What We're Reading --

He wrote ‘Sideways,’ which became the most influential wine movie ever made. Now he says he was ‘completely ripped off’

“Sideways,” the 2004 Oscar-winning movie in which Paul Giamatti experiences a midlife crisis while on a wine tasting trip through Santa Barbara County, made some people lots of money — not only the production company, but also countless American wineries.

Yet one person claims he never got his fair share of the “Sideways” gold rush: Rex Pickett, who wrote the novel that inspired the movie. Now, 19 years later, Pickett is trying to change his fortunes. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Mateus – the success story of Portugal’s best-selling rosé wine

Mateus Rosé is one of the world’s most successful wines. Exported to over 100 markets, it is Portugal’s number one selling wine. More than 20 million bottles of Mateus are sold annually worldwide – that’s one every 38 minutes. Mateus didn’t gain its popularity by chance, it was created by a visionary whose aim was to make a rosé that would draw the world’s attention. And he succeeded. (Concours Mondial Bruzelles)