Sister Act with Wine at The Mockingbird
- Tony Elvin
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
Sister Antonia would like to thank our congregation for joining us this Easter for Sister Act with Wine at The Mockingbird.
Read on for details on all the wines served from The Convent of the Sacred Grape cellars, our gallery of photos, and bibliography of trivia.
As promised, these are the wines we enjoyed ...
Wines from the Convent's Cellars
From the region that inspired Dom Perignon to create Champagne, producer Sieur d'Arques adds Pinot Noir to Chardonnay and ages for 12 months in the bottle to add creaminess and richness.
Apple and Raspberry on the nosem ripe Summer berries on the palate.
From Rheinhessen, the largest of 13 German wines regions, this dry and zippy fresh Riesling is from the very same region that brought us the semi sweet Liebfraumilch or 'our ladies milk', named after the Mother Mary.
Ripe peach and hints of green apple on the nose. Green apple, ripe stone fruit and a zip of minerality on the palate.
Long before Dukes of Burgundy made their mark, the Monks of Burgundy developed wine making processes, probably more than anyone else in history, going back to 100 AD. Benedictine monks of Macon among the first in Burgundy. Cave de Lugny are the biggest Chardonnay producer in Burgundy with access to 30 year old vines.
Green apple, pear and a hint of white flowers on the nose. Lemon, orchard fruit and a touch of honey on the palate.
Pais, also known as the Mission grape in North America, was taken to the Americas by missionaries who cultivated the grape in places like Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and Chile.
This light and bright red, offers red fruits on the nose and red cherry, raspberry and blackcurrant on the palate with a spicy finish.
Morrisons work with our trade supplier Boutinot to bring a Rhone valley blend to the market featuring grapes only from the finest cru villages of the Southern Rhone, with most coming from the village of Sablet between Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Vacqueras.
Raspberry and plum fruit with delicious spicy notes.
The Congregation Easter Gallery
Sister Act Trivia
Some highlights from our movie trivia ...
Inspired by a True-ish Story The film was loosely inspired by the real-life experiences of a lounge singer who was placed in witness protection — though the details were fictionalised for comedic effect.
Bette Midler Was Originally Cast Bette Midler was the original choice to play Deloris Van Cartier but turned it down, fearing her fans wouldn’t want to see her in a nun’s habit.
Whoopi Goldberg Changed the Script Whoopi Goldberg had significant creative input, requesting rewrites to better suit her comedic style and character.
The Script Went Through Major Rewrites The original script was reworked by multiple writers, including Paul Rudnick (under the pseudonym "Joseph Howard"), who was later dissatisfied with the changes.
Whoopi Made History The film cemented Whoopi Goldberg’s status as the highest-paid actress at the time, with a $7 million paycheck.
It Was a Surprise Hit Despite modest expectations, Sister Act grossed over $231 million worldwide, making it one of the biggest hits of 1992.
Filmed at a Real Convent Many scenes were shot at St. Paul's Catholic Church in San Francisco and St. Mary's Cathedral, giving it an authentic look.
The Choir Sound Was Real The nuns’ choir performances were sung by the actresses themselves, with some vocal coaching — no professional choir stand-ins!
Lauryn Hill Auditioned Lauryn Hill auditioned for a role in the first film but wasn't cast. She would go on to star in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993).
Costumes Were Designed to Hide the Cast Costume designer Judy Ruskin designed the habits to allow for movement and comfort, while still fitting the film's comedic tone.
Harvey Keitel Played It Straight Keitel, known for tough-guy roles, played the mob boss in a more serious, menacing tone, which created contrast with the film’s comedy.
Set in San Francisco, But…Although set in San Francisco, some interior scenes were shot on sound stages in Los Angeles.
It Sparked a Stage Musical Sister Act: The Musical debuted in 2006 in Pasadena and eventually made its way to the West End and Broadway.
Maggie Smith Stole Scenes Maggie Smith, playing the stern Mother Superior, added gravitas and dry humour, becoming a fan favorite.
The Convent Was Originally Going to Be Demolished In early script versions, the convent was in danger of being torn down, a plot point later replaced by the choir's transformation.
Whoopi’s Habit Was Custom-Made Whoopi’s costume was altered for comedic flair and comfort, as she was allergic to the traditional wool used in real habits.
The Movie Sparked Real Interest in Choir Singing After its release, interest in church choirs and gospel singing increased, especially among younger audiences.
The Film Had a Hidden Religious Message Though a comedy, it subtly conveyed themes of redemption, community, and finding purpose in unexpected places.
A Sequel Came Out Just a Year Later Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit was released in 1993, thanks to the first film’s huge success.
A New Sequel Is in Development A third Sister Act movie, starring Whoopi Goldberg and produced by Tyler Perry, is in the works for Disney+.
Thank you!
We look forward to welcoming you back to another of our events very soon but why not check out our website or sign up to our monthly mailing list to find out about new events first:
Sister Antonia and The Wine Events Crew
Comments