Movie night is a staple of the week for many couples or friend groups, but what can make watching a great movie even better is the right wine pairing. Some will just stick to what they know and have the same wine on each movie night, but the best way to go is to get stuck into a diverse selection.
As well as your ability to stream a huge number of films at the click of a button, you also have access to a massive selection of wines online, so be sure to test the movie-wine pairings from around the world to see what works best for you. Here are our suggestions:
Italy’s Pinot Grigio for Comedies
As you’ll know all too well, Italy is one of the most famous producers and drinkers of wine, with the pinot grigio a very popular export. While many New World wine regions have had a crack at the pinot grigio, the Italian’s more acidic style is still considered more flavorful, in general terms. This wine is light and easy, pleases almost everyone and adds to the bubbly atmosphere, making it perfect for a great comedy.
When it comes to comedies, there’s a plethora of hilarious movies to pick from, with many of the best bending genres. In The Loop from Armando Ianucci is a superb work of comedy, with its foul-mouthed political satire between the UK and USA helping it rate as the second-best comedy of the 21st century. Other truly great comedies to enjoy with a pinot grigio include: The Death of Stalin, The Grand Budapest Hotel, both Anchorman films, Step Brothers, This is the End, Bad Moms, Snatch, and Four Lions.
The USA’s Zinfandel for Westerns
When you think American movies, you think of Westerns. When you think American wines, you think California. The zinfandel is the wine of the Wild West, having been grown and made in those parts since the Gold Rush. It arrived in the USA some years earlier, but it’s in California that zinfandel has made its name. Classically made as a robust red, there is also a rosé version called white zinfandel. There is a great variety of zinfandel and other wines hailing from California, with wine clubs placing a big emphasis on Wild West creations simply because the state produces so many much-loved wines.
With a Wild West wine, you need a great Wild West movie. Naturally, the first place to turn is to the classics, with Sergio Leone’s genre-defining spaghetti western trilogy of The Man with No Name – A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – starring Clint Eastwood. For a more modern western, The Salvation, The Sisters Brothers, and Sweet Vengeance are all superb additions to the genre and pair equally well with zinfandel, in our opinion.
Argentina’s Malbec for Suspense Horrors
Recognized as one of only six grapes that are allowed in Bordeaux wine, the Malbec has gained traction and recognition as more of an Argentinean wine. The grape itself has declined in its native France but is booming in Argentina, producing velvety smooth and incredibly fruity wines. It makes sense that the Argentineans would become masters of wine because much of their culture revolves around enjoying a glass of wine, as well as enjoying siestas, dancing, and fine food.
To really appreciate the flavors of a Malbec, particularly a Luca Malbec from the region of Mendoza, you’ll want a horror that’s so full of suspense that you dare not speak but instead focus on heightening your other senses. For such a task, get IT (2017), Mama, White Noise, or Gothika on in a dark, quiet room. For something a little lighter on the scares but with plenty of suspense, A Quiet Place or M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs will do the trick.
There you have it: three fantastic wines from across the world and the perfect films to pair them with on movie night.
