The Intriguing Side of Wine: ‘Somm’ Director Delves into the Geopolitical Landscape

Jason Wise sheds light on the surprising twist that unfolded during the making of ‘Somm: Cup of Salvation,’ by revealing the covert journey to Iran to collect grapes from ancient vineyards, an endeavor that dates back beyond 1979, when the nation enforced a ban on alcohol.

‘Somm: Cup of Salvation’ lensman Jackson Myers (left) and director Jason Wise capture the sweeping landscape surrounding the ancient monastery Khor Virap in Armenia. Courtesy of Forgotten Man Films.

When Jason Wise set out to make the fourth documentary in his Somm series it was intended to be a history and religion-centric film — “the Planet Earth of wine” — but after meeting a winemaker named Vahe Keushguerian in Armenia those plans changed.

Somm: Cup of Salvation centers on Keushguerian and his daughter Aimee, now a winemaker in her own right, and their efforts to put Armenian wine on the map.

During the course of filming, Vahe went on a quest to Iran to find out what happened to vineyards of Rasheh grapes after the country banned alcohol in 1979. Without spoiling too much, the Argo-esque mission was, ahem, fruitful — and they’ve made the first wine from Iranian grapes in nearly 50 years under their Molana label.

Wise has become known for his wine docs — he has directed three previous Somm films and launched Somm TV, a subscription streaming platform dedicated to food and wine — but he wouldn’t necessarily classify Cup of Salvation as one. Yes, the film is about wine, but Wise really sees it as a “geopolitical thriller” and father-daughter story. The complex narrative — and the risk involved — has made it a challenge to promote.

“You have to figure out how you’re going to position it,” explains Wise, adding that the typical tendency is to highlight the most dramatic or outlandish element of a story to attract attention. Here, they’re trying to balance encouraging people to see the film while not coming off like they’re bragging about pulling one over on the Iranian government. “Normally, if you’re doing a horror film, you’d show the scariest, most gruesome thing. You push it as far as you can. When you’re doing this type of a movie, these are real people and their lives are impacted by how this film is received. It’s both the dream and the scariest thing you can have for a filmmaker. The excitement for Vahe’s and Aimee’s wines being known to the world outweighs the concern, or else I wouldn’t have made this.”

The film, which Wise is self-distributing, began a limited theatrical run in October. It’s showing at the Angelika in New York Dec. 7-10 and in L.A. later this month. (More info here.)

Wise spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about how his film took a dramatic narrative turn — and why he’s still a little nervous about Vahe’s “harrowing” trip to Iran. Read More » …

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