What to drink while watching the Oscars

Ah, the Oscars – a prestigious celebration of groundbreaking cinema or a meaningless platform for movies with enough money for a decent campaign? No doubt this year is mired in some controversy: from Emilia Pérez’s Karla Sofía Gascón’s problematic tweets and the use of AI in The Brutalist to, more recently, tactical voting gone wrong as Academy members admit not voting for Ralph Fiennes on the basis that he won for Schindler’s List (he had in fact lost to Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive).

Regardless, it should make for great watching. Here are the wines to have in your hand as the winners are announced (though this is in no particular order).

Best picture

Most critics predict this will be between Anora and Conclave – one a story about a New York stripper who marries the playboy son of a Russian oligarch and the other about celibate men in fancy robes. Cardinale Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is one the finest Californian reds, with notes of spice, creme de cassis and violets, and a finish as long as Anora’s acrylic nails. 

It’s divine enough to be sipped by one of Rome’s cardinals (from which it takes its name) and expensive enough (around £300-500 depending on the vintage) to please Ivan’s outlandish tastes. 

The wine: Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (£340), Hedonism

Cheaper alternative: Orin Swift Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon 2021/22 (£54.99), Majestic

Also enjoy with: Best adapted screenplay 

Best director

This may end up going to Anora’s Sean Baker, but in my opinion directing a colossal film like The Brutalist with a budget of only $10 million shouldn’t be overlooked. Early in the film, our protagonist architect László Tóth argues the advantages of affordable concrete over flamboyant – and markedly more expensive – marble for his grand project. 

Leap Frog, a winery in California, also boasts the benefits of concrete. Their winery is home to an array of concrete ‘eggs’ for ageing, which reportedly encourages movements and allows for greater contact with the lees. Their trademark sauvignon blanc is aged in a mix of steel and concrete which, they argue, gives the wine a richer texture. Expect notes of grapefruit, lemon zest and white peach.

The wine: Leap Frog Sauvignon Blanc (£25.70), VINVM

Also enjoy with: Best original score, best original screenplay, best editing and best cinematography 

Best actress

We can’t not celebrate Demi, regardless of the outcome. Her “comeback”, as people have called it, has been nothing short of legendary, and her candidness about her acting career and her struggles with addiction (Demi has been sober for over 12 years) has shone a much-needed light on misogyny and ageism in Hollywood. Amie’s dealcoholised sparkling wine is pink enough and sparkly enough to impress her character Elizabeth Sparkle, without being sickly sweet like many non-alcoholic wines. Made in the prestigious region of Provence, it’s made from garnacha and tastes of raspberry and spices.

The wine: Amie Non-alc Sparkling Rosé (£15), Ocado

Best actor

It’s a tête-à-tête with Adrien Brody for The Brutalist and Timothée Chalamet for the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. In his acceptance speech for the SAG Awards, Timothée stated he aspired to be “one of The Greats”. And The Greats we shall have: Sassicaia is considered one of the finest cabernet-based reds, produced in Italy’s Tuscany region – which also happens to be home to the quarries of Carrara where Tóth and Harrison buy their Italian marble. 

With hints of baked plums, blackberries and tobacco (which chain-smoking Bob Dylan can appreciate), it’s a gorgeous, sumptuous wine that has enticed critics for decades.

The wine: Sassicaia 2020/21 (£250), Majestic

Cheaper alternative: Le Volte Dell’Ornellaia 2021 (£26.99), Majestic – another ‘Super Tuscan’ made in a region adjacent to Sassicaia in the Bolgheri region

Best supporting actress

Emilia Pérez may be cancelled, but Zoe Saldaña is still the favourite to win best supporting actress. There have been numerous issues with the film, mostly surrounding its lead but also regarding the quality of the musical and whether it deserves an Oscar in the first place. But wine can only right so many wrongs, so perhaps we can start with the offensive stereotyping of Mexico.

L A Cetto is a well regarded winery in northern Mexico and makes a fruity and velvety petite sirah (a cross between sirah and a local French grape called peloursin). Even if Emilia Pérez isn’t authentically Mexican, at least your glass is.

The wine: L A Cetto Petite Sirah (£11.95), Albion Wine Shippers

Also enjoy with: Best international feature

Best supporting actor

We all know Kieran Culkin will win and frankly he deserves it for his moving and wacky performance in A Real Pain. John Okro Zvari Rkatsiteli is Benji in a bottle: a funky orange wine from eastern Georgia that’s unfiltered, nutty, sweet and savoury with notes of pineapple, peach, almonds, honey and herbs.

The wine: John Okro Zvari Rkatsiteli (£19.95), The Stroud Wine Company

Best animated feature

Flow is the favourite for Best animated feature and it’s easy to see why: telling the story of a curious cat who ends up on an adventure with a capybara and a lemur, Flow is an elegant tale that weaves together magic and realism in a way that feels biblical. 

Felicette Grenache Blanc is named after the cosmic cat that was sent to space in 1963, and boasts flavours that are as colourful and fresh as this animation: think pear, white blossom, lime zest and mango.

The wine: Felicette Grenache Blanc (£11.99), Kwoff

Best production design

Last but not least, we have Wicked which is predicted to win for production design, makeup and hairstyling, and costume design. Look no further than Chin Chin Vhino Verde which literally translates to ‘green wine’. With a stunning label designed by Noble Rot’s Jose Miguel Mendez, this wine has uplifting notes of lime and guava with a gravity-defying spritz.

The wine: Chin Chin Vhino Verde (£9.99), The Good Wine Co

Also enjoy with: Best makeup and hairstyling and best costume design