New Wine Making Reality Show to air on PBS

Go ahead an ask anybody who knows me, and they will tell you that I absolutely despise reality TV...especially the crap that airs on MTV and VH1. And don't even get me started on the "Real Housewives of Orange County" or "Laguna Beach." But, leave it to PBS to come up with an idea that may very well make me a big fan of reality-TV. Following in the tradition of hit series such as NBC’s “The Apprentice”, PBS’s “Frontier House” and Bravo’s “Top Chef," PBS has announced that it will air a show called "The Wine Makers."

The premier season of The Wine Makers joins twelve men and women from all walks of life, as they compete for a chance to create and launch their very own wine label. The Wine Makers began principal shooting in October 2006 and is slated to air nationwide on PBS in Fall 2007.

In six one-hour episodes The Wine Makers takes viewers behind the scenes of the most storied beverage on earth. The stakes are high as this diverse group of men and women are plunged head first into one of the world’s most uniquely challenging yet rewarding professions. The 12 contestants, chosen from an initial pool of over 600 applicants, will experience every aspect of the wine industry from viticulture and enology to sales and marketing — but only one will be chosen to create and launch a their own wine label.

Now I don't know about you, but this seems like a pretty good idea to me. Top Chef is perhaps the only reality-show I'm a fan of, so something following in that mold which focuses on the art of wine making will be quite interesting to me. Clearly, because it's airing on PBS it will likely not draw huge viewership, but I think it should be an interesting hour spent in front of the TV.

Let me know if you think this is a good idea...will you watch it?