warwick Ross and Rob Coe, who are with us this wine podcast episode of Drinks Adventures.
- Click here to locate episode in your podcast player
Warwick and Rob were behind the 2013 film Red Obsession, which explored how France’s finest wines have skyrocketed in price having become a status symbol in China.
As you’ll hear from Warwick, the film was made possible by two of our previous guests on the Drinks Adventures podcast, Jancis Robinson (S4E4) and Andrew Caillard (S7E4).
When Jancis heard the story of these four Zimbabwean sommeliers who had fled Robert Mugabe’s regime, she set up a crowdfunding campaign to get them to France where they would test their skills against expert tasters from 26 other countries. The first black team ever to do so.
Make sure you see the film as it’s brilliant and very moving. You don’t need to be interested in wine to enjoy it, in fact it recently won the audience award at both Tribeca (New York) and Sydney Film Festivals.
More:
China wine and spirits market: Expert Ian Ford’s insights – S5E8
Pizzini Wines: Trailblazing Sangiovese & Nebbiolo – S12E7
Matthew Jukes on non-alcoholic drinks & Aussie wine upheaval: S12E1
