The wines of 007
November 2006
"Red wine with fish. Well, that should have told me something." utters 007 as he looks up to the tall blonde thug holding a gun to his head.
"You may know the right wines, but you’re the one on your knees."
Classic lines from 1963’s From Russia with Love. I must confess that for the most of my life, I have been a James Bond fan. In some way, it is quite possible that reading and watching 007’s adventures is what originally sparked my interest in wine. Although he is most known for drinking his “Vodka Martini, shaken not stirred”, James Bond has also ventured into the foray of fine wine. As the latest James Bond adventure opens on the big screen this week, I thought it might be fun to review the wines of 007.
In his first big screen adventure, Dr. No, James Bond grabs a bottle of Dom Perignon to use as a weapon against his capturer, "That's a Dom Perignon '55 - it would be a pity to break it," says Dr. No, calmly.
"I prefer the '53 myself," responds Bond, sitting down.
That line not only embodied the coolness of James Bond, but also spurred on what was to become one of the first examples of product placement. For his second big screen adventure, From Russia With Love, Bond was seen sipping on Taittinger (which he frequently drank in Ian Fleming’s novels). Moet & Chandon, which owns Dom Perignon, missed the boost that the previous film had brought to their product, so they made a deal with the producers that kept Mr. Bond drinking Dom Perignon for several films down the road.
Bond also knows his Brandy. While enjoying a business dinner with his superior M, Bond is offered some brandy, being told, "Have a little more of this rather disappointing brandy."
M replies, "Why, what is the matter with it?"
Bond, replies, "I'd say it was a 30 year old fined and indifferently blended, with an overdose of bon bois." Bon Bois is an area in the Cognac region and usually the poorer quality wines come from that area.
In Diamonds Are Forever, Sean Connery’s appearance before handing the role to Roger Moore, he had two great scenes involving wine. The first involves Sherry. Sherry is a fortified wine that is blended using some wine from the previous vintage. This system is called a solera system. Early in the film, Bond is again dining with his superior M and and they are offered some sherry. "Pity about your liver sir, it's an unusually fine solera. '51 I believe." states Bond.
M replies, "There is no year for sherry, 007."
Not to be topped, James says, "I was referring to the original vintage on which the sherry is based. 1851. Unless I'm mistaken?"
Not all of 007s wine knowledge is just for showing off, it actually comes in handy. At the end of the same film, he uses the wine to smoke out the bad guy as the evil henchman poses as a Sommelier. He presents Bond with a Mouton-Rothschild '55.
Bond: "The wine is quite excellent, although for such a grand meal I had rather expected a claret."
Steward: "Of course, unfortunately our cellar's rather poorly stocked with clarets."
Bond: "Mouton-Rothschild IS a claret."
As Roger Moore took over the role in Live and Let Die, his choice Champagne is switched to Bollinger for the one film. Of course Dom Perignon is back in Moore’s second movie, The Man With The Golden Gun, where the villain of the film pours Bond some wine. Bond compliments the wine by stating, "Excellent - slightly reminiscent of a '34 Mouton."
Moore’s 3rd Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me, marks the final appearance for Dom Perignon as Bond’s Champagne of choice. From here on out, Bond 's choice Champagne is Bollinger.
In For Your Eyes Only, while in Greece, Bond dines with his Greek contact who recommends a wine. "May I suggest a white Ribolo from Catalonia, my home place?"
Bond replies, "If you forgive me, I find that a little too scented for my palate ... I prefer the Theotaki Aspero".
This is a foul on the writers part, as Ribolo is not a strongly scented wine.
Bollinger appears throughout most of the remaining Bond films while still wine takes a back seat and is not seen again for quite some time except at a table with no mention of what is being drunk.
The newest James Bond, Daniel Craig, is proving to be no slouch when it comes to wine. In Casino Royale, not only does Bond consume Bollinger again in this film, but he also has a taste for the 1982 St- Emilion premier grand cru classe, Chateau Angelus. He shares a bottle of this classic wine in the dining car of a luxury train. If he wine he orders in any indication of how well this new 007 will do, the Bond series is in good hands.
