Sideways: The Life of Wine

This is the fifth episode in Series 2. Rex has done his research on his campervan trip around NZ (thanks to Maryann at Pacific Horizon Campervan Rentals (https://pacifichorizon.co.nz/). Rex is madly typing away and averaging 2,000 words a day and just hit 50,000 words. He's based at Prophet's Rock near Lake Dunstan. This is, potentially, a controversial episode. It's always dangerous to trade and discuss generalisms, but Rex and Youie push the boat out there to get a discussion going on...

This is the fourth episode in Series 2. Rex has done his research on his campervan trip around NZ (thanks to Maryann at Pacific Horizon Campervan Rentals (https://pacifichorizon.co.nz/). Rex is madly typing away and averaging 2,000 words a day and just hit 40,000 words. He's based at Prophet's Rock near Lake Dunstan. We're back in Sideways territory in a very strong way. In this episode, Rex allows Youie to put on his best fanboy suit and ask questions about the new book - still not...

This is the third episode in Series 2. Rex has done his research on his campervan trip around NZ (thanks to Maryann at Pacific Horizon Campervan Rentals (https://pacifichorizon.co.nz/). Rex is madly typing away and averaging 2,000 words a day and just hit 35,000 words. He's based at Prophet's Rock near Lake Dunstan. This is a 'sideways' movement to the left where we talk to Rex about his latest novel 'The Archivist' (get it now online or ask for it at your favourite bookstore). Rex talks to...

This is the second episode in Series 2. Rex has done his research on his campervan trip around NZ (thanks to Maryann at Pacific Horizon Campervan Rentals (https://pacifichorizon.co.nz/). Rex is madly typing away and averaging 2,000 words a day! He's now based at Prophet's Rock near Lake Dunstan. In this second half episode to Part 1 released last week, Rex continues to talk to Youie about an assortment of topics and in this half of the discussion, we talk about independent book stores, a...

Hello everyone and welcome to Series 2. There's been a long break between episodes to allow Rex to do his research on his campervan trip around NZ (thanks to Maryann at Pacific Horizon Campervan Rentals (https://pacifichorizon.co.nz/). We've also given Rex a break as he commences writing Sideways NZ: The Road Back (still a working title) and he's been doing it at a rate of 2,000 words per day. In this new episode to kick off Series 2, Rex talks to Youie about an assortment of topics almost...

A thousand apologies from Rex and I for the back and forth as to what this episode should be titled and what content it should have in it. We started out with best intentions to talk about the wines, wineries, and winemakers of Central Otago but we thought we'd start with talking about the physical make up and the beauty of Central Otago. Rex takes us on a journey through the aspects of Central Otago that make it unique and special for the growing of pinot noir grapes and the making of wine....

You will know by now that Rex Pickett, author of the book 'Sideways' on which the Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning movie was based, is in New Zealand writing Sideways NZ: The Road Back - note the subtle change in the name of the new book. He's holed up at Prophet's Rock winery with the guesthouse all to himself. There is no doubt that the ideation required to write the new book is definitely in train and Rex continues to throw out some mysterious titbits and teasers about the plot and...

Rex is in New Zealand writing Sideways New Zealand! What’s he been up to after his first few days? Who is he hanging with? What’s he been doing? What’s he think of Central Otago and the region? All these questions and many more get answered by Rex. Rex shares with Youie his experience so far at Prophet’s Rock, a gorgeous winery at Lake Dunstan in Bendigo near Cromwell, and much more. An example is when Rex and Youie talk about lamb, yes, you know, the animal and the meat. Youie suspects Rex...

In this episode, Rex takes us through his mildly traumatic journey all the way from a drive from Del Mar to Los Angeles Airport to landing at Auckland Airport on Thursday. Rex and Youie then discuss what has happened since in our road trip right up to just before lunch on Sunday 15th of May. You’ll hear about Rex’s views of his appearance on live national show The Project on TV3 in New Zealand went down. You'll also hear Rex describe how the first three days have unfolded. You’ll get some...

This is the fifth of short duration and quick to release News Flashes that we intend to share with you on the progress of various Sideways projects - the new book, the musical, the new movie, and all other Sideways related activities. This News Flash is focused on building on the exciting news that Rex is coming to New Zealand. In this episode, Rex and Youie chat through the itinerary and invite those living in Auckland, Gisborne, Napier and the Wairarapa to reach out to them and suggest...

In this episode, Rex shares his views on the four phases or stages of drinking wine. He also announces an upcoming new Audio Commentary of his favourite movie – a well known British cult classic. For the rest of the episode, Rex explains each of the phases of drinking, what tends to happen in that phase, and how you can recognise it. He shares with us how in the movie Sideways, all the phases are on show and how the movie almost showed Miles and Jack reach that 4thphase, but in fact they...

This is the fourth of short duration and quick to release News Flashes that we intend to share with you on the progress of various Sideways projects - the new book, the musical, the new movie, and all other Sideways related activities. This News Flash is focused on the most exciting news thus far, in our opinion, which is that Rex is arriving in New Zealand on May 12 ready to look around and get to see New Zealand as a tourist to help him write the fourth book in the series!! So, enjoy...

This is the third of short duration and quick to release News Flashes that we intend to share with you on the progress of various Sideways projects - the new book, the musical, the new movie, and all other Sideways related activities. This News Flash is focused on recent news once again emphasising Sideways’ role in making Pinot Noir a famous grape around the world and the negative effect it had on Merlot sales too. This time the evidence comes from University of California Davis via a...

In this episode Rex is keen to share with us what Sideways the Book contains which was missed out from the movie. Rex reveals the unusual sequence in the genesis of Sideways involving a screenplay, a book, and a short story. Rex also shares the strategy behind Miles and Jack’s adventures and its connection with Murphy’s Law (or Sod’s Law) is revealed. Youie then finds out from Rex what he left out of the final version of the book/screenplay and then Rex reveals the bits from the book that...

This is Part 4 of five Bonus Episode podcasts where Rex provides an Audio Commentary of the movie Sideways. So, to join in the fun, get your Video Cassette, or DVD, or your streaming app and cue the movie to where Youie tells you to and then turn the VOLUME DOWN and hit play on our podcast and Rex will regale you with all the background information you could ever hope for, all the gossip, all the behind the camera ongoings and all the anecdotes you can handle. Throughout the movie, Youie...

This is Part 1 of five Bonus Episode podcasts where Rex provides an Audio Commentary of the movie Sideways. So, to join in the fun, get our your Video Cassette, or DVD, or your streaming app and cue the movie to the start of the movie (and we mean the START of the movie including the opening splash screen of Fox Searchlight with all its trumpets and glory), turn the VOLUME DOWN and hit play on our podcast and Rex will regale you with all the background information you could ever hope for,...

This is Part 2 of five Bonus Episode podcasts where Rex provides an Audio Commentary of the movie Sideways. So, to join in the fun, get your Video Cassette, or DVD, or your streaming app and cue the movie to where Youie tells you to and then turn the VOLUME DOWN and hit play on our podcast and Rex will regale you with all the background information you could ever hope for, all the gossip, all the behind the camera ongoings and all the anecdotes you can handle. Throughout the movie, Youie...

This is Part 3 of five Bonus Episode podcasts where Rex provides an Audio Commentary of the movie Sideways. So, to join in the fun, get your Video Cassette, or DVD, or your streaming app and cue the movie to where Youie tells you to and then turn the VOLUME DOWN and hit play on our podcast and Rex will regale you with all the background information you could ever hope for, all the gossip, all the behind the camera ongoings and all the anecdotes you can handle. Throughout the movie, Youie...

This is Part 5 (the last) of the five Bonus Episode podcasts where Rex provides an Audio Commentary of the movie Sideways. In this episode, the commentary team of Rex and Youie turn their attention to the Deleted Scenes. So, to join in the fun, you will need to do one of two things: 1. Grab your DVD which may have the Deleted Scenes special and go the menu page where you’ll see the an index of the deleted scenes OR 2. Go to YouTube and follow the instructions from Youie on the podcast and...

Rex and Youie turn their attentions to the female leads in the book, the movie, the play, and the musical. It’s a little confusing but in all mediums it’s Maya and Terra, but only in the movie it’s Maya and Stephanie. Youie asks Rex why Terra’s name was changed to Stephanie and the clue to the answer lies with Sandra Oh, the well-known Korean-Canadian actress who starred in Grey’s Anatomy following her break in the movie Sideways. Youie asks Rex about why he came up with the names ‘Maya’...