Spanish Wine Gains Hollywood Spotlight in Oscar-Nominated Film Starring Leonardo DiCaprio

A Spanish wine from Toledo, “Los Conejos Malditos,” has found its way into the spotlight of Hollywood. The red wine, produced by Bodegas Más Que Vinos, appears in a key scene of the film “Una batalla tras otra,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is nominated for 13 Oscars at this year’s Academy Awards and recently won six Bafta awards.

The wine features prominently in one of the film’s final scenes, where DiCaprio’s character is seen drinking it. “Los Conejos Malditos,” which translates to “the cursed rabbits,” is described by the winery as a balanced red with a youthful and rebellious spirit. The name comes from the vineyards’ ongoing struggle with rabbits, which frequently damage the vines. Rather than seeing this as a disadvantage, the winemakers embraced it, noting that the rabbits’ presence results in very low yields but high-quality grapes. This relationship with nature inspired the wine’s name and label, which was designed by American cartoonist Dustin Harbin.

Bodegas Más Que Vinos was founded in 1999 by three friends and oenologists: Margarita Madrigal, Alexandra Schmedes, and Gonzalo Rodríguez. They met while working as wine consultants for several well-known Spanish wineries before deciding to start their own project in Dosbarrios, Rodríguez’s hometown in Toledo province. Their vineyards are located on the high plateau of Ocaña at an altitude of 750 meters.

The winery produces three main lines: Ercavio, Los Conejos Malditos, and Ediciones Premium. These wines are distributed nationally across Spain and exported to more than 20 countries, including the United States and Germany.

Más Que Vinos also has ties to the film industry beyond this recent Hollywood appearance. The winery produces “Almodóvar,” a wine named after acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, who has won two Oscars for his films “All About My Mother” and “Talk to Her.”

The inclusion of “Los Conejos Malditos” in a major Oscar-nominated film marks a significant moment for Spanish wines on the international stage. The exposure is expected to boost interest in wines from La Mancha and highlight the unique stories behind small producers like Más Que Vinos. The Oscars ceremony will take place this weekend in Los Angeles, where both the film and its featured Spanish wine will be under the global spotlight.