Wine, Women & Friends

A French-Canadian wine-making couple open up about their personal and professional lives in this warm documentary. Carole LeBlanc and Jo Béfort, domestic partners for 19 years, might not have chosen this career path if they had known how much sheer physical work it would entail, although according to Jo's mother, Nicole, wine-making runs in their family. Nicole describes Carole as "the tall Canadian" and Jo as "the little Alsatian." The women, who live in the south of France, got their start by taking oenology classes and working in vineyards before launching their Les Cabotines wine label six years ago. With experience, the pair have developed a system in which Jo manages the vineyard and Carole takes care of the nearby cellar where they make and store the wine. The two also work at day jobs—Jo as a veterinary diagnostician and Carole as a home-care aid—which helps them cover costs (and neither has any intention of giving up their professions). Director Fiona Cunningham-Reid follows the harvest from September through May as the women supervise the picking of the syrah and grenache grapes, which then move through the stages of fermentation, decuvage (the rather messy pressing process), and bottling, before being packed in cases. Along the way, Cunningham also interviews their cellar owner, bottling supervisor, and a few other workers, who share their passion for the conviviality of making and drinking wine. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)