Two great tastes that probably taste great together are put on detailed display in the insightful documentary Weed & Wine, directed by Rebecca Richman Cohen. It follows two different family purveyors of two different mood-altering substances that grow out of the dirt beneath our feet. Helene Thibon and her son Aurelien Thibon-Macagno work a vineyard in the South of France that has been in their family for hundreds of years. Kevin “Kev” Jodrey and his son Nicona “Cona” Jodrey oversee a marijuana growing operation in Humboldt County that has thrived for decades. Helene is a firm believer in biodynamic farming, which is a method of cultivation with lots of natural benefits, especially since it leaves the soil in better shape than it was prior to planting.
Helene and Aurelien have invested a lot into implementing these growing techniques into their operation, and they are convinced it will lead to a better product. Kev and Cona are making the big leap from outlaw to legal with their cannabis, putting all their black market know-how into producing a flower that will fly off the shelves in legal dispensaries. However, the changing climate in South France is tampering with the growing season, resulting in fewer grapes being harvested. Meanwhile, back in California, the regulatory climate is draining the Humboldt fields dry, resulting in less capital to keep people legally employed. The parents discuss their hard work and the legacy they are leaving, while their children speak about the pressures that come with those legacies.
“…two different family purveyors of two different mood-altering substances…”
I came into Weed & Wine with an extensive background in both products, though I have never used both simultaneously. I had my wine palette trained while visiting vineyards and through a well-stocked cellar while I was living in Australia as a teen. I then sent gallons of burgundies and clarets through my system while I drank myself into unconsciousness every night for 5 years. After I quit alcohol, I started to become acquainted with weed, an acquaintance that continued for nearly 25 years. Being way more in tune with herb, I was prepared for what was coming with the Humboldt attempt to go legit. If you have seen the fantastic feature Freeland then you know what regulation did to the most thriving garden of delights on the planet. As for the challenges facing the French vineyard, they were new to me but not surprising. While the futility of the weed growth keeps skewing down, the spirit exhibited by the winemakers is intoxicating. Helene at one point says freedom isn’t about not settling down or being whimsical, instead freedom is picking the rules you are going to live by and sticking to them. The documentary has insights that will shake you to the core. The way Cohen captures the position of the children inheriting the business is striking, as they both have to make and have had their decisions made for them at the same time. Like life, there are lots of complications and wrong turns, but you come out the other end clearer-headed.
"…has insights that will shake you to the core"
