I recently had the chance to sit down and view Blood into Wine, the new documentary on Maynard James Keenan’s joint venture with Eric Glomski. Keenan and Glomski have been making wine in Arizona for almost a decade, and although they’re well-known among the “wine geeks,” they may not be popularly known as great winemakers. Blood into Wine seeks partially to remedy that, and it could very well succeed.
I know the notion of a wine-making documentary might not seem all that interesting, but there are two things to keep in mind; one, Maynard James Keenan is, after all, lead vocalist for three of rock music’s most popular bands—Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. That automatically should signify one thing: this will not be your father’s documentary.
The film spends a little time exploring Maynard’s music career, but the largest part of it is devoted to exploration of the wine-making efforts. Keenan and Glomski both know what they’re talking about. Keenan, unlike most rock stars who adopt new hobbies on whimsy, actively participates in the winemaking efforts; we see him dig soil, work in the bottling facility, and perform other day-to-day tasks. Glomski knows the science—he’s Keenan’s mentor, and Maynard actively accedes to this fact.
The adventure of winemaking, for the two of them, involves more than simply buying land and planting grapes. There’s a pioneer spirit in their efforts; Arizona is not known for its wine country (at least not yet), even though one exists. It’s quite entertaining to see Maynard James Keenan in a black suit, talking about his product to a very large room of interested people. It’s a different atmosphere than what you’d find at a Tool concert, but Keenan conducts himself just as expertly.
The film does deviate from the main narrative at times. There are short segments about spirituality, connecting with nature, and ancient religions, but it’s at its strongest when it focuses on the Merkin Vineyards and the story. Even Glomski, who could be very heavy-handed in his explanations, is interesting when you realize that the science of winemaking is his passion. He makes the viewer feel that same passion, as does Keenan. He relates the story of the principal wine from Caduceus, which he calls Judith in tribute to his late mother.
All told, I’m always dismissive of wine. I’ve never liked it. Seeing this story, however… well, if it were legal to ship Caduceus wines to Indiana, I would be buying a bottle or two right this minute.
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PHOTO CREDIT | SPEAKEASY PR
