As far as we're concerned, the Academy Awards are far more than just a glitzy star fest – they’re one of the year's best excuses to break out a wine lineup as varied as the pictures and people being considered for the elusive Oscar. And whether your perfect pairing takes a cue from the films themselves or from something altogether more frivolous (yes, we're talking gowns here), come along for the ride as we riff on the program itself and some of this year’s most celebrated films, suggesting wine pairings as we go. The envelope, please!

Verdicchio & Valentino

Viewers who think the red carpet is the real show come Oscar Day, listen up: The only thing better than seeing a superbly dressed starlet emerge from her limo is taking it all in while sipping a red carpet-ready wine. We like crisp, mineral-laced whites like New York Riesling and Italian Verdicchio that awaken your senses (so you don't miss a single star), while frothy numbers like Moscato d'Asti and Anderson Valley sparkling wines perfectly capture the bubbly atmosphere onscreen.

La Vie en Rosé

The life of Edith Piaf - brilliantly portrayed by Marion Cotillard in the Academy Award-nominated La Vie en Rose - may not have been all rosy, but there are few wines better suited than rosé to sip along with scenes showcasing the high points of the singer's life. Reach for a glass of blush when taking in the film's luxe landscapes of the good life in Paris and New York; dry rosá from just about anywhere will do, but those from France’s celebrated Provence get our vote in light of the nationality of the celebrated singer.

The Assassination of Screw Cap by the Cowardly Cork Tainted by TCA

While it may sound silly to suggest that something inanimate like a cork could actually attempt to off its nemesis, the newly popular and TCA-resistant screw cap, we couldn’t resist this funny riff on the title of twice-nominated The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. We recommend watching the film - which takes place in the fabled "Old West" made popular by dime store novels about Jesse James – while sipping a Rhône-style red from one of California’s aptly-named Rhône Ranger producers (rhonerangers.org).

Animation Sensation

Surely, food and wine fans can't help but root for Pixar's deliciously entertaining foodie flick, Ratatouille, in the Animated Feature Film category. But if your wine selection is still up in the air, please allow us to recommend a few playful favorites that suit the light-hearted tone of this genre: Sweet wines such as Port, Ice Wine and Muscat-based stickies from new world wine regions like the US and Australia take us back to childhood with their saccharine flavors and beg pairing with another kid favorite – dessert.

Into the Willamette

We were hard pressed to find wines better suited to pairing with director Sean Penn's haunting film, Into the Wild, than those from Oregon’s cool Willamette Valley. Located just 70 miles from blustery Mount Hood, the Willamette's brisk temperatures translate to Pinots often described as brooding and thought-provoking - qualities that can also be said to describe the twice-nominated film, which follows a rebellious young wanderer as he soul searches against the backdrop of the Alaskan outback.

3:10 to Yalumba

Double nominee 3:10 to Yuma may take place in the United States, but it's the rustic, soulful reds of Australia's Barossa Valley that strike us as wines ideally suited to sipping with this taut western thriller. Epitomized in the hearty Shiraz-based reds from Yalumba - Australia's oldest family-owned winery - Barossa reds are spicy, peppery numbers befitting an outlaw flick. From our own shores, assertive Syrah-based reds from California’s Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Ynez Valley pack lots of the same heat.

Gone Barbera Gone

The disturbing Gone Baby Gone - for which supporting actress Amy Ryan was nominated for her role as a drug-addled single mother - may be short on laughs, but that doesn’t mean watching it has to be short on pleasure. We recommend cuing up a comforting glass of Barbera to help you get through the grit; versions from California's up-and-coming Sierra Foothills region are particularly tasty and deliver lots of the juicy red fruit, mellow tannins and warm spice we look for this traditionally Italian variety.

Commercial Reversal

As with the Super Bowl, the commercials shown during the Academy Awards broadcast often deliver as much entertainment as the show itself. This amusing role reversal (usually we can’t wait for the commercials to be over) calls for sippers with their own dash of counter culture panache, such as juice box-like, single serving-sized tetra packs – Three Thieves makes several flavors – and boxed wine like the popular Target wine cube, which comes in eye-popping colors and deliciously offbeat flavors like White Sangria.

No Country for Old Cabernet

A flick like the gritty, eight-time-nominated No Country for Old Men doesn't go down easily, but pairing it with a warm, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon should make stomaching it a whole lot more pleasant. We recommend reaching for a suave Cab from the likes of the Napa Valley, Alexander Valley or Washington State before the credits roll to stave your anxiety. After all, when settling into a story about a sociopathic serial killer, it’s not a bad idea to have a drink or two.

I’m Not There

In the spirit of the Bob Dylan biopic by the same title - for which the impressive Cate Blanchett received one of her two Oscar nods this year – we’d like to recommend that you stop drinking at some point during the broadcast. Call it a cautionary note if you want: We simply feel that moderation makes the heart grow fonder. That, and we’d also like to help you avoid a hangover come Monday morning so that you, too, can deliver an outstanding performance of your own in your job or whatever other role you perform. Cheers to that.