"Stanley Tucci" news and stories

What happens when actor Stanley Tucci (Big Night, Julie and Julia), choreographer Tommy Tune, "Top Chef" judge Gail Simmons, and author Stephen Dubner (Freakonomics) uncork a bunch of Chiantis and start swirling? An episode of "Vine Talk," Tucci's weekly wine-tasting talk show debuting on PBS April 7. Slashfood joined the taping this week at New York's WNET studios.

Recalling Jon Favreau's "Dinner for Five," "Vine Talk's" weekly half-hour chat-and-sip-a-thon features guests the likes of Julianne Moore, Kyle MacLaughlan, Nathan Lane, Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson, Joe Bastianich, Patricia Clarkson, and Penn Badgley. Tucci picks a different wine region each week, pours for the whole audience, and then, over drinks, they discuss.

Ray Isle, wine editor of Food & Wine magazine, and the show's resident expert, gives us our assignment: "Taste all six wines, and pick a favorite." (The audience, along with the panel, determines the best wine of the bunch each week.) And in case you think this is all sip and spit, Isle adds, "We haven't given you anything to spit into, so don't spit on your neighbor." In other words, swallow and enjoy the vino.