Toast to Italy premieres on Hallmark Channel on Saturday, August 1st, and stars Will Kemp and Torrey DeVitto. This movie is a perfect blend of family lore, adventure, love, and a special vintage.
The story that unravels is a fun and slightly mystical journey. Jenny travels to Italy for a special bottle of wine for her sister’s wedding. She meets Arrigo, also looking for the famous “Love Wine,” and together their search leads to a love of their own.
The pairing of Will Kemp and Torrey DeVitto is the movie’s best asset. They have a natural and easy banter and chemistry. That chemistry helps the classic trope of enemies to reluctant allies to being in love to life. Will Kemp has a roguish charm as the journalist looking for the scoop and the wine and Torrey DeVitto brings the steady calm with her fierce devotion to her family.
Toast to Italy has been one of my favorite movies of this year so far. It reminds me a little bit of Missing the Boat from earlier this year. The way the pair has to travel all around Italy to find this mythical bottle of wine is my favorite kind of adventure. You see them go from rivals to friends to being in love themselves, all while learning of other love stories in order to save Jenny’s sister’s own love story.
Jenny’s family is at the center of this story. She goes on this journey for her sister and finds her extended family that she didn’t know about. She meets cousins and a great-aunt. Her own love of family grows as she journeys on. She falls for Arrigo and for her extended family.
Toast to Italy is written by Raul Sanchez Inglis, who previously wrote Nostalgic Christmas for Hallmark Channel. Michael Robison serves as director. He has previously directed many Hallmark Channel movies over his career, including this year’s Two for Tee and The Stars Between Us.
There is plenty to like about this movie. There’s romance, of course. There’s Will Kemp (Kemper for life!). There’s Torrey DeVitto. There’s an adventure around Italy. There’s a mythical wine, and there’s comedy and heart. It’s a great, well-written, well-acted, and well-directed Hallmark Channel movie. Add it to your must-watch list.
Toast to Italy kicks off the 25th birthday celebration of Hallmark Channel. August 4th, there will be a special celebration in NYC that is available to live stream.
Love, Wine, and Romance in Hallmark Channel’s Toast To Italy – Review
