Decoder Ring: The Sideways Effect
b'In 2004, the indie flick Sideways was released in just four theaters, but it had a big impact, earning five Oscar nominations and $110 million worldwide. \\u201cI thought it was just going to be a nice little comedy,\\u201d filmmaker Alexander Payne tells us. Instead, the movie became known for something else so notable that it has a name: The Sideways Effect.\\xa0\\nIn this episode, we explore all the outsized effects of this one little movie on the huge wine industry. Did a single line of dialogue really tank merlot sales for decades? Did an ode to pinot noir jumpstart demand for this expensive grape? Did Paul Giamatti\\u2019s sad sack character change our relationship to yet another wine, one that was barely mentioned in the film?\\nToday on Decoder Ring, all of these questions and this one: Is it long past time to start drinking merlot?\\nSome of the voices in this episode include Laura Lippmann, crime novelist; Tim Farrell, wine buyer for Brooklyn Wine Exchange; Rex Pickett, novelist and author of \\u2018Sideways,\\u2019 Alexander Payne, director, screenwriter, and producer; Jeff Bundschu, owner of Gundlach Bundschu; Steve Cuellar, professor of economics at Sonoma State University; and Kathy Joseph, owner of Fiddlehead Cellars. We also mention Travis Lybbert\\u2019s paper corroborating the \\u201cSideways Effect,\\u201d which you can find here.\\nDecoder Ring is written and produced by Willa Paskin. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Nakano. Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts.\\xa0\\nIf you have any cultural mysteries you want us to decode, email us at DecoderRing@slate.com.\\nIf you love the show and want to support us, consider joining Slate Plus. With Slate Plus you get ad-free podcasts, bonus episodes, and total access to all of Slate\\u2019s journalism.\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'