(Wines&Vines) - A former chemistry professor who took up viticulture “to make money” in his retirement, Joe Nugent might seem an unlikely filmmaking auteur, but his first release, “From Obscurity to Excellence: The Story of Grapes & Wine in the Russian River Valley” will debut on the big screen in Santa Rosa on Dec. 1. Nugent, who just last week finalized the sale of his vineyard to his exclusive, longtime client Donum Estate in Los Carneros, was mentored by its president/winemaker Anne Moller-Racke. Neither party disclosed the selling price.