"Sideways" boosts wine sales

There are a few moments where it's a pleasure to refer to a piece of news. This is one of them:

Alexander Payne's Oscar nominated film "Sideways", a romantic exploration of California's vineyards, has prompted thousands of fans to buy the wines featured in the movie. Sales of pinot noir have seen the most dramatic rise after Paul Giamatti's character, Miles, eulogises its subtle qualities in an attempt to seduce the character played by Virginia Madsen. Wine connoisseurs bought 22 percent more pinot noir after the film's release.

Hey - whatever it takes! The Americans still are the world's biggest beer lovers (they drink 24 billion liters a year). Plus: Madson definitely deserves to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.