Shaken not stirred

James Bond was an appalling wine bore. A literary construct of a British naval intelligence officer, the secret agent indulged in the corporeal delights of sex, booze and food. ''I take a ridiculous pleasure in what I eat and drink,'' said the spy in Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, Casino Royale, published in 1953.

While Bond was keen to overindulge, he was even happier showing off his knowledge of food and wine, which was at times annoying and sometimes even gauche.

The first Bond film, Dr. No, was released in 1962. Bond heads to Bermuda after an agent is killed. After a murderous and circuitous introductory car journey, Bond returns to his hotel room, where he asks his subservient room waiter to make him a medium-dry vodka martini. The waiter replies: ''Mixed like you said, sir. And not stirred.''

With that one request, Bond establishes himself as a cocktail iconoclast wanting something that would stand out - a vodka martini as opposed to the gin-based offering that was de rigueur at the time. For the record, the waiter uses Smirnoff.

Bond uses his wine knowledge like a blunt instrument that fails to impress his superior, M. When meeting diamond expert Sir Donald Munger in Diamonds Are Forever, they are both offered a glass of sherry, which M declines, explaining, ''Doctor's orders''. Bond sips his sherry, pauses, then hammers M with the line: ''Pity about your liver, sir. An unusually fine solera. '51, I believe.'' M replies blusteringly, ''There is no year for sherry, 007.'' To which Bond smugly replies: ''I was referring to the original vintage, on which the sherry is based, sir … 1851. Unmistakable.''

''Precisely,'' adds an impressed Sir Donald.

While Bond wears his love of food and drink like a badge of honour, it is also, along with beautiful women, his Achilles heel. Bond and his lovers frequently find their food drugged, and in Goldfinger Bond is lying in bed on top of Jill Masterson when he reaches down to find the Dom Perignon has lost its chill. Bond takes the bottle to the fridge and Masterson questions him. ''My dear girl,'' replies Bond, ''there are some things that are not done - such as drinking Dom Perignon above the temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit. It's as bad as listening to the Beatles without earmuffs.'' At which he is struck upon the head by an unseen assailant and awakes to find Masterson dead, covered in gold paint.

Bond and Dom Perignon have been closely linked. The first time the literary Bond mentions a champagne's house name is in the novel Moonraker, when he drinks Dom Perignon '46, but in the film From Russia With Love, he pulls a bottle of Taittinger from the river, on which he is punting his lady friend. It appears the film Bond's predilections were less about style and taste, and more about product placement deals the team at Eon Productions had worked out.

When it comes to vintage, Bond borders on the contrary, often preferring another supposedly superior vintage to the one on offer. He takes this to the extreme in Dr. No, when his female offsider, Honey Ryder, played by Ursula Andress, is taken by Dr No's guard to elsewhere in his evil lair. When Bond suggests that Ryder be let go, Dr No replies: ''I am sure the guards will amuse her.'' Angered by this insinuation, Bond picks up the bottle of champagne and threatens Dr No, who icily responds: ''It's a Dom Perignon. It would be a shame to break it.'' Bond, recovering his cool, adds: ''I prefer the '53 myself.''

Perhaps the ultimate wine-as-social-bellwether scene is in From Russia With Love. Bond and Russian agent Tatiana Romanova have just made love on the Orient Express and head to the dining car as a ''respectable English couple'', Mr and Mrs Somerset. They are joined by a SMERSH agent posing as a British spy, agent Nash. All three order grilled sole. Bond orders a bottle of Taittinger blanc de blancs, champagne made with chardonnay grapes. Nash orders chianti.

''White chianti?'' queries the waiter. ''Ah. No. The red kind,'' answers Nash, slightly uncomfortably. The waiter simply nods. Bond looks up from unfolding his napkin.

Later, Bond, having been overpowered by Nash, is on his knees at gunpoint. ''Red wine with fish,'' says 007, metaphorically slapping his forehead. ''That should have told me something.'' To this ludicrous snobbery, Nash replies, gritting his teeth with contempt: ''You may know the right wines but you're the one on your knees. How does it feel, old man?''

You can see the martini glass used in the film Quantum of Solace, along with other props and costumes, at Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style at Museum Victoria until February 23. Museum Victoria's Bond Bar will be serving cocktails and food every Friday night during the exhibition. Details: museumvictoria.com.au