Unprecedented Historic View of the Rebuilding and Emergence of a New American Wine Culture
(Monterey, CA) October 16, 2015 – America’s Wine: The Legacy of Prohibition is the documentary film, commissioned by UC Berkeley’s world renowned Bancroft Library, that takes an in-depth look at wine in America. It covers everything from the “Noble Experiment” of Prohibition, which decimated the vibrant wine community, to the rise of the “Phoenix” generation of wine pioneers including Robert Mondavi and Ernest Gallo, to more recent battles over direct shipping of wines to consumers.
Hosted by the Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association (MCVGA) on November 12, 2015, the showing of America’s Wine: The Legacy of Prohibition at Middlebury Institute’s Irvine Theater will also feature a Monterey Wine Country tasting reception preceding the screening. The event starts at 6:30PM. Seating in the Irvine Theater is limited, tickets are $25 and can be purchased through montereywines.org or americaswinescreeing.eventbrite.com.
Director/Producer Carla De Luca Worfolk will introduce the film and afterwards there will be a panel discussion featuring John De Luca, former President and CEO of the Wine Institute, and local Monterey wine personalities on how Prohibition impacts the wine industry of today. Media interviews are also available.
“The remarkable journey we experienced in putting together this documentary enabled us to witness historical events, record final interviews, review private archives and share never-before displayed images, yet didn’t prepare us for the emotional impact of recognizing the passing of a generation.” said Filmmaker Carla De Luca Worfolk. She continued, “Immersing ourselves in the era of Prohibition and then its Repeal, we came to understand these complex times, as well as the culture we live in today. We didn’t expect to be so personally moved as we worked in post-production and learned yet one more member of the ‘Phoenix Generation’ had passed on since our interviews.” To date, ten members of the “Phoenix Generation” are no longer with us.
“We could not be more honored and excited to host America’s Wine: The Legacy of Prohibition’“, said Scott Caraccioli, MCVGA Board President. “The film should allow everyone to gain perspective on the rich history of wine in America and appreciate what so many have done to lay the foundation for today’s vibrant wine market.”
