“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” — Maximus Decimus Meridius, Gladiator
This week’s film and wine pairing is Warre’s Warrior Port with Gladiator.
Port is a dessert wine that originated in Portugal and is fortified by the addition of Brandy to halt fermentation. The addition of this spirit boosts the strength of the wine.
In addition to fortification from weapons and armor, one could imagine that the gladiators may have also appreciated a little reinforcement from the spirits.
In this epic, Maximus (Russell Crowe) is referred to as the Spaniard. Way back in this period that meant he was from the Iberian Peninsula, where Portugal now sits alongside Spain.
The Lusitanians, warriors of the Iberian, were thought to be some of the bravest back in Roman Empire times. The Douro river was the most important of their borders to defend against the Romans. This is the same river and valley where Warre’s Warrior Port has been made since 1670 and is still shipped out to the Atlantic Ocean to this day.
So strengthen up with a meal and a glass of wine, because this isn’t a short one. Then enjoy the rest of this hearty flick with a satisfyingly fortified wine. It’d be a nice way to sit back and savor whatever victory you had this day.
By the way, Lisa Gerrard’s, Now We Are Free really sets the tone in this movie.