Ms. at the Movies: Pairing Women & Wine with Females & Flicks, July 2015

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Women are just shattering glass ceilings these days – on screen and off. In the entertainment world, while women only made up 7% of directors in the top 250 grossing films last year, that number is sure to spike in 2015 with the emergence of the female-helmed flicks “FIFTY SHADES OF GREY”, “SPY”, “TRAINWRECK”, and my chosen film of the month…. “PITCH PERFECT 2″.                                                    Pitch Perfect 2

July’s Movie: “PITCH PERFECT 2”

What makes this movie so special isn’t just the female-driven cast of the Barden Bellas, including Anna Kendrick & Rebel Wilson, but the female powerhouses behind the cameras, most notably, screenwriter Kay Cannon & director Elizabeth Banks. Banks knew going in how monumental the move to director would be, “I felt ready and wanted to do it of course, but I also felt like once I said yes, I couldn’t screw it up. There was definitely that pressure.” Needless to say, “PITCH PERFECT 2” debuted at over $70 million its opening weekend, making it the second highest opening ever for a female film director. “PITCH PERFECT 2” is fun and fierce. There are surprising plot twists & turns, lots of great a capella singing, and plenty of comedic whips from writer Cannon that will literally have you laughing out loud. And while I don’t want to spoil the ending for you, the Bellas finale performance left a tear in my eye. ‘Twas a shockingly heartwarming moment that Cannon & Banks should be proud of.

Alas, we also have to remember where we came from. Women wouldn’t be able to do any glass-shattering in twenty-fifteen if it weren’t for the matriarchs who paved the way for us. The original ceiling-breakers who are still around making noise deserve some recognition too. The epitome of that female winemaking glass-breaker is MARIA LUZ MARIN from CASA MARIN. And her wine that is a perfect pairing for “PITCH PERFECT 2” is the CASA MARIN ESTERO VINEYARD SAUVIGNON GRIS. 

CASA MARIN ESTERO VINEYARD SAUVIGNON GRIS

July’s Wine: CASA MARIN ESTERO VINEYARD SAUVIGNON GRIS               

MARIA LUZ MARIN is not just any female Chilean winemaker. She is THE female Chilean winemaker. She is the FIRST, and is seen by many as the “grande damne” of Chilean winemaking. In an evolving country once known for machismo and heavy-handed politics, today, roughly one in three winemakers in Chile are female. The impact women have had and are continuing to have in producing some of the finest wine to come out of Chile is palpable. And a lot of that is owed to Marin. “I believe in equality between women and men regarding taste, sense of smell, winemaking preferences. Perhaps women are more perfectionists and pay more attention to the details, but I just try to understand our nature, terroir and vineyards. Nothing in our wines is manipulated or modified.”

Maria Luz Marin

Maria Luz Marin

Zero manipulation. Just a tasty and nuanced wine. Her CASA MARIN ESTERO VINEYARD SAUVIGNON GRIS is exactly what you want to be sipping on while singing and laughing along to “PITCH PERFECT 2”. The wine is round and robust…kind of like Wilson’s character Fat Amy! This wine is also elegant and complex, with touches of French oak combined with green pepper and melon. The finish is long and clean, and will be the perfect accompaniment to the Barden Bellas World Championship finale performance.

Both the wine and the movie will reinforce what we already know….

Who runs the world? GIRLS.

Cheers!

Elyssa Phillips

 

 

 

 

 

– Elyssa