An epic journey of an extraordinary man who changed the world of wine forever.

“André Tchelistcheff first caught the world’s attention in 1976, when a blind tasting competition held by a panel of France’s most glorified oenophiles produced a shocking result: Two California wines – Miljenko Grgich’s 1973 Chardonnay [Chateau Montelena] and Warren Winiarski’s 1972 Cabernet [Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars] – both made using Tchelistcheff’s methods, took top honors for the best white and best red.”

The Hollywood Reporter

The award winning film André The Voice of Wine, narrated by BAFTA winner and Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes, unveils the extraordinary journey of André Tchelistcheff, one of the founding fathers of American wine who was a globally influential wine pioneer and the force behind the California winners of the 1976 “Judgment of Paris.” Steven Spurrier, organizer of the historic '76 tasting, hailed André The Voice of Wine as the true backstory behind the film "Bottle Shock."

A cinematic love letter about a modest, uncompromising man's journey from his earliest connection with vineyards in pre-revolutionary Russia to his rise to the pinnacle of wine culture in Europe and the United States. André Tchelistcheff was born into an aristocratic family in Moscow, remarkably survived the upheaval of the Russian revolution and civil war, settling in France as winemaker and oenologist. In 1938 the owner of Beaulieu Vineyard, Georges de Latour, lured him to California's Napa Valley, where his professionalism, knowledge of science, dedication to innovation, the depth and breadth of his multi-cultural background along with his unmatched palate helped move the American wine industry from a virtually moribund state after the repeal of prohibition on to its post-war renaissance. For over five decades, Andre worked with numerous wineries that together helped establish the American wine industry. His philosophy of life and his love for wine continue to influence generations of wine makers throughout the world.

Film director, and André’s grandnephew, Mark Tchelistcheff, has spent the better part of a decade creating a film that chronicles the extraordinary life of his uncle André. Mark has assembled an illustrious team of filmmakers including including among others the award winning actor and director Ralph Fiennes, multiple Academy Award winner Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now, The English Patient, The Unbearable Lightness of Being), whose poignant directorial advice helped shape the film, crisp editing from BAFTA winner Michael Chandler (Amadeus, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg, Mishima in Four Parts) and a stirring original score from award winning composer Alexei Aigui (I'm Not Your Negro, Le Petit Poucet, Moloch Tropical).