Throughout the film, Miles speaks fondly of the red wine varietal Pinot noir, while denigrating Merlot.
Following the film's U.S. release in October 2004, Merlot sales dropped 2% while Pinot noir sales increased 16% in the Western United States.
A similar trend occurred in British wine outlets. Sales of Merlot dropped after the film's release possibly due to Miles' disparaging remarks about the varietal in the film.