It's like American Idol, only with grapes

You’re sick of Big Brother. You cringe at Hell’s Kitchen. Now there’s a reality TV show that might actually be worth watching. Or maybe I’m just biased.
Come September, Doc City Productions will be in Miami holding auditions for a new PBS TV series called The Wine Makers. They’ll pick 12 contestants from around the country to spend a few weeks in California’s Napa and Sonoma Counties competing in grape picking, fermenting, blending, bottling, choosing labels, devising marketing schemes and so on.
As the season goes on, contestants taste each others’ wines, evaluate their techniques and vote each week on whom to eliminate.
The winner gets a contract to produce 1,000 cases of wine, a five-city tasting tour including New York, San Francisco and maybe Miami and help with retail sales contracts.
“We mean for this to be a life-changing experience,” says spokesman Kevin Whelan.
This is actually season two. Season one is in the can, shot last year in Paso Robles, in California’s Central Coast wine region. It awaits viewing on PBS in January, after the national elections. This season will be shot this fall, aired in fall of 2009.
Here’s how to check it out:
· www.youtube.com/winemakerstv to see clips from season one.
· www.winemakerstv.net to sign up for the Miami auditions.

PS: If you decide to audition, please let me know at ftasker@MiamiHerald.com I’d like to follow your progress.

Comments

[eric]

I presume this is for people who have good expertise already? I like American Idol but don't dare admit it. Maybe this will be the first reality show that we can talk about at the office and not feel like an ditz. A reality show with sophistication. Imagine....I look forward to it.