Imagine if Paul Giamatti in “Sideways” snapped, flew to the Caucasus, and found God in a wine jug older than Christ.
Trailer for “In Pursuit of Flavor”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- Winemaking in Georgia dates back over 8,000 years—archeologists have found qvevri clay pots used for fermentation buried in the ground from the Neolithic period.
- Ashwin openly credits the rediscovery of this winemaking process with saving his life after burnout in the wine industry.
Watch “In Pursuit of Flavor”
Check JustWatch for updates on where to watch.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 9.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Ratings: 100/100 (Users), na (Critics)
Director’s Note: Gerod Bond directs this soulful return-to-roots story, co-written with Ashwin Muthiah, the sommelier at the heart of the film.
Release Date: 2022
My Review of “In Pursuit of Flavor”
The Setup
Disillusioned by the commercial wine world, Ashwin Muthiah returns to Georgia (Sakartvelo), where wine began. He reconnects with a lost tradition of clay qvevri winemaking and finds, in that muddy magic, a reason to keep living.
More Highlights from the Doc
- Dato, Ashwin’s guide, acts as a cultural translator—taking Ashwin deep into the countryside to meet families who still ferment wine with natural yeasts and no additives.
- The film breaks down how international varietals like Chardonnay are being planted in Georgia for export appeal—while thousands of native grapes are left unexplored.
- Ashwin and Dato drink from ancient clay pots in stone cellars where the walls sweat and the floor is cold mud—no filters, no steel tanks, no shortcuts.
- The documentary features villagers crushing grapes barefoot and sealing qvevris with beeswax, an art passed down through generations.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Some Georgian winemakers refuse to label their bottles in English or export to major markets—they want people to come to Georgia to taste it at the source.
- Ashwin discusses the “information asymmetry” in wine: how commercial producers dominate shelf space and public knowledge, hiding the real stories of wine’s origins.
- At one point, Dato explains that qvevri winemaking was almost wiped out during Soviet rule, when centralized agriculture focused on volume over heritage.
- The film captures a funeral toast where wine is poured directly into the soil—“to honor those who now live in the roots.”
Wrap Up
“In Pursuit of Flavor” is a powerful reminder that flavor isn’t just taste—it’s story, survival, and soul. A must-watch for anyone who thinks wine is just a drink.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc