Wine Is Never Just Wine: Jason Wise on Meaningful Storytelling

I have the fondest memories of sitting beside my dad on the couch, both of us completely captivated by the film Somm. It tells the story of four friends who take on one of the most grueling academic challenges in the world—the Master Sommelier exam, administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers. This film isn’t just about wine; it’s about the pursuit of excellence. It feels more like a sports movie than a documentary, filled with intensity, anxiety, fear, and hope as these candidates inch closer to an exam that only 282 people have passed since 1969.

Somm quickly became a personal favorite and was pivotal in igniting what would become my deep passion for the wine industry. To me, it was a work of genius—an eye-opener, a motivator, and something that made the idea of joining the wine world feel thrillingly possible.

That’s why it was such an incredible honor to sit down with the man behind it all—Jason Wise. A Cleveland-born, sports mad and ambitious filmmaker, Jason stumbled into the company of four aspiring Master Sommeliers and uncovered a story that would go on to redefine how we see the world of wine. His Somm series has since become iconic, culminating most recently in The Cup of Salvation—a film that poetically places wine at the cross roads of religion, politics, culture and family.

In this episode, I speak with Jason for nearly an hour and a half about his filmmaking journey and what drives him to keep telling stories that elevate and humanize the world of hospitality. I absolutely loved this conversation, and I hope you will too. A huge thanks to Jason Wise for joining me.