12 Things You Didn't Know About Pixar
4. There Was Almost A Ratatouille Wine
Ratatouille, released in 2007, tells the story of an ambitious young rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a cook. The title is a play on the French dish ratatouille, which is a traditional stewed vegetable dish.
It makes sense, then, that Pixar might want something cuisine-related to promote the film around release. In fact, Disney and Pixar were working to bring a French-produced Ratatouille branded wine to various stores in America. The label showed a cartoon rat gripping a huge glass of wine in standard Disney aesthetic.
In the end, the California Wine Institute protested the wine, claiming that the use of a cartoon character on a wine bottle would attract under-age drinkers. Concerned with the implications, the promotional tie-in was scrapped.