To many James Bond fans, 007's signature tipple is a "shaken, not stirred" martini. But the world's pre-eminent secret agent has quite an affinity for fermented grape juice, ranging from bubbly to fortified.
To wit: "I'd say it was a 30-year-old, fined and indifferently blended, with an overdose of bons bois" is how Bond describes a brandy in "Goldfinger."
With the 24th 007 film, "Spectre," opening on Nov. 6, it seems appropriate to give all of its predecessors their own wine. Something fitting in some way, shape or form, something to sip while binge-watching this amazing oeuvre. In chronological order:
"Dr. No": Dom Pérignon makes its first of eight appearances in the franchise's films, served by the title character in triangular flutes, no less. But since Dom costs $200, give or take, let's go with the winery's "second label," the tasty $50-ish Moet & Chandon Brut.
"From Russia With Love": Our intrepid hero disses a villain (the superb, almost unrecognizable Robert Shaw) with the line: "Red wine with fish. Well, that should have told me something." But one red wine that plays beautifully with fish is the Lamoreaux Landing Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc ($17).
"Goldfinger": For me (and countless others), this is the perfect Bond film: nonpareil villain, thug and "Bond girls." So we need a near-perfect wine; let's splurge and go with the always-stellar Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape ($120).
"Thunderball": A personal aside: My dad was in this movie, as one of the underwater warriors (never have been able to pick him out). His favorite wine, at least in his later years, was the super-juicy Estancia "Pinnacles Ranches" Monterey Chardonnay ($11).
"You Only Live Twice": This underrated effort was shot mostly in Japan, so sake is the order of the day, even though Bond erroneously claims that it should be "served at precisely 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit." A great intro to this rice wine is the Rihaku Wandering Poet ($17 for a half-bottle).