Hallmark's Toast to Italy

On this episode of Pour the Wine, It’s Rom-Com Time, Garry and Amy are uncorking Hallmark's Toast to Italy and following the hunt for a legendary bottle of "love wine." From a competitive wine auction meet cute to charming train stations, flower-lined streets, and breathtaking vineyard views, this Hallmark romance serves up plenty of Italian scenery with a side of romantic adventure.

They’re breaking down what works and what takes a little Hallmark magic. Jenny (Tori DeVitto) travels to Italy to honor a family wedding tradition while Arrigo (Will Kemp) searches for the same elusive wine in hopes of winning a writing contest. Along the way, they discuss why the rivals to romance dynamic never feels mean spirited, highlight their favorite scenes, admire the stunning cinematography and great soundtrack, and agree that Will Kemp's accent deserves its own starring role. Plus, they give Giovanni the appreciation he deserves for bringing plenty of entertaining boss energy without ever becoming a one-note villain.

Pour your favorite beverage, get cozy, and press play! Cheers!

Send us an email to pourthewineitsromcomtime@gmail.com! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/mood-of-summer

Transcript

Welcome And Where To Find Us

SPEAKER_02 0:07

Welcome to Pourthewine, it's romcom time, where we'll sip some wine and review all things rom com on the Hallmark channel. I'm Amy.

SPEAKER_00 0:15

And I'm Gibby.

SPEAKER_02 0:18

And you can send us an email to porthewine, it's romcomtime at gmail.com and let us know your thoughts about anything Hallmark related. We would love to hear from you.

SPEAKER_00 0:27

Yes, we would. And if you want to help other Hallmark fans find our podcast, you can do so by giving us five-star ratings on both Apple and Spotify. But if you enjoy watching videos, you can catch us over at YouTube at Pour the Wine It's Mark Com Time. Don't forget, click the bell and the subscribe button so you don't miss any of our new content.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

Don't miss a thing. Boy, we've had we've had some technical difficulties this week. We're kind of we're kind of recording a little late. We were going to record something else and drop it, but we've had a few issues this week, so I'm glad we're back. We're back on track.

SPEAKER_00 1:04

Yeah, we are. So

Countdown To Christmas News Drops

SPEAKER_00 1:06

do we have anything for heard it on the grapevine?

SPEAKER_02 1:10

Or heard it through the grapevine, maybe?

SPEAKER_00 1:12

I'm sorry. I can't said that last time, didn't I?

SPEAKER_02 1:16

Once you get something in your head, you do not change course. So from here on out, it's gonna be heard it on the grapevine.

SPEAKER_00 1:23

For heard it through the grapevine.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

Well, we just found out just today that holiday touchdown, a bear's love story, will premiere Saturday, October 17th. So we have our very first premiere date of a countdown to Christmas movie. Yay! I can't believe it. That is so good. It's so cool. And if you remember, in our preview of the three August movies for Hallmark's 25th birthday, I did calculate out based on the eight movies of Fallen to Love, when this would be. You're welcome.

SPEAKER_00 1:59

100% You're welcome, people. If you listen to it, you a mathematician.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

We had no idea, for sure. We just had a strong suspicion, no idea. But today they um it was officially announced. So it's it's just, I mean, gosh, it's only a few months away. It's so hard to believe, but also so exciting at the same time.

SPEAKER_00 2:18

It is. I can't wait, man. I can't wait. Actually, I'm I'm ready for for the fall. This high window is just huge uh flash floods and thunderstorms. Oh my gosh, it is just crazy.

SPEAKER_02 2:34

It's been a little bit nuts, but um, but it gives us something to look forward to.

SPEAKER_00 2:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:38

We're ready to decorate for the fall. We're trying to hold off as long as we can. Sweat of weather.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

Sweat a weather.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

We also found out that Allison Sweeney and Ashley Williams are gonna team up again. Only this year they're they are going to be in a Christmas movie. Oh, I'm so no title yet, no date yet, of course. Um, so that's very exciting. Also, I'm gonna love we love them in the Barcelona movies, those are really fun.

SPEAKER_00 3:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:03

Um, and so we'll see what they come up with for Christmas.

SPEAKER_00 3:06

It's like yin and yang.

SPEAKER_02 3:08

Yin yin yang. Well, they play that way. I don't know. Maybe they're like that in real life too. I don't know. All right, should we get into it?

SPEAKER_00 3:17

Let's do it. Let's tell the folks what we're gonna be doing today.

SPEAKER_02 3:20

All right,

Toast To Italy Setup And Spoilers

SPEAKER_02 3:21

today we're going to be reviewing the first new premiere celebrating Hallmark's 20 Hallmark Hallmark Channel's 25th birthday. Sorry if I didn't say that earlier. It's Hallmark Channel's 25th birthday. Toast to Italy. It aired on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday, August 1st, and is streaming right now on Hallmark Plus. It stars Tori DeVito as Jenny and Will Kemp as Arigo? Is it is that how you pronounce it? And Yuri Buzzy is Giovanni Arigo's boss. And I want to mention him because I'll probably talk about him in a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 3:58

Tori's last Hallmark appearance was in 2023's Love's Greek to me. And I'm gonna note here that a lot of fans have known her as Dr. Natalie Manning on Chicago Med for the past 10 years. And she plays a doctor here, also.

SPEAKER_00 4:14

A go figure.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

Coincidence. She's really good at her doctoral. Yeah, it's hard to believe, actually. Will his last Hallmark appearance appear appearance okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

Appearance was in Not only are we having technical difficulties, I know we're having speaking difficulties also.

SPEAKER_02 4:34

Will Kemp's last Hallmark appearance was in My Sweet Austrian Holiday, also known as The Christmas Chocolateer. And that was in 2024. I can't believe it. I can't believe we haven't seen him since then. Yeah. Now Yuri was last in uh Missing the Boat, where he played Massimo. And he's also in a series that we started recently, A Taste for Murder.

SPEAKER_00 4:58

Right.

SPEAKER_02 4:59

He's in like five of those six episodes or something.

SPEAKER_00 5:02

Yeah. Was he the guy that uh was giving them the rent a car or something like that?

SPEAKER_02 5:06

I think so. Yeah, I think in missing the boat. Yes. And um I believe so. I believe so.

SPEAKER_00 5:14

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:15

Come on. Come on. Yeah, yeah, that was Christopher Pilat, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:20

And he recently started in uh Taste for Murder. Is that what you said?

SPEAKER_02 5:25

He's in yeah, he's in six episodes of A Taste for Murder. Oh have we heard of any of the episode? That was like a lack of reaction, you said.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

No, I was like, I've never heard of it.

SPEAKER_02 5:36

We started what yes, we started watching it in Italy. The cop the guy who's the detective who goes with his daughter to the parent. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was thinking Hallmark, but yeah, no, no, I just am bringing up something outside that we've been watching it.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

We're also having memory di uh difficulties.

SPEAKER_02 5:56

Boy, this is a challenge for us today. We're sorry.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

Now do you know what I'm talking about?

SPEAKER_00 6:03

Yes, I know what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_02 6:04

I think it's on um, I think we watched it on Brit Box, maybe. Yeah, it's actually pretty good.

SPEAKER_00 6:09

Yeah. I enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_02 6:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:11

So Toast to Italy was written by Raul Inglis and directed by Michael Robinson.

SPEAKER_02 6:17

Robison, I think. Robison.

SPEAKER_00 6:19

I'm sorry, I said Robinson. Robuson.

SPEAKER_02 6:21

Robinson.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Yes. For Hallmark, Raul last wrote Nostalgic Christmas in 2019. Michael's Hallmark work is extensive. His most recent include a few that we really enjoyed, which was Two for Tea, Adventures in Love and Birding. Oh, we love that. Yes. And our very first podcast episode review, an unexpected Valentine. Last February. Not last February, two Februaries ago.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Oh, all right.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

Struggles time to drop the synopsis.

SPEAKER_02 6:58

All right. Jenny travels to Italy for a special bottle of wine. Hello, right up our alley. Here we go. For her sister's wedding. Hello. She meets Arigo, also looking for the famous love wine. And together their search leads to a love of their own.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 7:15

Mm-hmm. Doesn't it always?

SPEAKER_00 7:17

I know. This is the part of the podcast where we're gonna drop some spoilers. So if you haven't seen the movie yet, I would suggest you go and watch it. Come back, listen to our podcasts, or do it in reverse. Listen to our podcast and then go watch it. And let us know what you think down in the comments below. All right.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Uh-huh. All right. So let's get

First Impressions Of Italy On Screen

SPEAKER_02 7:42

to it. Let's pour it out. What did you think?

SPEAKER_00 7:44

Um, okay. It was interesting. I loved it. I I definitely thought Italy was a a character of its own. Very beautiful. Yes. I love how they have flowers on their building. Everywhere they went, the every building had flowers on it.

SPEAKER_02 8:02

Oh, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

I don't know who does that. Like the people of the that own the buildings or the the residents. I I don't know, but it's very beautiful and I really like it.

SPEAKER_02 8:13

Um did you see that in the like neighborhoods or more of like the as they were walking and talking around.

SPEAKER_00 8:20

When they went and visited people, they always had flowers. It was just it was very beautiful. Um I thought it was charming. I thought the pace was good. I enjoyed, you know, the adventure that they took together. Yeah um uh the different vehicles they took. I don't know what they call the motorcycle, the little motorcycle, but I thought it was funny.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

And then they took the uh the little car, the little Vespa bike, is that the little Vespa?

SPEAKER_00 8:50

Yeah, and it all in uh hopes of finding the bottle of wine. Um I enjoyed the family tradition stuff, the family style dinners that they had. And um, yeah, I just I thought the music was fun too.

SPEAKER_02 9:07

Yeah, I thought the music was good.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

When they were in Italy, it was sung in Italy or Italian, and when they were in the US, it was in English. So I thought that was a cool twist on it. So, what did you think?

SPEAKER_02 9:21

Um, I think that, like you mentioned, movies that are filmed on location always feel like they offer a little bit extra. And you already kind of talked about it. Just the scenery, right? The streets they walked on, the piazzas, right? Isn't that like the the open areas? You know, they're just always so fun and more authentic to watch. So I'm I'm really glad that we got a location shoot for this one. I just always appreciate that. I mean, always overall, I just thought it was an easy, enjoyable watch. You know, it was kind of it was fun at times. Would I go out of my way to watch it again? Probably not, you know. But um, you know, if it's on, would we leave it on? Maybe. I mean, I thought it was enjoyable. Um, and I don't regret spending time with it. I just don't know that it would be on my rewatch list.

SPEAKER_00 10:09

Oh, wow.

SPEAKER_02 10:10

Ooh, wow.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

Well then that's good. That's gonna move us right into favorite scenes.

SPEAKER_02 10:17

Is it? Yeah, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 10:18

Did you have any?

SPEAKER_02 10:19

Yeah, well, yes, of course. Of course. You want to talk about the meat? I didn't have any before the meat cute, did you?

SPEAKER_00 10:25

Um the meat cute. Did you have any favorite scenes before the meeting? No, I didn't have any. So we can go to the meat cute. Yeah, let's do that. So

The Wine Auction Meet Cute

SPEAKER_00 10:34

go ahead. The meat cute.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

Okay, is that so? Jenny has traveled to Italy for a bottle of wine that she is going to try to win in an auction. Yeah. And she is outside of the well, she thinks she's outside of the auction hall when it's actually down a little bit. And um uh Arigo strills in and is I did like his outfit at the beginning. He's got this like blazer on, right? He's got these like um loafers, like ankle pants with the loafers, just like cool man Luke walking in there, right? So he walks in there and they have they have like a little, they they have a quick chat about their family's backgrounds, you know, and then and then they kind of they walk into the venue. Oh, I'm sorry, they walk into the venue, they realize they're both going to the same auction, right? And then they start talking about their family backgrounds and everything, and then they realize that they're both there to bid on the same wine. She wants to get it, she's trying to get it for her sister's wedding because it's a tradition in their family, right? That they drink that wine.

SPEAKER_01 11:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:40

Right at the wedding. And then he's trying to get it because he's a writer.

SPEAKER_00 11:45

Yes, and they have a contest going on, and the winner gets that particular bottle of wine.

SPEAKER_02 11:53

Oh, oh, right, right. So he's trying to get it so it can be the prize for the writing contest. Yeah. So, and then you know, it kind of goes right into the scene of the auction, which is still kind of part of the meat cue, right? So they have the auction, and of course, neither of them win the bid for the bottle of wine. That was absolutely hence the premise of the story, right? Yes. And um, so they don't win it. Someone else does, who's like the most popular smollier in Italy. He's a win collector. Yeah, but then they find out from the auctioneer that it is not the last bottle, and it it's not the last bottle in Italy, and they are off in an adventure to find it.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

Yes, they are.

SPEAKER_02 12:34

So all right. So that's the premise of the meat cute of Jenny, Jenny and Arigo. Um, do we decant it, sip it, or cork it?

SPEAKER_00 12:45

I'm gonna sip it. That's what I'm gonna do.

SPEAKER_02 12:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:49

I thought it was cute, I thought it was different, and I I love how before they knew each other were there to uh, you know, bid for the wine bottle. Yeah, that they kind of were digging each other, you know. She especially her, because she kind of she had them googly eye looks going around.

SPEAKER_02 13:06

Oh, she did, did she? I didn't.

SPEAKER_00 13:08

And then and so did he. And then when they found out that they were both there to bid on that bottle, the way their mood changed, it was just it was cute. So it was cute. I'm going with a sip it.

SPEAKER_02 13:21

Yeah, I mean, I I'm with you. I thought it was I I thought it was cute. I, you know, I liked that they kind of liked, you know, it's sort of a stereotypical they they like each other before they know that they're really there for another reason and then they're gonna be mad at each other. Only they weren't really mad at each other, and I liked that they did that too. It was just they were just competitive and trying to win it, right? And so, um, and then they're you know, even afterwards when they don't win, they're kind of they're kind of like, well, you know, if you weren't here, I would have won. If you weren't here, I would have won. But then they they're not really like mad mad, which was kind of cool, you know. So I I thought it was cute enough to enjoy, you know, it's not I didn't think there were like instant chemistry and you know the gold standard of meat cutes, but I I enjoyed it. Good.

SPEAKER_00 14:05

So we both agree.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

We both agree, sip it. All right, so now let's get into favorite scenes. What

Favorite Scenes And Standout Moments

SPEAKER_02 14:11

uh I have we'll talk about two. Do you have more than two? Mm-mm. Okay, so we'll talk about two. What's one of yours?

SPEAKER_00 14:18

I when when they f first walk out of the auction and they kind of they talk for a brief minute and then they kind of go their separate ways, and I love it because Jenny goes into this store that's kind of like best wine in Italy.

SPEAKER_02 14:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:35

You did it. Yeah, that's what it reminded me of. You did it, best coffee in the world. Um, so she goes in there and it's like a tourist trap, right? It's got Disney figurines, it's got heart shirts, you know, iHeart, whatever. I just thought it was so funny. And this guy is trying to, you know, buy one, get one free, and we'll throw in this thing of popcorn or whatever. And I just I thought it was really cute because that's as stereotypical, you know. Every country and every city has that little tourist trap. I just thought it was funny. So that was one of my favorite scenes.

SPEAKER_02 15:16

And you know, we live near um, you know, uh we live close to the ocean, so we have a lot of like oceanfront touristy, definitely touristy places that you know, people who come in, I mean, they frequent them and they, you know, make all their money in the summer months, of course, but it is kind of funny because you can spot them a mile away. And sometimes they're fun to go into. They are, they are. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 15:38

I mean, we've been in a few, so yeah. So what about you? What was one of yours?

SPEAKER_02 15:43

I really enjoyed the train station scene between them. So just before boarding, you know, he's trying, he's trying to tell her she's getting on the wrong train, and she's like, or are you diverting me? You know, it was just kind of cute. Little they have like some fun little banter there, and she thinks he's trying to deceive her. And they just have a really cute back and forth during that scene. And then he kind of disappears briefly and he comes back with these little tiny cups of coffee, yeah, you know, and he kind of offers it to her. And I just I I I thought it was really cute. And I like they were actually on the train uh platform, right?

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Right?

SPEAKER_02 16:18

They weren't like I don't know, in the lobby or whatever. Yeah, yeah. They were actually waiting to board the train. So I I thought that I just thought that was really cute and sort of set the stage, you know, yeah, for the rest of the movie and their adventure together where they're gonna get along, be a little, you know, have a little bit of light banter, but genuinely like each other.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:38

You know, and not like be really mad at the other one for trying to get the bottle of wine.

SPEAKER_00 16:44

So yeah. Well, that's cool. Yeah, because I like I like that one too, because I thought it was I thought it was cute back and forth.

SPEAKER_02 16:50

Would you chase down a bottle of wine?

SPEAKER_00 16:53

Um with you I would.

SPEAKER_02 16:57

Well, I hope with me.

unknown 16:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:59

I mean, I th I I think it would be pretty cool, but yeah. Yeah. But um okay, so another one of mine.

SPEAKER_02 17:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

Was when they were doing kind of a wine testing together.

SPEAKER_02 17:12

Testing. Tasting.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

I mean tasting. And um the conversation, uh I thought Arigo, you know, he was teaching her the color density and the this, you know, to swirl the wine before you take before you smell it, because it opens up the you know, the secrets of the wine. And then you swirl it around in your in your mouth to you know, liven up the taste buds. I just thought that was a really good scene because they started learning more about each other. And and that's kind of what I liked was at every stop, they they learned more about each other, and they were growing more fonder of each other. So that was my last favorite scene.

SPEAKER_02 17:58

Your last one. Um, I I too had that as a favorite scene. I'll just basically what you said. They have this wine tasting, and it's just adorable. The lighting, the music was great in that scene. It's probably if I had to pick one scene, that was probably my favorite scene. Just their their conversation. Like you said, he he talks about the color of the wine. You have to look at the color, and you know, he talks about the tannins. And we were like, go on, you know, do tell do tell in his in his fabulous accent. You know, I could listen to Will Camp all day long. Hello. I love an accent like that. So um, yeah, I just I just thought it was so great. It was just such a such a well-directed shot, acted scene. The lighting, everything sort of came together, and the way the the wine was reflecting.

SPEAKER_00 18:49

Yeah, the lights, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

The lights and everything in the background. It was just really the ice was really, really cool. Yeah. So I really liked I I I'm with you. So yeah, that would be, and then I just got to talk about the boss, you know, Giovanni. He was kind of funny to me.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

He was he was good and yeah, he was. I enjoyed him.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

He was good, you know. He was he was funny and he's really like high energy. And you know, he didn't he he wasn't like this super mean boss that was like, get it at all costs, I don't care what you have to do, you know, screw her. Kind of he wasn't like that. He was just funny, it was just you know, so I am very exuberant in all of his scenes. I thought that was great.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

Yeah, I liked him. Yeah.

Chemistry Score And Movie Logic

SPEAKER_00 19:33

So what about the chemistry uncorked? What did you think? So, house wine is forgettable or lacking chemistry, estate is warm chemistry, and Grand Reserve is electric chemistry, it's on fire.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

So, which wine am I uncorking?

SPEAKER_00 19:51

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 19:52

Um, I'm going to uncork the estate wine. I thought it was warm. I thought it you know, I thought it was good. I didn't really get like the sparks, the fire, you know, or anything like that. I just they just had this sort of lovely friendship ish that was leading to something.

SPEAKER_00 20:11

Yeah, it was definitely a slow burn.

SPEAKER_02 20:13

Yeah, yeah. So that's that's what how about you?

SPEAKER_00 20:16

No, I was I'm I'm the same the estate. I I think it was it was warm, yeah, it seemed genuine. It wasn't the fire where they just couldn't keep themselves apart, you know, or couldn't keep their hands off each other. But um, yeah, I'm gonna go with the estate warm.

SPEAKER_02 20:35

It was warm and I agree. Warm and fun. All right, let's talk about wait, what did you have any in this one? Yes, like some things we have to suspend, you know, when you watch hallmark, you kind of gotta suspend some reality, but these are things that caught our eye, caught our attention, editing mistakes, maybe.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

Yeah. So my very first one is you are not going to tell another family's mom that their food is better than your Italian mom's. What? You're just not gonna do that. Who did that? So during the um, it was the first, the first when she met her cousin. All right, and they had that uh Italian family dinner where um was it Maria? No, it wasn't Maria, it was uh Louise, I think. She invited all her friends over and they were eating dinner. And Arigo says, This is better than my mom's. Really Italians will not be that kind of thing. That's a social no no.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

That's a no no.

SPEAKER_00 21:41

That's a no no.

SPEAKER_02 21:42

So that was one of my wait what's can we just now that you've brought it up, and I'll go back to my weight what's in a minute. Um, all the families that just welcomed then them in. Yeah, I've just got to talk about it's like this is your cousin. Okay, come on in. I'm like, you don't want like, what are we doing? You know?

SPEAKER_00 21:59

Well uh

SPEAKER_02 22:00

They're just so welcoming. Is that how it is in Italy? Like everybody, gosh, I mean, you know, we're pretty, you know, our neighborhood's pretty welcoming, but I don't know. Some stranger show two strangers show up. You know, not just one, but two. And I was just like, everywhere they went, they're like, come on in, yeah, we'll talk, let's chat. You know, I I might be like, let's have a seat on the porch and I can learn more, and then you can come inside. But I mean, I don't remember. Stranger dangers. Maybe that's the way it is, you know, in Italy or with Italian families. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 22:31

So, what was one of your way what's okay?

SPEAKER_02 22:33

So, the very beginning, I gotta talk about this. Jenny, the character, and her sister Laura are wearing the same thing. Yeah, they're wearing okay. It's like a blazer and a blouse. Maybe the blouse was a little bit different, but the blazer was the same, different colors.

SPEAKER_00 22:51

The Paisley shirts.

SPEAKER_02 22:53

I was like, are they supposed to be twins? I did not understand that.

SPEAKER_00 22:57

I didn't know if it was like a um bride made thing.

SPEAKER_02 23:01

I I didn't know if that's what was going on, but yes, no, because they were at the wedding dress, they were wedding dress shopping with their other with their third sister. But I was like, what? I did not I did not understand that. I I was a little confused by that. Um, you know, which is fine. Another one for me would be you're just gonna jet off to Rome.

SPEAKER_00 23:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

That's a big one for me. Like you I love the lady at the wine bar who's like, you could just go to Rome. There's like a couple flights leaving.

SPEAKER_00 23:30

She says there's like eight flights today.

SPEAKER_02 23:32

I'm like, I know there are people who live like that, but we are not those people, you know.

SPEAKER_00 23:36

I mean, how much money is that gonna cost on a ticket?

SPEAKER_02 23:39

I mean, yeah, and they're gonna go, you have to have your passport. I mean, there's a whole lot of planning that goes into that, you know, when you're just and plus it's like, oh, I'm gonna go win an auction. And then when Jenny, the character, says to her sister, Oh, it'll be fine, I'll just go over there. You know, I'm gonna do the auction and then I'll come back. Yeah, you know, and it's like, what? You're gonna just fly, and plus she's a doctor. She's like, What kind of doctor are you? Do you have surgeries lined up? Like, yeah, she probably oh no, she's a radiologist, right? Right, that's what she says in it. Okay, so she's a radiologist, but it's just like you're gonna be like, bye. The hospital's just gonna be like, Okay, yeah, you can go, you know. I mean, I just thought that that was so, you know, unlike most people's lives.

SPEAKER_01 24:21

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_02 24:22

I I wish I could relate to that, but I really cannot, you know. So that that would be did you have any other ones?

SPEAKER_00 24:29

I had two more.

SPEAKER_02 24:30

Okay, me too, me too. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 24:32

How come no one in Italy knew where Michello was? And they and everywhere they went, they they said, Yes, he was great. He was a great friend, he was, you know, I loved him, blah, blah, blah. But no one knew where he was. Well, maybe they ended up finding him because they got somebody gave him a lead. I I think it was um um uh Giovanni had a contact that told them where it was. I just thought it was interesting that no one knew. And he was like right there, right? Like right in the middle of the city or something. Uh-huh. It was weird.

SPEAKER_02 25:07

Well, you know, if some people aren't on social media, you can fall off the grid if you really want to.

SPEAKER_00 25:11

That's true. That's true. I mean that's true.

SPEAKER_02 25:14

And you want to but the fact that they were able to find him so easily and no one else knew.

SPEAKER_00 25:19

And my you want me to go with my last one?

SPEAKER_02 25:21

Yes, do it.

SPEAKER_00 25:22

So this bottle of wine, right? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 25:26

So Oh, I think we're gonna we're gonna have the same one. Are so okay. We go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 25:31

Do you want to tell us since we're gonna do that? No, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 25:33

You no, go, go, go.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

So, so everybody's looking for this bottle. So I would assume if you walk into a bar or a wine bar that you're gonna ask or you're gonna look at what's on the shelf. So the scene is Giovanni and uh Arigo. There's well, first of all, there was a scene where Giovanni's sitting in this bar and he's on the phone with Arigo, which he's on an adventure.

SPEAKER_02 25:59

Oh, he's in the same bar. He's in the same bar. And I'm thinking I didn't clock that.

SPEAKER_00 26:03

If it's so important to get this bottle of wine, would he not ask the bartender? No, he didn't. But then the scene where they actually notice that the bottle is on the shelf in this bar is when he's talking to Arigo. They're sitting down having a glass of wine, and he's saying, Well, I didn't find it, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And he just accidentally looks up and over and whoop, there's a bottle of wine. Now, wouldn't you have asked? I'm so glad you brought this up.

SPEAKER_02 26:33

I mean, come on. Well, my that's so I'm so glad you brought it up.

SPEAKER_00 26:38

The reality, it's it's hallmark, you gotta go with it. Well, in real life, you're asking. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_02 26:44

Well, you're asking, or my thing was this bottle is so elusive, they can't find it anywhere. No one has it, it's completely disappeared off the face of the earth. Someone's auctioning it off. It's so rare, right? So someone is gonna buy it at an auction. There's only two bottles left, and it's at a bar.

SPEAKER_01 27:03

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 27:04

Like I was just like, really, because everybody they talked to knew the family, knew the wine, knew how elusive it was to get, and then they just find it in a bar.

SPEAKER_01 27:14

Yep. What? I agree.

SPEAKER_02 27:16

I just that was my like, oh, come on. And then the uh the other wait what I have is the magazine covers at the end.

SPEAKER_00 27:25

Right.

SPEAKER_02 27:26

Will Kemp has like a different look. There's like two side-by-side magazines.

SPEAKER_00 27:30

I didn't understand the and they were two different colors, and they were two different colors, which is fine.

SPEAKER_02 27:34

I don't mind that, but the fact that so he's posing with um with Tori, but they're as their characters, obviously, Jenny. Here we go. And but he's got different expressions in each one, and she's kind of leaning the same way, but her face looks different in one almost like it was AI J. It was weird.

SPEAKER_00 27:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:54

I don't know. I if if it would have been the same exact picture in both, yeah, I I might not have I wouldn't have noticed it, but I was like, what?

SPEAKER_00 28:01

Yeah, what?

SPEAKER_02 28:03

So anyway, and we would like rewound it and looked at it, and yeah, so right.

Cheers Jeers And The Pizza Debate

SPEAKER_02 28:08

All right, so let's get to cheers and jeers. What's your biggest cheer?

SPEAKER_00 28:11

Um my biggest cheer was well, I had two. One Origo didn't leave Jenny on the train when she fell asleep, which he could have done so easily.

SPEAKER_02 28:22

To go get the wine for sure. He could have had an advantage.

SPEAKER_00 28:25

Right. And the second one is The Amazing Race people would not do that.

SPEAKER_02 28:28

They would not wake someone up, they would just go.

SPEAKER_00 28:30

When Jenny, when they finally meet Marcello and he tells his story and she asks about the bottle of wine, he actually has one left, which he was gonna save for Maria, who he hadn't seen in X amount of years, 10 years. And she said, and he was gonna give it to Jenny, but Jenny said, nope. You go Maria had talked because they had met Maria before they met Martello and she had talked about him and how she loved him, but her her father or grandfather wouldn't allow the marriage.

SPEAKER_02 29:03

Right.

SPEAKER_00 29:03

But she still loved him, so they told him, You keep the bottle and go have that drink with her because she's still, you know, her husband has passed away and she's still asking about you. Yeah. So that was my last one. What about you?

SPEAKER_02 29:18

That was your last one. That was your only one. You're in cheer. Oh, you did, you did too. Yeah, sorry, sorry.

SPEAKER_00 29:23

So go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 29:23

Um, just what we talked about, the location shoots. I always think those are great and and authentic. And, you know, we had beautiful scenery. We had beautiful scenes of them, you know, walking the streets and and things. And I I thought it was great. Um, let me see. What else did I have? You know, Will Kemp running at the end reminded me of Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible, the way he was running with his laser. I mean, I just I like I said earlier, I thought it was an enjoyable watch. I, you know, I I liked I really liked Will's speech at the end. I thought that was uh, you know, a nice touch at the end, and it wasn't like overly cheesy, but it was it it was just good, you know, and like the toast to love at the end, of course.

SPEAKER_00 30:08

Yeah, so it was good.

SPEAKER_02 30:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:11

All right. So did you have any jeers?

SPEAKER_02 30:14

Um Origo taking a dig at Chicago deep dish pizza didn't sit well with me. Oh man. Yes, we know it's not real Italian pizza because we're we're not in Italy, you know. No, no, he took a little dig. No, and then um I thought the guy, this isn't really a jeer, but just where I thought the story was going. The guy who won the bottle at the auction, I thought he would somehow factor back into it.

SPEAKER_01 30:38

Right.

SPEAKER_02 30:39

I thought we were gonna see him at the end. I thought he would show up somewhere, or you know, I just I thought maybe somehow he was gonna tie into it. Like he was a family member also and wanted it for his kids. I I just thought there would be a different, a different tie-in to it. Um, I talked about the two sisters wearing the same thing at the beginning. I thought that was weird. Um, let's talk about Hawaiian pizza. They do have a Hawaiian pizza discussion after this. So what do you think? Yeah, are you are you a yes or no?

SPEAKER_00 31:10

Nope, I don't like pineapple on my pizza. Sorry.

SPEAKER_02 31:14

I well, I only like one topping on my pizzas, and it's definitely not pineapple. But my I have family members who loved Hawaiian pizzas and their pineapple on it.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

So yeah, I'm not all about the different barbecue and all that stuff. Um pepperoni, um sausage.

SPEAKER_02 31:34

You'll eat just about anything, yeah. Except for Supreme.

SPEAKER_00 31:37

That's about it.

SPEAKER_02 31:38

So let us know. Let us know if you're listening to us. Uh shoot us an email, let us know if you would eat if you enjoy Hawaiian pizza. Deep dish or thin crust. I mean all right. Any more jeers from you? Any cheers?

SPEAKER_00 31:53

I didn't have any, but I mean, I didn't say any, but the one jeer I did have is why didn't Nona and the grandfather tell Jenny and her sisters that they had a wine vineyard and owned a restaurant, but sold it.

SPEAKER_02 32:09

Well, he went to America and ended up doing something totally different.

SPEAKER_00 32:13

Yeah, but it's a story you can still tell, and that's you sold it to get to America or something like that. But they they didn't. They didn't. So, anyways, that was my only one.

Wine Buddy Picks And Final Rating

SPEAKER_00 32:24

So we're adding w another section, and it's called Who would you have a glass of wine with in this particular movie?

SPEAKER_02 32:35

So who would you Okay, that's a good question. I gotta think. I would have one with Will Kemp. I would have one. I would have one. Are we going character or actor? Probably character, right? So Origo. Yeah. I would have one with Origo.

SPEAKER_00 32:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 32:53

Um, because I just want to hear him talk.

SPEAKER_00 32:57

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 32:58

I want to hear him talk. I want to hear his toast again in person because I love the accent so much. So what about you? Who would you have a glass of wine with?

SPEAKER_00 33:07

I would love to have one with him because he was so knowledgeable of Italy. Oh, you he always had something.

SPEAKER_02 33:14

Yeah, he did.

SPEAKER_00 33:15

But I would also like to have one with Giovanni because you can only pick one.

SPEAKER_02 33:18

Oh, with Giovanni. Oh, well, I guess you can have a tie. You're allowed. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:22

But, anyways, that I would have it with Kemp.

SPEAKER_02 33:25

Giovanni would just be a hoot, right? Yeah, it would be.

SPEAKER_00 33:28

It would be fun to drink without. Yeah. All right. So our final pour. Overall rating. How many quarks are you giving this one?

SPEAKER_02 33:38

Why do I always have to go first? Um I would give this. Huh?

SPEAKER_00 33:43

I'll go first if you okay.

SPEAKER_02 33:44

Go ahead. How many corks are you?

SPEAKER_00 33:46

Uh three five. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 33:49

Okay. That's where I was gonna go. Three five. Three five. I thought it was enjoyable. I mean, you know, like I said, uh would I look for it to watch it again? Probably not, but I thought it was an enjoyable, you know, just an enjoyable watch.

SPEAKER_00 34:04

I I enjoyed the middle section of it all. Yeah, well, in the ending. The beginning where she was, you know, in in the US and all that stuff. Uh I could have done without, but yeah. But the when she got to Rome or Italy, I I I started to enjoy it at that point.

SPEAKER_02 34:22

Yeah. 3.5. I mean, that's still good.

SPEAKER_00 34:26

I mean, it's good. I mean two. If it came on, I'd watch it again. I mean you'd watch it.

SPEAKER_02 34:30

Well, you stop for everything on the Hallmark channel, so or Hallmark Plus.

SPEAKER_00 34:36

Oh, man, that's too funny. All right. So, is that a wrap?

SPEAKER_02 34:42

That's a wrap.

SPEAKER_00 34:43

All right. Well, we'd like to thank you for tuning in on our podcast. And again, if you'd like to find help other Hallmark fans find our podcast, you could do so by giving us a five-star rating on Apple or Spotify. But if you enjoy watching videos, you can catch us over at YouTube at Pour the Wine. It's rom com time. Don't forget to hit the bell and the subscribe button so you don't miss any of our episodes.

SPEAKER_02 35:07

And make sure you follow us wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram and TikTok so you don't miss a thing. Until next time. Cheers.