Stanley Tucci Blends Wine and Celebrities on VINE TALK, a New Public Television Series Coming April 2011

NEW YORK, March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Stanley Tucci brings his love of food, wine, and culture to public television in VINE TALK this April (check local listings). In New York, the half-hour episodic series premieres Thursday, April 7 at 10:30 p.m. (ET) on THIRTEEN and Monday, April 11 at 8:30 p.m. (ET) on WLIW21. Tucci will lead an ever-changing celebrity panel through a blind taste test each week. The panel will sniff, swirl, and sip wines as they talk about their current projects and of course wine. Each week, a different wine region from around the world serves as the inspiration for a lively and engaging conversation.

Taped live at The Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center in New York City, an eclectic group of over 40 celebrities and celebrity chefs blindly pick their favorite wine from each show's offerings and compare their choice with that of a studio audience tasting. Featured celebrities in the first season include John Lithgow, Jennifer Coolidge, Patricia Clarkson, Penn Badgely, Rosie Perez, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, and the irrepressible Nathan Lane.

Breaking the mold of past wine-related television series, VINE TALK strives to dramatically increase the excitement and comfort surrounding the selection and drinking of wine. Actor, writer, director and long-standing foodie Stanley Tucci takes the reins of this new type of lifestyle program designed to attract a wide range of viewers. "It has not taken long to determine that most anyone can come together, enjoy almost any type of wine, engage in compelling conversation--and even pick up good basic wine education in the process," says Tucci.

Food & Wine's Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle serves as VINE TALK's primary wine expert. Isle along with a rotating group of experienced sommeliers, are on hand to answer celebrity and studio audience questions about the wines and the region they come from. Food & Wine is a marketing partner on the inaugural series. Metrokane, makers of the Rabbit Corkscrew and a full line of wine and bar accessories has signed on as one of the show's initial corporate underwriters.

VINE TALK's creator Bruce Marcus is a long-time public television producer. Marcus created the show because he felt the current wine television offerings featured beautiful landscapes, but didn't create excitement or interest except to a small viewing audience. "I created VINE TALK because the subject of wine is unapproachable for many people. What we've created is a comfortable and welcoming environment – for both the celebrities in the studio and the audience at home."

Check with your local public television station for broadcast schedule. VINE TALK can be found on Facebook as well as on Twitter @VINETALK.

VINE TALK is a production of Jersey Wooly Productions, Inc., co-produced by OLIVE Productions, Inc. and WLIW21 in association with WNET New York Public Media – one of America's most prolific and respected public media providers. U.S. public television distribution by American Public Television (APT). Executive Producers: Bruce Marcus, Joseph Locarro, Wren Arthur, Steve Buscemi, and Stanley Tucci. Director: Joseph Locarro. Distributor: American Public Television (APT).

About WNET New York Public Media

WNET New York Public Media is a pioneering provider of television and web content. The parent of THIRTEEN, WLIW21 and Creative News Group, WNET brings such acclaimed broadcast series and websites as Tavis Smiley, Need To Know, Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Secrets of the Dead, Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Visions, Consuelo Mack WealthTrack, Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps and Cyberchase to national and international audiences. Through its wide range of channels and platforms, WNET serves the entire New York City metro area with unique local productions, broadcasts and innovative educational and cultural projects. In all that it does, WNET pursues a single, overarching goal – to create media experiences of lasting significance for New York, America and the world. For more information, visit www.wnet.org.

About APT

American Public Television (APT) has been a leading distributor of high-quality, top-rated programming to America's public television stations since 1961. In 2010, APT distributed nearly half of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles. Among its 300 new titles per year are prominent documentaries, news and current affairs programs, dramatic series, how-to programs, children's series and classic movies, including For Love of Liberty: The Story of America's Black Patriots, A Ripple of Hope, Rick Steves' Europe, Newsline, Globe Trekker, Simply Ming, America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated, Lidia's Italy, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, Murdoch Mysteries, Doc Martin, Rosemary & Thyme, The Rat Pack: Live and Swingin', Johnny Mathis: Wonderful, Wonderful! and John Denver: The Wildlife Concert. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. In 2006, APT launched Create® – the TV channel featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming. APT is also a partner in the WORLD™ channel expansion project.

About OLIVE Productions

In 2008, Tucci partnered with his friend for more than 20 years, Steve Buscemi and Wren Arthur to form OLIVE Productions, a New York based film and television company. One of OLIVE's mandates is to cast a wide net when developing film and television material, with a portion of the projects to be earmarked for Stanley and Steve to direct. OLIVE is a co-producer of VINE TALK, and additionally has other TV shows in development at HBO and AMC.

SOURCE VINE TALK