Todd Abrams
Todd Abrams
It’s a joyous time for fans of cinema. The Criterion Channel that was once part of the Filmstruck streaming service run by Turner and Warner Bros. Digital Networks was shut down back in November 2018 so that Warner could focus on competing with Amazon and Netflix. It created a great disturbance, as if millions of cinema fans cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. So Criterion decided to start their own service and it launched about a week ago.
In celebration I cued up Tarkovsky’s Stalker while I made a big batch of saffron-buttered popcorn and uncorked a 2015 Fento Xabre.
Xabre is named for the sandy granite soils of Ribeira Sacra and is predominately Mencia. The wine’s perfume of citrus peel, green tea, violets, fresh berries, and warm terra cotta accented both the floral, earthy saffron and Tarkovsky’s captivating long takes. It seemed as if every sip was accompanied by a new metaphysical or spiritual theme. How can a film that runs nearly three hours - and superficially seems to be about three dudes bickering with each other - be so dense and so very wet?
The bright and lively structure of the wine, clearly influenced by a cool Atlantic climate, paired exceptionally well with the deep green, Estonian landscapes. When the tone shifted to sepia, the wine seemed to gain a bit of warmth, naturally, and perhaps a bit of gravitas. Overall a quality pairing experience.
In celebration I cued up Tarkovsky’s Stalker while I made a big batch of saffron-buttered popcorn and uncorked a 2015 Fento Xabre.
Xabre is named for the sandy granite soils of Ribeira Sacra and is predominately Mencia. The wine’s perfume of citrus peel, green tea, violets, fresh berries, and warm terra cotta accented both the floral, earthy saffron and Tarkovsky’s captivating long takes. It seemed as if every sip was accompanied by a new metaphysical or spiritual theme. How can a film that runs nearly three hours - and superficially seems to be about three dudes bickering with each other - be so dense and so very wet?
The bright and lively structure of the wine, clearly influenced by a cool Atlantic climate, paired exceptionally well with the deep green, Estonian landscapes. When the tone shifted to sepia, the wine seemed to gain a bit of warmth, naturally, and perhaps a bit of gravitas. Overall a quality pairing experience.