I've been contacted by a TV producer of some renown. He has proposed that he produce a television series with me on wine. I've been mulling this generous offer over for some long time, and have decided to pursue it. I'm planning on an upcoming lunch meeting, to see just what he has in mind. In our preliminary discussion, he was just throwing out the idea, to see if I would be interested.
I do not know how, or even if, things will progress on this. My interest in such a project has increased, the more I have considered the initial offer. Now, I need some help. Will everyone send me US$10,000.00 in small, unmarked bills? NO! This is not the type of help I need, though maybe it wouldn't hurt, at least at the start. What I DO need are some thoughts from the NG as to what would make an interesting wine-oriented television program for YOU.
I've seen many, most in the OK range, a few very good, and only a very few that were not either entertaining, or informative. Probably the best, in my experience, was Spencer Christian's Wine Cellar. There were several episodes taped, and I think I have seen most, at least twice. For those who do not recognize the name, Spencer Christian was the weather person on one of the major US network's early morning news programs. I have to admit that I had never seen him, nor did I know of him (my wife did), when his program aired on Home & Garden TV in the US, many years ago. We received this program on Saturday afternoons. I caught maybe eight episodes, before the network began re-running them. I'd guess they spanned a two year period, judging solely by the vintages that were tasted. The Food Network picked up this program and I caught only a few new episodes, and mostly re-runs. The format was often a lighter wine-travel piece, often to a winery, or region, internationally. Several wines were presented and discussed by Christian, and there was often a guest sommelier on-hand for this segment. Usually Harvey Steiman and Jim Laube (The Wine Spectator) would have a more analytical tasting segment near the end of the program. Sometimes, the wines and travel would be themed, but more often they did not directly relate to each other. I became a fan of this program and campaigned to the Food Network, in vain, when he was replaced by two episodes of Emeril Live, back-to-back. The only complaint that I had, was that there was never a line-up of what would be tasted on the program. I'd have gathered a few bottles of the same, or very similar wines, Haut-Brion, Stag's Leap, whatever, though a more recent vintage in all probability, and sipped along, even at 1:00 PM on a Saturday afternoon.
In the US, PBS (Public Broadcast System) did a two-part (?) series, Wine 101 with the actor David Hyde-Pierce. I had not expected much, but found this to be an entertaining, and informative series. Part of it might have been Hyde- Pierce's delivery, but the program was well produced and didn't "talk down" to wine geeks, such as myself, at all. I have not caught John Cleese's wine series, but hear that it is also very entertaining.
What I would request from you is a little thought. If you were to be presented with a television program focused on wine, what would YOU find entertaining, enlightening, worth watching, enjoyable? What would make you grab that bottle and a couple of glasses and plop down in front of a TV set and how could such a program entertain and enlighten you? How could such a program entertain you and your spouse? Omitting such things as very good production values, etc. what would it take for you to recommend a televised wine program to your friends, your family, your neighbors? What would you NOT like to see? What would turn you off from a wine program? Personally, I enjoyed hearing the discussions on the attributes, and short-comings of the wines that Steiman and Laube were tasting, but didn't really need to see them spit, and then the numerical values were a bit of a turnoff. The discussions were all I cared for in that/those segment(s).
I would like to think that anything I would be a part of would be directed to the demographic represented by most of this NG - folk who know quite a bit about wine, always want to know more, enjoy it at many levels and work very hard to find wines that offer them the greatest pleasure and enjoyment. Now, it could turn out that some "bean-counter" someplace, might decide that there are not enough serious, or at least semi-serious wine afficionados out there in TV land. If it came down to doing something for the "lowest common denominator," then I don't think I would be able to fit into the scheme - I ain't no David Hyde-Pierce, or John Cleese.
I am also hoping that, with the international nature of this NG, some of you can also relate programs on wine outside of the US, that might provide a basis for thought. I assume that this project would be somewhat geo-centric to the US Southwest, but do not know that yet.
Please, at your convenience, give my request for input some thought. Nothing may ever come of this, but if it does, it is people, such as yourselves, to whom I'd want to tailor any production.
Thanks for your time, and for your thoughts.
Hunt, he ain't no Hyde-Pierce or Cleese.