On cold rainy winter nights you just want to stay in, curl up on the couch with a good glass of wine (or beverage of your choice) and a movie. But what drink to pair with your film?
Below is a list of wines, a tequila and something special for those after a booze-free choice.
Wines
1. Vino Intrepido - Pound of Flesh, Vermentino 2022
Wine buyer James Scarebrook spent 16 months travelling around the wine world, 12 months of which was spent in Europe. Deciding the Italians appreciate the good things in life and that many Italian grape varieties are suited to Australia’s warm dry climate, he started Vino Intrepido developing wines from Italian varietals grown (mostly) in Victoria.
‘A Pound of Flesh’ is 100% vermentino made in a skin contact style. The result is textural pleasure. Cloudy in the glass, this wine is fresh, fleshy and easy to drink. Tasting a blend of poached pear, grapefruit and ginger.
Pair with: A Family Affair
Things get steamy in this romcom, when young movie star Chris Cole (Zac Efron) falls for an older woman Brooke (Nicole Kidman). Just like the complex Vermentino, the romance isn’t a perfect match with Cole being her daughter’s boss.
RRP: $32.99 available direct at 》 vinointrepido.com/
2. Krinklewood, Sauvage Orange 2023
Krinklewood Estate is the Hunter Valley’s only French-inspired biodynamic winery. Founded in 1981 by Rod Windrim, a master builder with a passion for winemaking and love of France.
The Sauvage Orange refers to the French term meaning “wild” or “natural”. The natural orange wine is made from organic and biodynamic hand-picked Gewürztraminer.
Tangerine in colour, the wine has aromas of rose petals and lychee, with notes of cinnamon and ginger and a zesty lingering finish.
Pair with: Mothers’ Instinct
Gewürztraminer is said to be a wine varietal that stirs up emotions, which is certainly what this film will do. Based on a 2018 French film, derived from a novel by Barbara Abel. The psychological thriller starring Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway follows the suburban housewives with seemingly picture-perfect lives until tragedy strikes and paranoia unravels their world.
RRP: $45 available at 》 krinklewood.com/
3. Dune, Desert Sands Shiraz 2019
Brothers Peter and Duncan Lloyd are third generation Lloyd's of the Coriole (wine) family business, who went out on their own with label Dune. Farmed organically, Dune produces fresh, aromatic styles of wine.
Made of fruit sourced from the low-yielding Desert Sands vineyard in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale, South Australia. Crop levels are small, resulting in more concentrated wines.
Shiraz flavour profiles tend to be powerful, spicy and peppery and the Dune version matches this description. Deep crimson in appearance, the Desert Sands includes concentrated notes of spiced plums, black fruits and a long finish of violets.
Pair with Dune: Part Two
The spice must flow! So what better choice than a powerful spicy shiraz. Just like the Desert Sands tannins, this sci-fi story will grip you. The second of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert follows the mythic journey of Paul Atreides. It’s an action-packed, epic tale with romance, betrayal and incredible cinematic desert scenes.
RRP: $50 available 》 dunewine.com/
Spirit
4. 818 Tequila, Reposado
Founded by Kendall Jenner, 818 Tequila is the model/socialite’s first foray into the alcohol business and quite the success, selling out just four hours after its launch and attracting orders from 80 countries. It’s also won 16 blind tasting awards across six major industry competitions.
Hand-picked by jimadores at a family-owned-and-operated distillery, the tequila is produced from one hundred percent Blue Weber agaves using traditional methods in Jalisco, Mexico.
Made following a natural fermentation process, the extracted juice, called “mosto,” is fermented in wood and stainless steel tanks for approximately 48 hours, using leftover agave fibers, inoculated with native yeast for a deeper aromatic expression. The resulting tequila is then distilled twice to maximise the smoothness.
818 Tequila features three variations: Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo. Our pick is the honeyed and caramel-like Reposado which is aged in both American and French oak for three months. Golden in colour, it tastes of roasted agave with notes of pecan pie and vanilla.
Pair with Bad Boys: Ride Or Die
The fourth instalment of the Will Smith and Martin Lawrences, Bad Boys franchise, Ride Or Die has the duo trying to clear the name of their Captain. The action-comedy has lots of adrenaline pumping scenes that will have you reaching for a good swig of tequila.
RRP: $110 available at: firstchoiceliquor.com.au/spirits/818-tequila-reposado-700ml_7027468?uom=ea#fromsearch=true
And our alcoholic-free option...
5. NON (pack)
NON is an alternative zero-free beverage built with similar production methods and flavour profiles to wine. Founded by Melbourne entrepreneur Aaron Trotman, who believes ‘conformity is boring’, the beverages are designed by a team of expert food and beverage professionals (chefs, bartenders, food scientists and winemakers).
Lightly carbonated, NON is an infusion of herbs, spices, fresh fruits and vegetables. Tannin, floral, salinity and acidity are extracted from real produce using techniques from the culinary and viticulture worlds. The result: complex drinks with vinous-like qualities.
There are eight delicious options to choose from torched apple to kombu. Not sure which one to go for? Try the Stopper Set which has three NON’s (NON1 Salted Raspberry & Chamomile, NON3 Toasted Cinnamon & Yuzu and NON7 Stewed Cherry and Coffee). Plus it comes with the special NON bottle carbonation stopper made by Vert Industrial Design House, preserving the carbonation and freshness for up to seven days when kept cold.
Pair with Drugstore June
Expect big laughs for this film. The brainchild of comedian, co-writer, producer and star Esther Povitsky. Drugstore June is a quirky, satirical comedy about a wannabe influencer determined to solve a crime while trying to get over her ex-boyfriend.
RRP: $150 available at: non.world/products/the-stopper-set