I know there is going to be a sequel to the hit movie Sideways, and I have some great ideas for what the sequel should be about. Anyone that has been in a high school play, written a short story, or has made a home video, thinks that they can write a screenplay or even direct a movie. And if you live anywhere within 250 miles of Hollywood, that is just as good as attending USC film school.

We all have a little Ed Wood in us. I have a drawer full of un-produced scripts that probably belong in a landfill. I like weird sci-fi films, which my screenplays reflect. I wrote “Swordsmen of the Universe,” a great Star Wars rip-off, and “Bloodmatch,” with masked professional wrestlers vs. sexy, trashy vampire cheerleaders, among others. How these scripts were never made into movies is beyond me.

In my screenplay, Miles, the lead character from Sideways, buys a winery from a man named Stoker in the wilds of Transylvania next to a spooky castle, but before he gets attacked by the undead, he grows – not pinot noir but cabernet sauvignon. Cabernet sauvignon, Miles reasons, is just plain easier to grow than that finicky pinot noir, and it grows well in the terrior of Transylvania, which is a good viticulture area. Terrior is the notion that a wine’s complexity and character comes from the land in which the grapes are grown.

Cabernet is the drink of kings and is the king of grapes for its richness and longevity. The grape is known for its explosive characteristics on the palate, its extraction, the blackcurrant and red berry, spice and full mouth feel. Cabernet is also a weed; it grows in almost any climate with decent results. It is thick skinned and hardy, and is the grape least susceptible to rot. Cabernet is genetically very complex; more complex than merlot or syrah, so it has more flavors.

Cabernet grows well throughout the new and old world, but its home is Bordeaux. Bordeaux is the greatest wine growing area in the world. Wines from a stellar vintage are anticipated like the birth of a first child. At auction, the prices for first-growth Bordeaux from a classic vintage hit the upper stratosphere.

Rich cabernet is blended with merlot, which adds aromatics and is juicier and suppler than cabernet sauvignon. It is fruitier and less astringent. Cabernet sauvignon is also blended with its cousin, cabernet franc, which is more delicate and aromatic than cabernet sauvignon and is lighter in color.

The wealth of Bordeaux comes from the extreme depth of its flavor characteristics. While California cabs are bright with fruit, Bordeaux cabs are deep, dark and complex, like a Shakespearean villain – a Lady Macbeth or Richard III.

What makes Bordeaux wine so great is its terrior, the improvised soil, the cool temperatures regulated by the Atlantic Ocean and the perfect marriage of earth and vines.

The magic of fermentation turns simple grape juice into alluring wine. Winemakers in Bordeaux create a melody at harvest and a symphony in the cellar. A sip of Bordeaux is seductive, profound and fine art.

A great vintage means a perfect growing season producing delicious ripe fruit. The 2000 vintage in Bordeaux is considered the best vintage since 1961. All the wines are wonderful from the humble Bordeaux Superieur to the spectacular Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. There are better wines in the 2000 vintage than even the benchmark 1961 vintage, because of improved vineyard management and greater technical wizardry from fermentation through bottling.

In Napa Valley and throughout Sonoma Valley, California cabernet has redefined, to a certain extent, the concept of cabernet. California cabernet drinkers have become addicted to bright fruit and strong alcohol. The California wine industry, always willing to imitate Bordeaux, has developed “meritage,” a red blend of the major grape varietals used in Bordeaux, but Napa cabernet and red Bordeaux is an apple and orange comparison, because of the nature of terrior. As we develop a greater understanding of terrior, wine drinkers have a greater devotion to certain appellations for California cabernet.

The first appellation that jumps out to most cab fans is the Stag’s Leap district, known for their great mountain fruit. Other appellations that are very desirable include: Alexander Valley, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, Mayacamas Mountains, Rutherford and Oakville.

The recent vintages that I like for California cabernet are 1999 and 2002. In my opinion, 2001 is one dimensional and lacks the suppleness of 1999 and 2002. The 2000 vintage is much better than what many drinkers think, with an interesting mid-palate but weak finish.