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Each week I pair a bottle of wine with a film and share a review of both. Based in NYC, sometimes in California.

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WWP # 227 - Sunday Stages: Carousel with Cabernet Sauvignon

As a young child, I was obsessed with The Sound of Music and we had a double-VHS boxed set. I would dance around the room annoying my brother and watching the Rodgers and Hammerstein commercial at the beginning that had a medley of songs from every R & H show and I still remember, “I’m gonna wash that man right outta my hair,” from South Pacific.

In 1945, the stage version opened on Broadway through 890 performances and came back to Broadway in 2018 but I didn’t get a chance to see it. Of the nine musicals R & H did together I had only seen one, until today, a crime. Henry and Phoebe Ephron co-wrote the screenplay and later became the parents of Nora and Delia Ephron, respectively.

Carousel is the oddly-dark but joyous musical set in Maine about a carousel barker named Billy Bigelow (Gordon MacRae) who tells this story from heaven. He falls for Julie Jordan (Shirley Jones) (gotta love their name alliterations) at her local carnival after being fired because his female employer who owned the carousel was jealous. The night they meet Julie’s exuberant friend Carrie sings of being engaged to a Mr. Snow who always smells of fish…which is, cute? After they marry, Billy and Julie fall on hard times but everyone around them seems to be thriving (and dancing, obviously) and things go round and round from there.

Frank Sinatra was cast first as Billy and even recorded some songs, but dropped out supposedly due to his wife’s demands. Some of the songs in this musical are so beautiful I found myself wanting to hear Frankie’s versions. This film is reminiscent of It’s A Wonderful Life but with dance numbers.

Paired with a 2023 Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon, an unlikely choice out of Paso Robles, California bursting with red fruits and a refreshing minerality. As dark as some of the film’s themes (yikes) this bold, full-bodied red is also incredibly approachable. I drank this alongside a chunk of parmesan but it would feel just as right next to a charred piece of protein and veggies.

Carousel (1956) is for rent on Amazon Prime. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #carousel #rodgersandhammerstein #shirleyjones by @winewatchparty

WWP # 226 - Tony and Burgundy

Welcome to Wednesday Winedown! Bourdain was such a part of the fabric of my food culture knowledge that it was the biggest shock to everyone when he left this world. Bourdain was the ultimate dude, the gravelly voice from decades of cigarettes, his arms practically dipped in broken-in leather, and I guarantee he smelled like a dive bar on the best of days and in the best of ways.

Tony, on the other hand, is a know-it-all punk kid who talks himself into all situations but not out of many. When I saw that A24 was doing a loosely-based Bourdain film I was a little worried, but once it started I knew they had captured his spirit in the lanky, dark-haired Dominic Sessa from The Holdovers.

This is the story of a 19yo Bourdain trying to be a writer in college and failing to be responsible in his attempts at being a full-fledged adult. Trouble follows when he follows Nancy (played by Emilia Jones) to Provincetown, and ends up as a dishwasher at a seafood joint run by a chef (Antonio Banderas) who reluctantly takes Tony under his giant wings.

While not a strict retelling of Tony’s story, the attitude is there and the backdrop of the 1970s is a lovely respite. As the credits started to roll, they show a photo of Bourdain with his fellow chefs and I’m pretty sure the female in the middle is Bourdain’s fellow line-cook/friend and my friend/food writing mentor, Molly O’Neill. The world lost Molly to cancer one year after Bourdain and it was a lovely surprise.

I would pair this film with a gorgeous Burgundy I have had before - 2005 Lucien Le Moine Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru - a luscious, full-bodied, black and red-fruit forward Pinot Noir from Côte de Beaune, France. Bourdain would have loved its complexity and maturity with over 20 years of age.

Tony (2026) is for rent on Apple+ and other streaming services. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #tony #dominicsessa #A24 by @winewatchparty

WWP # 225 - Sunday Stages: B is for Bring It On with Chardonnay

Who knew there are seven Bring It On movies? This shocked me…though not enough to press play on the others.

A tiny part of me wanted to be the bouncy, high school cheerleader who wore the cute uniform to school and curled her ponytail just so…and in reality, I never auditioned. I was not the cool girl and was too worried about everyone else’s judgement. However, I can still adore silly high school movies with low stakes!

Helmed by super-likable Kristen Dunst as Torrance Shipman who dreams of being head cheerleader only to find out once she takes the top spot on the Rancho Carne Toros that her predecessor Big Red (Lindsay Sloane) has been stealing their winning routines from the East Compton Clovers, led by Isis (Gabrielle Union). When transfer student Missy (Eliza Dushku) and brother Cliff (Jesse Bradford) arrive to shake up Torrance’s world, will these now-dueling California squads duke it out at Nationals?

In 2012 from previews in July to its final bow in December, Bring It On: The Musical debuted on Broadway and staged exactly 171 regular performances. With music and lyrics co-written by a pre-Hamilton Lin-Manuel Miranda, I was surprised I hadn’t seen this show because of its relation to the film - but I moved to NYC in September of 2012 and was woefully underemployed. While based on Peyton Reed’s directorial debut film, the plot is slightly different - the main character is trying to be the cheer captain before senior year but gets redistricted to an inner-city school with no cheerleading squad. What’s a cheerleader to do?

Since this film is a nostalgic blast from the opening scene to the end credits, I paired this with Guillemard Clerc 2023 ‘Les Parties’, Bourgogne Blanc. This gorgeous French Chardonnay mimics a Montrachet - it’s grown right across the border - and is still a Burgundian wine. With a subtle oak finish and strong notes of peach and apple with baking spices, this would be amazing alongside a roasted chicken and now I wish I had made one for dinner.

Bring it On (2000) is streaming on Netflix. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #bringiton #sundaystages #kirstendunst by @winewatchparty

WWP # 224 - Wicker and Rioja

Read with caution – but no big spoilers! Wicker has been spreading like wildfire through social media since the trailer came out – an old-timey scandalous romp akin to the skintastic 50 Shades of Grey series but with a man made from a wicker basket as the star? Of course I was intrigued, I think everyone is…right? I jumped at the chance to see this two weeks early at the 92ndY in New York City.

Seeing the married writing/directing duo Alex and Eleanor on stage with Alexander, Olivia, and Elizabeth after the screening was electric. I do not want to mislead anyone, this is not a racy film full of nudity. It’s a cheeky film about the power of love, the price of longing, and the weight of perceptions - yours included.

Based on a short story, Wicker stars Olivia Colman as the Fisherwoman of her small town, an older, dowdy, self-supportive, independent woman who pays no mind about the murmuring that goes on behind her back or right to her face. After attending a wedding, Fisherwoman asks the local basketmaker (played by a genius Peter Dinklage) to make her a husband, as a sort of loophole. Any type of husband = no more murmurs. Also in the cast are Richard E. Grant as the doctor and Elizabeth Debicki, his daughter, as the stodgy tailor’s wife, and the unofficial town busybody.

The Wicker Husband, played beautifully by Alexander Skarsgard in a handmade suit by Wētā Workshop, soon becomes the subject of the town murmurs. He’s naive and sweet, however, sunshine and sexual escapades don’t last forever, because doubt is a cruel sidekick. Both fables and fantasies exist for a reason.

I would pair this film with a Rioja I had recently, because these grapes can be dark and serious or light and playful and can fluctuate between the two. Monte Real Gran Reserva Rioja 2018 is 100% Tempranillo grapes and has a spicy finish and garnet color. Drink alongside your favorite roast or heartiest stew.

If you had any inkling of interest in watching this, you won’t regret it.

Wicker (2026) is now in theatres. Drink at your own discretion.

#wicker #oliviacolman #alexanderskarsgard #wickerhusband by @winewatchparty

WWP # 223 - Making Marie Antoinette and Chenin Blanc

I went to a preview screening this week and imagined a wine that would pair well alongside.

Eleanor Coppola was the unofficial documentarian for a few films in her career, drawing inspiration from her husband Francis Ford Coppola and later, their daughter, Sofia Coppola. She co-directed Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse...ohh, the horror that set must have been!

Eleanor blends easily in with the crew on set, she wears all black and carries a large camera in front of her like a shield, whether she is filming or not. In the text at the front of the film and through Eleanor’s diary entries (read beautifully by Diane Lane) we find out that Eleanor and Sofia decided to start culling through the Marie Antoinette footage when hunkered together for the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in 2020. After Eleanor’s death in 2024, Sofia and her team finished this documentary film and it couldn’t be a lovelier tribute to her mom.

After we walked out of the screening room, my friend remarked that it was the first documentary she had seen where there were no modern-day talking heads. That stumped me. The device used here by sharing Eleanor’s personal footage with her own words (in diary form) inserted on top really cements the documentary’s point-of-view; with a heavy lean on Sofia, obviously. Eleanor cares deeply about her subject, especially the first week filming at Versailles when Sofia is sick, but she also captures the behind-the-scenes silliness from cast/crew that is necessary on a historical film set perpetually behind schedule and covered in period makeup and hundreds of wigs.

Paired with the 2022 Fearless Chenin Blanc, helmed by female-winemaker Chelsea Hoff, this crisp, minerally white was created to fly in the face of the big, bold California Cabernets by showing that a lovely white wine can fare just as well from the same hills and valleys. Hints of lemon zest and juicy pear round out this light-bodied bottle.

Making Marie Antoinette (2026) will be streaming on Mubi on November 6th, 2026. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #sofiacoppola #eleanorcoppola #makingmarieantoinette by @winewatchparty

WWP # 222 - Marie Antoinette and Champagne

It’s Wednesday Winedown! Twenty years ago, I was not interested in a hyper-colorized, fantastical version of Marie Antoinette with, no doubt, rooms full of cake to indulge in, like a Baz Luhrmann fever dream full of ruffled corsets.

However, when I pressed play recently, I was charmed by Kirsten Dunst’s portrayal of the Austrian teen traded to France in a stealth political move made by her mother. I know that the “handoff ceremony” in the middle of the woods actually happened but I did not get confirmation if her pug Mops was real and had to be surrendered.

There were a few surprise cast members here - like Rip Torn in a dramatic role, a very young Rose Byrne, a devilishly cute and fresh-faced Jamie Dornan, comedy legend Molly Shannon, and Marie’s hairdresser Leonard played by The Independent’s own Trent Crimm, who you’ll know if you also love Ted Lasso.

Jason Schwartzmann plays Marie Antoinette’s lock-obsessed husband Louis XVI who, how shall I say this delicately, seems to love his wife’s company except in the bedroom. Marie and Louis did not consummate their marriage until seve in n years in, though despite his lack of fervor, he’s not mean-spirited or dismissive here; but maybe just a touch asexual?

Despite the initial judgement of the over-the-top costumes and makeup attributed to youthful Sofia Coppola’s POV, I really enjoyed this film and couldn’t look away from Dunst here, the charismatic nature of the teenage queen with a penchant for high hair, hoop skirts, and high-end champagne.

Speaking of champagne, I paired this with a bottle of bubbles that Marie likely wouldn’t look twice at, but would definitely ask for more. A reasonably-priced bottle of bubbles that pack the spicy nose tickle you’re looking for and a healthy dose of flavor and acidity. M. Haslinger & Fils Champagne is mostly Pinot Noir and some Pinot Meunier and while I could pair this with anything from popcorn to Cornish game hen, it’s equally as delightful on its own.

Marie Antoinette (2006) is streaming on Netflix. Drink at your own discretion.

#marieantoinette #netflix #sofiacoppola #kirstendunst by @winewatchparty

WWP # 221 - Sunday Stages: A is for Auntie Mame with Brunello

Introducing Sunday Stages - An A-to-Z deep dive into the intersection Broadway & Hollywood. For the next 26 Sundays, I’m going to post a Broadway show that inspired a movie or vice versa.

First up - Auntie Mame, a larger-than-life character almost as big as her New York City apartment (jealous!) and her life over decades. Based on an autobiography, Auntie Mame became a huge Broadway hit (also with Russell) before becoming a 1959 Golden Globe winner for Best Picture.

When we meet Mame (played by gloriously decadent Rosalind Russell) she is hosting a lavish party when nephew Patrick and nanny Norah show up to move-in after the death of his father. Mame, surprisingly, acts maternally to Patrick immediately and proves to be the best thing for him, except that the banker in charge of the trust disagrees and forces Patrick into a boarding school out of state; crippling them both. When the stock market crash of 1929 wipes out Mame’s money she tries a variety of jobs to keep them (Patrick, Norah, and Ito, Mame’s butler) afloat proving adorably bad at everything, like Lucille Ball. Ultimately, she meets a handsome southern oil barron and they start a delightful second chapter and a third when Patrick goes to college.

The “privileged woman makes good and finally gets her hands dirty” trope is reminiscent of Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara with a modern bent. Mame stays consistent and charismatic throughout and I can only imagine the big bold Broadway set and costumes.

I paired this film with an exotic 2019 Franco Pacenti “Rosildo” Brunello di Montalcino because this complex red was delicious and layered - much like Mame herself; you cannot take your eyes off of Russell flitting about and you won’t want to take your hands off this full-bodied bottle with notes of dried cherries and currants, cedar notes, and leather on the finish. I drank this alongside penne with sausage and veggies, but you could drink it on its own.

Auntie Mame (1958) is available to rent on YouTube. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #auntiemame #rosalindrussell #patrickdennis by @winewatchparty

WWP # 220 - Halloween and White Wine

Happy Halloween! Farewell to my Spook or Sweet Movie Marathon, it’s been 31 days of scares, stares, and swears. What better way than with my first viewing of Halloween? I wasn’t sure if it was Jason or Freddy or what…but was pleasantly surprised (or, Pleasence-ly?); nothing like a dad joke on Halloween!

When I saw “introducing” Jamie Lee Curtis, I knew I was in good hands, because I know that she is still playing this character, or was very recently. Written and directed by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, Halloween starts in 1963 by watching a young, teenage couple through a window. Once inside the house, a clown mask is put on and a knife is shown slicing up the nude girl, yelling out Michael’s name. Shocking start - the killer is a 6yo boy in a clown costume, YIKES!

Curtis holds her own as intelligent, headstrong teenager Laurie Strode who is babysitting on October 31, 1978, in Haddonfield, Illinois, when a sanitarium escapee preys on their small town. Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) goes to Haddonfield looking for Michael Myers concerned for the town’s safety - this now-21yo man has got blood lust and the teenagers all just have regular lust.

Why is no one trick-or-treating? I didn’t see any wayward tiny witches, Morks, or Scooby Doos running around with buckets. While uncommon, it adds to the suspense of the movie and keeps the cast pretty small. My favorite part is Carpenter’s stirring score, it also helps that the killer has his own music so there’s not a lot of jump scares for a weenie like me.

I was riveted by this film and my 2020 Italian Dominic Hentall Terra Bianca kept me alert and free of distraction. A few days out, it was less astringent and more lemon souffle and highly drinkable, especially when a dude in a rubber mask is silently popping up in places he’s not welcome. Speaking off popping, I ate some cinnamon-dusted popcorn which complemented and mellowed the tang.

Halloween (1978) is streaming on Plex. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #winereviews #moviereviews #halloween #halloweenonhalloween #jamieleecurtis #johncarpenter #debrahill #donaldpleasence #michaelmyers by @winewatchparty

WWP # 219 - Interview with the Vampire and Sauvignon Blanc

I must admit, this was my pick, so I can’t blame my friend Ryan for this insanity. Within five minutes, I was fully giggling, this is pure madness covered in men in lacy collars. If you just put a (lace!) veil of gayness over this film, it makes a lot more sense and is a better movie. Two old, beautiful queens from Louisiana are in love but jealous of each other and “kidnap” a daughter to strengthen their relationship, and it works…for a while. I think I just changed the description, alert Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb.

Two of the biggest box office beauties (three, if you count Christian Slater!) duke it out forever as vampires. San Francisco 1991: A reporter (Slater) is interviewing 200-year-old Louis (Brad Pitt) for an unknown reason and most of the movie is flashbacks as to how Louis was a plantation owner in New Orleans (tsk tsk) and after his wife and daughter died he didn’t care for life anymore and rampant vampire Lestat (Tom Cruise) turns Louis. They work together splendidly for a bit…er, bite…and then Louis gets bored and regretful, causing Lestat to turn one of Louis’ victims into a tiny vampire, a little girl named Claudia (Kirsten Dunst). Also starring bloodlusty Antonio Banderas, Thandie Newton as a staff member of Louis’ house, and Stephen Rea as a mime/vampire? Some of this film I didn’t understand, like all of the rules and what exactly a companion is supposed to be/do.

Cracked open a fresh can of House Wine Sauvignon Blanc, a crisp, bitter respite from the bloody feasting and people constantly making googly eyes at each other. This is an instance where I preferred the ridiculous movie over the wine.

If you’ve made it this long, stay tuned! One movie left in my Spook or Sweet movie marathon month!

Interview with the Vampire (1994) is streaming on HBO. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #winereviews #moviereviews #sauvignonblanc #interviewwiththevampire #annerice #bradpitt #tomcruise #kirsten dunst by @winewatchparty

WWP # 218 - Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Sparkling Wine

Whoa. I’d like to read original reviews - was this super cheesy in the early nineties or was it gruesome and gory? I have loved Keanu’s “blue inferno” line for over a decade from a California radio show, a clip of which I’ve put in the carousel.

Gary Oldman is a fantastic actor, but I realized during this film that he looks like a walnut and I don’t know how else to describe it! Oldman, Anthony Hopkins, and Winona Ryder all play multiple parts. We open in 1462 Romania where Vlad Dracula leaves his beloved wife Elisabeta while he goes off to battle and when he comes home, he finds Elisabeta dead by self-drowning because she was falsely informed that her husband had died.

Skipping ahead to 1897 London - young lawyer Jonathan Harker (Reeves) gets a new client out of Transylvania named Count Dracula (Oldman) and has to travel to do paperwork on a building in London. There’s something about a crazy dude named Renfield as well. Dracula becomes obsessed with Harker’s fiancee Mina (Ryder) and Mina is busy with her best friend Lucy (Sadie Frost) and her rotating door of suitors (played by Richard E. Grant, Cary Elwes, and Billy Campbell).

Hopkins shows up again as Van Helsing, who I think is a doctor that knows about dracula? It was a bit confusing. There’s a lot of blood here and for some reason everything is hyper sexualized, especially the vampiric possession scenes and it’s kinda gross.

This weirdly entertaining (though not a favorite) Francis Ford Coppola film written by James V. Hart (he also wrote Hook!) was briefly enjoyed alongside a can of Underwood’s finest Rosé Bubbles from Oregon. I almost didn’t pour them into a glass because it’s just a small can but I really wanted to see the pink color. This little sparkler was sweeter than I usually pick but it wasn’t half bad with notes of pear and lemon zest on the finish.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) is streaming on Netflix. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #winereviews #moviereviews #bramstokersdracula #francisfordcoppola #keanureeves #winonaryder #garyoldman #anthonyhopkins by @winewatchparty

WWP # 215 - Young Frankenstein and Grenache Blend

They have Ovaltine in Transylvania? I wonder if they have Bosco too! I was looking forward to this movie all month because comedy legend Mel Brooks films have mostly evaded me. Right off the bat, I noticed that Gene Wilder (also the co-writer!) as Doctor Frankenstein (Fronn-kehn-schteen!) is playing him as angry Wonka using the same stern pitch.

I am in awe of Wilder’s performance here, playing straight man to everyone around him, and the comedic timing couldn’t be better. I loved how if you didn’t know any better, you’d think this was made in the 1940s with the black and white picture, the full credits at the beginning, and the general tone of grandeur.

Frederick Frankenstein (Wilder) is a renowned surgeon in America engaged to Elizabeth (Madeline Kahn) when he finds out he’s inherited his great-grandfather Baron Von Frankenstein’s Transylvanian castle so he goes to check it out. There he meets an entire cast of characters Igor (pronounced Eye-Gore) played by Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman as Frau Blücher, Teri Garr as Inga the laboratory assistant, and Peter Boyle as the Monster. I was surprised to see Gene Hackman as the blind man, and had to double-check it was indeed him.

Frederick gets interested in his grandfather’s work and immediately tries and fails to bring a corpse back to life with a new brain, or does he? This spoof had more of a plot than I expected but it was very amusing. I should watch it a few more times, I’m sure I missed a lot of jokes.

Same winemaker Benjamin Darnault, but tonight is the Minervois+ from 2019. This juicy, medium-bodied Grenache blend is ripe with blackberry and velvety tannins that are smooth on the palate. I drank this alongside chicken meatballs in a sage butter sauce and a torn radicchio salad with dijon dressing. The playful nature of this wine pairs delightfully with this clever comedy.

Young Frankenstein (1974) is streaming on Apple TV. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #winereviews #moviereviews #youngfrankenstein #melbrooks #benjamindarnault #minervoispluswine by @winewatchparty

WWP # 214 - The Empty Man and Grenache Gris

This is unsettling. A mix of real life supernatural stories and fictional ones like The Slender Man, The Ring, Scientology, and Weapons (see October 1st post!); however, this movie is sometimes suspenseful and creepily interesting, but disjointed at best.

David Prior’s The Empty Man starts out in 1995 Bhuket with four friends hiking on a large mountain when Paul hears a strange noise and follows it (?) into a crevice. When Greg climbs in after Paul and finds him sitting peacefully but not moving, while staring at a skeleton Paul warns Greg he’ll die if he touches Paul. Greg pulls a still-unmoving Paul out of the crevice and they seek help together in an abandoned house nearby and that’s when things get deadly…

Cut to 2018 Missouri former detective James Lasombra (James Badge Dale, a great everyman) is clearly spending his days blaming himself for the loss of his wife and young son in a car accident when his teenage neighbor Amanda Quail (Sasha Frolova) comes over, also in mourning of her late father from a heart attack, and tells him she found a fantastic way to get over her grief by realizing that nothing is real. Umm okay, not how that works.

When Amanda goes missing, James puts his detective boots back on and reassures his friend Nora Quail (Marin Ireland) that he will find her daughter. When the Empty Man lore starts spreading around town, James digs deeper to find himself caught up in a cult.

Plot hole - if The Quails are neighbors of The Lasombras, why would they drive home after Mr. Quail’s funeral, causing the accident?

Paired with the rest of my delightful Grenache Gris+ from Benjamin Darnault, I enjoyed the rest of this bottle more than the long, drawn out, weak tethers of this movie. More lemongrass and honeysuckle today than peach flavors from the other day, this would be good with a warm farro salad with squash, goat cheese, and toasted nuts.

The Empty Man (2020) is streaming on Hulu. Drink at your own discretion.

#wwp #winereviews #moviereviews #theemptyman #marinireland #jamesbadgedale #sashafrolova #davidprior by @winewatchparty