In this episode of the SOMM TV Podcast, Jason Wise and Claire Coppi find the best wine and sports movie pairings. The first challenge was picking the films; the second was finding the perfect bottle and comparing them. There was only one overlap, coming in at very different places.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podomatic or wherever you prefer, or continue reading for their final picks!
Wine and Sports Movie Number Five
Claire’s Pick:
Movie: Secretariat (2010)
Pairing: Champagne
As a huge equestrian fan, Secretariat had to make the cut on Claire’s list. Secretariat is a film about the famous racehorse but focuses on the family and the idea of the human struggle. Claire chooses Champagne as it feels a bit high-brow and a little bit fancy, a theme she thinks works alongside the film.
Jason’s Pick:
Movie: Any Given Sunday (1999)
Pairing: A cocktail of cortisone in the knee and a shot of 151 rum.
Jason loves all American football movies, and Any Given Sunday is no exception. Al Pacino is incredible; the film is fantastically vulgar and is ultimately great. The pairing would allow you to ‘breathe fire for the next 10 minutes’ and would pair perfectly with this movie.
Sports Movie Number Four
Claire’s Pick:
Movie: Rudy (1993)
Pairing: A shot of Guinness, a good Irish Whiskey, or a Santa Barbara Pinot Noir.
Rudy is an inspirational movie showing that you don’t have to be perfect to reach your dream. If you push yourself and put in the work, sometimes that can overcome the need for born talent or agility.
Jason’s Pick
Movie: Caddyshack (1980)
Pairing: Jack Daniel’s and coke, ideally on the golf course.
In Jason’s words, Caddyshack was “the most quoted movie in my house growing up and my most-watched movie during college”. He explains it as a constant barrage of the greatest comedians in the prime of their careers. Jack and Coke is simply the only worthwhile pairing.
Wine and Sports Movie Number Three
Claire’s Pick:
Movie: Southpaw (2015)
Pairing: A young, aggressive Nebbiolo or Barolo.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays a fantastic role in this film, and it’s so great to watch. Boxing is the focus of some of the greatest films ever made, and Southpaw helps prove that point.
Jason’s Pick:
Movie: Warrior (2011)
Pairing: Yuengling beer.
Warrior is a classic MMA film, and possibly one of the greatest sports movies ever made. It’s a blue-collar film and deserves a blue-collar beer like Yuengling to go with it.
Sports Movie Number Two
Claire’s Pick:
Movie: Sea Biscuit (2003)
Pairing: A Napa Cabernet, in particular, the Stag’s Leap that won in the Judgment of Paris of 1976.
Sea Biscuit is a film about a stallion that competes in the east coast race tracks and thoroughbreds competition against the west coast thoroughbreds. It seems very similar to the Judgment of Paris of 1976, where the world-class French wines were put head-to-head with some New World, American wines, and the new world wines came out as the underdog. Sea Biscuit is a stallion predicted to be the next big winner until he’s born too small. His heart pushes ahead, though, and he goes in to win it.
Jason’s Pick:
Movie: Rudy (1993)
Pairing: A Kitá wine by Tara Gomez.
Wine and Sports Movie Number One
Claire’s Pick:
Movie: Miracle (2004)
Pairing: A crisp, dry and ice cold Riesling, from the Finger Lakes
The heart of this film makes it addictive, featuring the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team in the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, where they face up against the Soviet professional team.
Jason’s Pick:
Movie: Major League (1989)
Pairing: A boilermaker
The ultimate Cleveland fantasy film. It’s got ridiculous humor but a strict level of seriousness added throughout. It’s got the actors at the beginning of their time, which poses as an incredible cast.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Podomatic or wherever you prefer to listen.
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