Cinemavino

New season, new series!  With the approach of fall, we have to conclude our look at summer sequels, although those were quite a bit of fun.  It was great to revisit some of those old favorites, including Batman Returns and TMNT II.

For the next four weeks, we’re going to spend an episode spotlighting each host of Cinemavino.  Each of us will pick a movie and wine (or beer) that suits who we are, and will allow you to put a face and personality to the voice you hear.  As I’m the main host and creator of Cinemavino, we’ll start with me.  (Todd)

I chose The Lion in Winter for my film, as it’s an all-time favorite.  A bold, thundering period drama, Lion imagines a fictitious Christmas spent by some very real people:  Henry II (Peter O’Toole) and Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katherine Hepburn) assemble their family to announce who will succeed him as King of England.  I have a list of around 25 perfect movies, and this is one of them.  Hepburn won her third Oscar for this performance, and O’Toole should have.  Both represent some of the best acting you’ll see in any movie anywhere.

Our vino was actually an easy pair.  Lion in Winter takes place at Chinon, France–the home of Cabernet Franc.  Cab Franc is most commonly blended with other grapes, especially in Bordeaux, but in this region it gets to shine on its own.  This offering from Domaine de La Chanteleuserie is typical of the style:  It has velvety textures, bright fruit, and soft edges.  Unlike Cabernet Sauvignons, which can be big, bold, and worthy of aging, Cab Francs tend to be more fun and ready to drink immediately.  This particular bottle runs in the $15-20 range, and it’s perfect with everything from steak to lamb.

As a bonus, we tried the Pére Magloire, a very smooth brandy.  King Henry’s actual Christmas gathering took place at Caen, off the Normandy coast.  That’s the home of Calvados, a very fine brandy made from apples. If you’re looking for a richly flavored brandy–yes, you can taste those apples–to enjoy with a cigar on a crisp fall evening, give this one try!  It will probably retail in the $40-50 range.

Enjoy another fine episode of Cinemavino!

New season, new series!  With the approach of fall, we have to conclude our look at summer sequels, although those were quite a bit of fun.  It was great to revisit some of those old favorites, including Batman Returns and TMNT II.

For the next four weeks, we're going to spend an episode spotlighting each host of Cinemavino.  Each of us will pick a movie and wine (or beer) that suits who we are, and will allow you to put a face and personality to the voice you hear.  As I'm the main host and creator of Cinemavino, we'll start with me.  (Todd)

I chose The Lion in Winter for my film, as it's an all-time favorite.  A bold, thundering period drama, Lion imagines a fictitious Christmas spent by some very real people:  Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and Eleanor of Aquitaine (Katherine Hepburn) assemble their family to announce who will succeed him as King of England.  I have a list of around 25 perfect movies, and this is one of them.  Hepburn won her third Oscar for this performance, and O'Toole should have.  Both represent some of the best acting you'll see in any movie anywhere.

Our vino was actually an easy pair.  Lion in Winter takes place at Chinon, France--the home of Cabernet Franc.  Cab Franc is most commonly blended with other grapes, especially in Bordeaux, but in this region it gets to shine on its own.  This offering from Domaine de La Chanteleuserie is typical of the style:  It has velvety textures, bright fruit, and soft edges.  Unlike Cabernet Sauvignons, which can be big, bold, and worthy of aging, Cab Francs tend to be more fun and ready to drink immediately.  This particular bottle runs in the $15-20 range, and it's perfect with everything from steak to lamb.

As a bonus, we tried the Pére Magloire, a very smooth brandy.  King Henry's actual Christmas gathering took place at Caen, off the Normandy coast.  That's the home of Calvados, a very fine brandy made from apples. If you're looking for a richly flavored brandy--yes, you can taste those apples--to enjoy with a cigar on a crisp fall evening, give this one try!  It will probably retail in the $40-50 range.

Enjoy another fine episode of Cinemavino!

For our final episode on summer sequels, we're leanin' real hard into the nostalgia vibe.  Teenage Mutant Turtles II is a film that brings forth fond memories for all of us, and it's something I'm honestly happy to go back and check out after all these years.

I won't exactly say the film ages well, but...it does hold up exactly like I thought it would.  It's awkwardly funny, with cheesy one-liners and clunky special effects.  And lots and lots of pizza.

With that in mind, I've selected a couple of wines that pair well with pizza.

Red Zinfandel is a classic pizza pairing, and Valravn, from Skurnik Winery, is no exception.  Fruit-forward, medium-bodied, and a little spicy, this fun wine will go with most pizzas, especially those with heavier, meatier toppings.  I think Donatello would be especially pleased.  For more info, head this way.

If red wine ain't your bag, a rosé is another fine option for pizza.  Actually, rosé is a great pair with just a ton of foods, especially anything summery you can cook on the grill:  Think burgers, barbecue, and fried chicken.  This Oregon rosé from A to Z Winery is awesome example.  It's crisp, loaded with citrus and melon flavors, and it's also very refreshing.  These wines get a bad rep on account of White Zinfandel--which is a totally different thing--so they're definitely worth a look.  Side note, I've been to this winery, and it's beautiful.  To learn a little more, click here.

If you want to read my review--and you know you do--click here.

Now, kick back, drink up, and enjoy another episode of Cinemavino!

For our final episode on summer sequels, we’re leanin’ real hard into the nostalgia vibe.  Teenage Mutant Turtles II is a film that brings forth fond memories for all of us, and it’s something I’m honestly happy to go back and check out after all these years.

I won’t exactly say the film ages well, but…it does hold up exactly like I thought it would.  It’s awkwardly funny, with cheesy one-liners and clunky special effects.  And lots and lots of pizza.

With that in mind, I’ve selected a couple of wines that pair well with pizza.

Red Zinfandel is a classic pizza pairing, and Valravn, from Skurnik Winery, is no exception.  Fruit-forward, medium-bodied, and a little spicy, this fun wine will go with most pizzas, especially those with heavier, meatier toppings.  I think Donatello would be especially pleased.  For more info, head this way.

If red wine ain’t your bag, a rosé is another fine option for pizza.  Actually, rosé is a great pair with just a ton of foods, especially anything summery you can cook on the grill:  Think burgers, barbecue, and fried chicken.  This Oregon rosé from A to Z Winery is awesome example.  It’s crisp, loaded with citrus and melon flavors, and it’s also very refreshing.  These wines get a bad rep on account of White Zinfandel–which is a totally different thing–so they’re definitely worth a look.  Side note, I’ve been to this winery, and it’s beautiful.  To learn a little more, click here.

If you want to read my review–and you know you do–click here.

Now, kick back, drink up, and enjoy another episode of Cinemavino!

Shang-Chi opened to huge box office this past weekend, second only to Black Widow for 2021 debuts.  In a gamble, Disney bypassed their streaming service and released the film exclusively to theaters.  Based on the returns, the move appears to have paid off.  That means there's a good chance future Disney properties will follow a similar route.

Hopefully quite a few of you guys have seen Shang-Chi, and also enjoyed our spoiler-free podcast as well.  Now, that the movie has been out for a few days, those who have seen the film can listen to our in-depth analysis.  We also talk about the implications for the MCU as a whole.  Another topic on the docket:  The time in fifth grade I was tasked to read the Pledge of Allegiance to the entire student body...and failed miserably.  My life has never quite been the same.

Anyway, to read my written review, click here.

For wine, we opted for a Spanish Verdejo, Friend and Farmer.  We're based in Oklahoma, where the temperature is currently hotter than the bubbling lava in hell.  This crisp, floral, lightly fruity (think pears and honeydew) white wine is perfect for summertime.  It's also a great pair with spicy Asian cuisine or Mexican food.  Plus, Friend and Farmer runs between $10-15, so that's a nice bonus.  For more info, head this way.

So, pop a bottle and enjoy another great episode of Cinemavino.

Shang-Chi opened to huge box office this past weekend, second only to Black Widow for 2021 debuts.  In a gamble, Disney bypassed their streaming service and released the film exclusively to theaters.  Based on the returns, the move appears to have paid off.  That means there’s a good chance future Disney properties will follow a similar route.

Hopefully quite a few of you guys have seen Shang-Chi, and also enjoyed our spoiler-free podcast as well.  Now, that the movie has been out for a few days, those who have seen the film can listen to our in-depth analysis.  We also talk about the implications for the MCU as a whole.  Another topic on the docket:  The time in fifth grade I was tasked to read the Pledge of Allegiance to the entire student body…and failed miserably.  My life has never quite been the same.

Anyway, to read my written review, click here.

For wine, we opted for a Spanish Verdejo, Friend and Farmer.  We’re based in Oklahoma, where the temperature is currently hotter than the bubbling lava in hell.  This crisp, floral, lightly fruity (think pears and honeydew) white wine is perfect for summertime.  It’s also a great pair with spicy Asian cuisine or Mexican food.  Plus, Friend and Farmer runs between $10-15, so that’s a nice bonus.  For more info, head this way.

So, pop a bottle and enjoy another great episode of Cinemavino.

Hello all, and welcome to another mini-episode of Cinemavino.  For this very special recording, we're going to take a spoiler-free look at Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.  We all enjoyed it, to varying degrees.  As always, we have very strong opinions.

For the vino, we're drinking summer whites.  It's hotter than balls where we are, so red wine seems absolutely nuts to drink right now.  To go along with this first podcast, we try The Eyerie Pinot Blanc.  This is a refreshing, floral, chalky white wine that's easy on the palate, especially during the Dog Days of Summer.

To learn a little more about this fine wine, click here.

My written review will be coming soon to toddwoffordmovies.com, so keep your eyes peeled!

Hello all, and welcome to another mini-episode of Cinemavino.  For this very special recording, we’re going to take a spoiler-free look at Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.  We all enjoyed it, to varying degrees.  As always, we have very strong opinions.

For the vino, we’re drinking summer whites.  It’s hotter than balls where we are, so red wine seems absolutely nuts to drink right now.  To go along with this first podcast, we try The Eyerie Pinot Blanc.  This is a refreshing, floral, chalky white wine that’s easy on the palate, especially during the Dog Days of Summer.

To learn a little more about this fine wine, click here.

My written review will be coming soon to toddwoffordmovies.com, so keep your eyes peeled!

Welcome back to another fine episode of Cinemavino!  This week, it’s our penultimate look at summer sequels.  Sadly, this season is winding down, and so is our talk about part twos.

The Bourne Legacy is an interesting blockbuster:  It’s the fourth installment in the franchise, but series star Matt Damon opted not to appear.  Well, much like Jurassic Park, Hollywood finds a way.  Instead of Jason Bourne, we get spin-off hero Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner.  Otherwise, it’s a typical Bourne outing, minus the actor who gave the original movies life.

We were of widely varying opinions about this film, and it leads to one of our livelier conversations.

For our vino this week, we opted for a Port.  Port is an example of fortified wine, in which neutral spirits are added to wine in order to raise its alcohol level.  Where most wines end up with around 12-15% alcohol, Ports–along with Sherries, Marsalas, Vermouth, and others–tend finish with around 20% ABV.  (That’s Alcohol By Volume for you booze newbs out there.)

Taylor Fladgate’s Ruby Porto is a classic example of the grape:  It’s rich, sweet, and brightly fruity.  You’ll find notes of cherries and grape jam.  Think of this wine for after-dinner drinks, or as a desert wine.

To read my review of The Bourne Legacy, click here.  For more info on the wine, head this way.

Enjoy, and cheers!

 

Welcome back to another fine episode of Cinemavino!  This week, it’s our penultimate look at summer sequels.  Sadly, this season is winding down, and so is our talk about part twos.

The Bourne Legacy is an interesting blockbuster:  It’s the fourth installment in the franchise, but series star Matt Damon opted not to appear.  Well, much like Jurassic Park, Hollywood finds a way.  Instead of Jason Bourne, we get spin-off hero Aaron Cross, played by Jeremy Renner.  Otherwise, it’s a typical Bourne outing, minus the actor who gave the original movies life.

We were of widely varying opinions about this film, and it leads to one of our livelier conversations.

For our vino this week, we opted for a Port.  Port is an example of fortified wine, in which neutral spirits are added to wine in order to raise its alcohol level.  Where most wines end up with around 12-15% alcohol, Ports–along with Sherries, Marsalas, Vermouth, and others–tend finish with around 20% ABV.  (That’s Alcohol By Volume for you booze newbs out there.)

Taylor Fladgate’s Ruby Porto is a classic example of the grape:  It’s rich, sweet, and brightly fruity.  You’ll find notes of cherries and grape jam.  Think of this wine for after-dinner drinks, or as a desert wine.

To read my review of The Bourne Legacy, click here.  For more info on the wine, head this way.

Enjoy, and cheers!