Red wine is simply a backdrop for this interesting and tasteful documentary, which focuses on the rise and rise of China as an economic superpower in the world. What separates Red Obsession from your average episode of Four Corners, is the high production value, particularly noticeable with the impressive sweeping landscape shots across France and China.
Red Obsession begins with an in-depth look at the main wine estates in Bordeaux, France, before shifting focus to the Chinese markets, particularly the billions of dollars Chinese people are willing to spend on largely Westernised luxury items like wine. To give you some idea of the type of money the industry is dealing with, one of China’s richest people (who built his fortune selling dildos and other sex toys) spent $250,000 USD on a single bottle.
The rest of the film deals with the French wine-makers’ attitude to the shift in power – with most of them acting quite “laissez-faire” about the whole thing. It seems most of them think things will just magically turn around. And perhaps what is most interesting in all of this is what will happen next. The film leaves this question quite open, leaving much room for discussion, perhaps over a glass of red.
