OK, I am a bit late to the (wine tasting) party on this film, but I recently caught the wonderful Blind Ambition on a long haul flight, and let’s just say I blame the altitude and a couple of glasses of Riesling for the tears of joy that ensued.

Yes, it is about wine, but that is just one cog in a very large wheel of an incredible story of human determination, passion and creativity; where the underdog takes on the old guard with grace and changes the wine landscape forever. 

Based on a true story, four refugees from Zimbabwe, having taken the harrowing journey to South Africa seeking safe haven, separately go into hospitality and take an interest in wine, having never tasted a drop.  Through grit and a growing love for the vine, they each become successful sommeliers respectively.  A few years later, as friends, Joseph, Marlvin, Pardon and Tinashe become the first team to represent Zimbabwe at the monumental World Blind Wine Tasting Championships in France.

Credit:  Blind Ambition (2021)

Winner of the Audience Award at the Sydney and Tribeca Film Festivals.

I’ll leave you to re-live or discover this feel-good film, a few takeouts that hit home for me:

• Change can be positive.  Believe in yourself and dare yourself to get out of your comfort zone.
• Wine should be enjoyed by where it takes you, rather than where it’s from.
• Being humble, creative and positive will get you far.
• The stress of blind tasting is real and even the world’s best make mistakes!

Find Blind Ambition on Curzon Home Cinema, Amazon Prime and Apple TV