Splashing out on a drop

As a documentary, Red Obsession has a bit of everything: greed, vanity, lust, a cameo from Michael Parkinson, Russell Crowe narrating, and, even a Chinese sex-toy mogul. When it showed in New York, Robert De Niro declared it ''wonderful''.

Now this Australian-made documentary set in one of the world's great wine regions is about to open in Australian cinemas. It explores the Chinese passion for Bordeaux, and is the work of filmmaker-winemaker Warwick Ross and screenwriter David Roach (both responsible for Young Einstein and Reckless Kelly), with Sydney wine auctioneer Andrew Caillard, MW.

The initial action focuses on en primeur week in 2011 - the wine world's version of fashion week when buyers and commentators pour into town to assess the latest vintage.

The 79-minute documentary reveals the Chinese obsession not only for the cabernet-based wines of Bordeaux but increasingly the bricks and mortar of its famous chateaus. Chinese investors have acquired about 40 of the region's wine properties in the past decade, including at least one grand cru producer, Chateau Bellefont-Belcier.

Now, China is Bordeaux's biggest market but it is also home to the fastest-growing wine industry in the world, leading to the tantalising notion that Bordeaux's biggest client is about to become its biggest competitor.

In 2009, the global financial crisis was hurting in Europe and the US but in stepped the Chinese sending en primeur prices of the 2008 Bordeaux vintage into the record books. As the filmmakers observe, ''the wine became too valuable to drink''. Ross, who injected $1 million of his own money into the project, captured the intricacies of this story and explored the attitude of the French towards the growing influence of the Chinese - does the filmmaker think it's one of prejudice or acceptance?

''Frederic Engerer,'' Ross says, ''was the one who gave us the best answer when he said, 'We have to remain an open society so yes, Chinese people should come and buy chateaus in Bordeaux and see what it's like to make wine.' It's not as easy as you think and if they bring passion as well as RMB [Chinese currency], then great.''

In making the film, the team interviewed the major players in Bordeaux including the elusive Prince Robert of Luxembourg, owner of Chateau Haut-Brion and Frederic Engerer, head of Latour who held out for six months before agreeing to open up on camera, giving Ross some of his best material. Powerful US wine critic Robert Parker refused, along with other major players. In China his interviewees, particularly the billionaire collectors - one of whom made his fortune manufacturing sex toys - proved less inhibited.

Fitting the narration time in between Crowe's filming of Noah in the US was also a challenge, until the actor found himself stranded in New York due to hurricane Sandy, and advised the filmmakers he could ''do it within the next two hours. It was recorded between 2am and 4am our time'', Ross recalls. It was word perfect. He got it in one take.

Some film critics have suggested Red Obsession is looking out of date. A lot has happened since the 2011 en primeur season, but I suspect the essence of the film remains as palpably important today as two years ago. The Chinese affair with Bordeaux remains as hot and as passionate as ever.

>> Jeni Port is a Melbourne-based wine writer.