‘Burgundy’ Review: An Attractive, Light-Bodied Wine Doc With a Good Nose but No Legs
Variety's review of "Burgundy," the new documentary from directors Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, finds it a visually gorgeous but insubstantial follow-up to their acclaimed earlier films "The Truffle Hunters" and "Gaucho Gaucho." The documentary explores the winemaking culture of France's Burgundy region, but the reviewer argues it favours whimsical, dreamlike atmosphere over the incisive character study that made the directors' previous work so compelling, leaving it feeling more like a pleasant reverie than a substantial portrait.
The film follows Bertrand Devillard, patriarch of a 160-year-old winemaking estate, whose grandson Melchior prefers finance to inheriting the family business, opening a path for outsider Enzo, an ambitious young worker learning the trade from the ground up. Supporting figures include trainee sommelier Céleste, restaurant maitre'd Patrick and a wine critic named Guillaume, who provides comic relief. While the directors' trademark meticulous, painterly cinematography and sharp editing by Pauline Gaillard are praised, the review criticises indulgent additions such as 8mm footage of a budding romance and an overlong "Bonnie and Clyde" pastiche sequence as unnecessary digressions that dilute the film's focus.
- "Burgundy" documentary is visually stunning but lacks narrative depth
- Follows a Burgundy winemaking family and an ambitious young outsider
- Reviewer says it's weaker than directors' earlier acclaimed documentaries
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Burgundy is a wine region in eastern France long associated with prestigious, family-run vineyards, and it forms the backdrop for a new documentary of the same name. The film comes from Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, an American directing duo previously known for "The Truffle Hunters" and "Gaucho Gaucho," documentaries praised for finding vivid, memorable characters within niche food and farming worlds.
The new film centres on Bertrand Devillard, head of a winemaking estate with 160 years of history, and the question of who will carry it forward. His grandson Melchior has chosen a career in finance instead, leaving room for Enzo, a young outsider learning the winemaking trade, alongside figures such as a trainee sommelier, a restaurant maitre'd and a wine critic.
The story matters chiefly to those following the directors' careers and the documentary film scene, since it is being judged against the high bar set by their earlier, acclaimed work. Reviews of the film are now assessing whether its visual style and gentle character sketches match the depth of those previous films, or whether it falls short by comparison.