Wine and Movie Pairing: NIAGARA (1953) and Niagara
Wait, what?
Later this week we'll be dropping our podcast episode guest-starring the fantabulous
of ! As a lead-in to that, I wanted to post this wine-and-movie pairing that she inspired.Earlier this year, Maria posted her own wine-and-movie pairing for the 1953 film NIAGARA, starring Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotton, and Jean Peters. She paired it with an Ice Wine that came from, naturally, the Niagara area:
I read that pairing (and loved it) but told her I could do one better: I actually had a wine that wasn't just from the Niagara area, but was made from the Niagara grape! (Yes, there's a grape. Yes, this was news to me, too.)
The Niagara grape is an American vitis labrusca, so not a proper vitis vinifera wine grape, and comes with those "foxy", musky flavors and aromas this species of grape is infamous for. But Red Newt Cellars in the Finger Lakes (FLX) area of New York figured out that you could fortify Niagara with some neutral grape spirits, dump it in an oak barrel, forget about it for 10+ YEARS and not only did those foxy elements fade out of existence, but what remained was a complex, delicious dessert wine with only about 3.5% of residual sugar.
I told Maria I'd try pairing this with the movie - does the Red Newt 2006 "Legacy" Niagara dessert wine match with the experience of watching the movie Niagara?
The Movie
The film captures the sheer beauty of the Niagara area and the Falls in particular. Aerial, wide, perfectly technicolored shots set this film apart from other noirs of the era. Especially as the Falls themselves - with their capcphony (instead of silence), brightness (instead of shadow), and the joy of the tourists (vs. the usual stony-facedness of a noir landscape) offer a literal contrast to the noir stereotypes.
The story is also unique in certain measures - there's a murder plot, and then a revenge plot, and then a fugitive-on-the-run plot, but none of it plays out in the usual noir way. Marilyn Monroe plays the "femme fatale" of the piece, but the tables soon turn to have her become a target/victim. Our protagonists are true innocents, naively getting pulled into the plot of the schemers, and later even further into becoming unwitting accomplices and hostages.
That all sounds electrifying, but note NIAGARA is very slow burn. Most of the characters are strangely sympathetic, almost normal, real life people. It's often surprising that things go to the extremes that they do. Which leads me to the one major quibble: we never get to know enough about Marlyn Monroe's character, Rose Loomis, to understand why the murder plot is something she would do (this is not much of a spoiler, don't worry, you find this out fairly quickly.) What about her life and relationship demanded this? Or would have her go to this dark place?
The movie isn't really concerned, they just want to have a murder plot. It then makes another fumble with the revenge plot - why would another character take the actions they do in response to the murder plot? And so (seemingly) calmly and acting of sound mind? Only to then have to go on the lam and make yet further decisions that aren't exactly sensible?
These are relatively minor quibbles. The story is absorbing. The performances feel authentic, though at times dated with that old-Hollywood melodrama kicking in - some people love that style; I'm not one of them.
It's a gorgeously shot film. The thrills are truly thrilling. The final setpiece on the Falls, on a boat, and the helicoptor rescue, are nail-biting and chef's kiss.
A very different style of noir, with charming performances, a captivating plot, though not always a convincing one. I'd never even heard of this film until Maria turned me on to it, and heartily recommend it to any fans of this era or the cast. Flawed, but worth it.
The Wine
The 2006 "Legacy" was over 10 years in the making, released in the late 2010's. The slow aging has allowed it to oxidize beyond what most wines are allowed to do. The color is somewhere between deep amber and tawny - deep gold like a Tokaji but with the beginnings of a Sherry-like brown character cutting through.
It's only gently sweet, with a solid kick of fortification like an old-school cocktail, when they used to make 'em STRONG. There's something here that feels OLD, that feels traditional and leathery - you can smell and taste the age. But there's also acidity here, and a lightness to the Niagara juice itself - it's not too weighty, there's a brightness present.
This felt right for a film that harkens back to a bygone era, that has dark deeds being done in broad daylight. That takes the innocence of American 50's life and showcases it for what it was - idyllic, yes, but never guaranteed as such, the film never romanticizes any part of it.
“Legacy” makes for a unexpected dessert wine, just as the Niagara Falls make for an unexpected film noir locale. Bright and dark; strong yet light. Yup, this was a GREAT pairing!
Sadly, the 2006 Legacy is sold out, but Red Newt is well underway with the next batch, which is currently aging in its oak barrels. They say it'll be ready when its ready, so no idea what year that might be. (Gotta love wine.) But keep your eyes peeled for it, or better yet sign up for Red Newts newsletter - I'm sure they'll announce it when it finally hits!
Until then, I'd consider a Sherry - dry or sweet - or perhaps a white Italian dessert wine, most of which are made from rare indigenous grapes, as some potential spot-on backups.
Look for our 2-part Wine and...Music: THE CIVIL WARS (2013) episodes with Maria Banson to drop later this week! And everyone drink some goddamned wine to survive today! (Election day, it's finally here, eeeeeeek!!!)
And while we’re at it - have you ever have a wine made from Niagara grapes? Apparently there are some off dry and semi-sweet whites floating about on the east coast of the US as well.