Matching the Oscar-Nominated Best Picture Contenders With a Wine Theme
The 90th Academy Awards show airs this Sunday. This is my ninth year of presenting the Best Picture nominees and creating hypothetical pairings of wine with the top contenders. I’ve distilled my list to five of the nine nominees.
The Shape of Water: Do you believe in fairy tales come true? Perhaps the ultimate bittersweet love story, this movie depicts love transcending all material aspects of our lives. Eliza, a mute with the lowly job of cleaning labs at a research facility in the 1960s, comes upon an amphibious man-like creature locked in a tank of water. She becomes enthralled in communicating with the creature, blind to the obvious physical features, instead seeking out its inner intellect and emotions.
Just as water takes on many shapes and forms, so too a fine Burgundy. For some consumers it is difficult to appreciate its core essence, seeming thin and austere. But for those who accept these Pinot Noirs in their most elemental form and build their perception and appreciation of them over time, they create a love affair that surmounts others’ superficial perceptions.
Get Out. Certainly not a fairy tale, we must wait until the second half to understand the full, deep-seated meaning of the movie and the clear horror genre it portrays. Rose brings her black boyfriend Chris home to meet her white parents. Slowly, we see the movie degrading into a racially biased story, with a horrific goal.
Fine-aged wines can draw us into an evolving adventure. We open the bottle and head down a path that has multiple twists and turns. I’ve experienced aged wines that lead me down one path then veers to a finish that I never expected – for better or worse.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Can’t get the attention you believe is necessary in the investigation of the rape and death of your daughter? Especially in an insular, backwater small town where everyone knows each other – and their dark secrets? Just put it out there for public consumption. That’s exactly what Mildred Hayes decides to do, with alarming effect, spouting “this time the chick ain’t losin’.”
Rieslings remind me of Mildred’s struggles. For decades its proponents were castigated and subjected to pressure from the establishment. Finally, in the last five years it has been recognized for what it is: a fine wine for pairing with so many foods, from sushi to Asian fusion. And the masses are starting to take notice.
Dunkirk. In an early “Darkest Hour” of World War II (another nominated movie), the Germans have pushed Allied troops to the edge of the sea in Dunkirk, France. With their backs to the sea and no relief in sight, this historic depiction is heading toward a gruesome ending. The little people, local fishermen in their boats, not the superpowers, save the day in grand style.
So, too, did small winemakers in France salvage the wine industry after the war, raising it to world acclaim. Individual acts of bravery and patriotism have paid rewards for the legacy of French fishermen and winemakers alike.
Lady Bird. Christine, who proclaims that Lady Bird is her given name (“it’s given to me, by me”), has an adventurous senior year. She bickers with her mom, falls in love and joins the Drama Club, all fairly typical. But all ends (reasonably) well in this teenage angst movie. Mother and daughter better understand each other, financial difficulties are placed in context and Lady Bird begins to see the world through a crystal-clear lens. Her future is bright.
I remember when I first sampled red blends. They were an amalgam of mostly diverse varietals, at times compatible, other times in constant conflict with each other. By immersing myself in this genre, I soon was able to discern my preferences, learning the nuances of each wine. Now I have an instinctive approach to these blends, appreciating the distinct beauty and personality of each.
Which movie will win the coveted Oscar? Sit back on Sunday night with your favorite wine in hand and enjoy the festivities.
Nick Antonaccio is a 40-year Pleasantville resident. For over 20 years he has conducted wine tastings and lectures. Nick is a member of the Wine Media Guild of wine writers. He also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
