Wine Pairings for Book Club
When the weather gets brisk and the light shines golden, it's a great time to dust off your TBR list*! And if you're the kind of person with a TBR list, chances are you're also the kind of person with one or three book club meetings on your monthly calendar. Perhaps you're also the kind of person who brings wine to said book club meetings? Read on, friend!
To honor the cozy reading season, our sommelier Leslee Miller has paired wine to four buzzy new(ish) books that might be in your book club line-up. Try bringing these pairings to the group so you can read and sip along together!
click through to view each pairing
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid + Avalanche Fendant White
The book: In the 1980s, space-obsessed Joan Goodwin finds herself fulfilling a lifelong goal: to become one of NASA's first female scientists. As she trains for her first flight with her fellow new astronauts, Joan's perspective on her place in the universe is irrevocably altered. Bookshop.org calls the book "a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love—this time among the stars."
Leslee's pairing: This pairing should absolutely take flight, don’t you think? While we don’t have anything aerospace related at Sip Better, we dohave several crisp, bright wines that evoke the sky. Basically grapes grown at high elevation! I’m recommending you grab a bottle of our Avalanche Fendant White from Valais, Switzerland.
The Valais wine region runs along the upper Rhône Valley in southwestern Switzerland. Vineyards are typically planted on steep, terraced slopes along the river. Elevations range from about 1500 ft near the valley floor to over 3,600 ft — making them among the highest vineyards in Europe. Now that’s some altitude!
Our Avalanche White is a light and crisp white wine made from Chasselas grapes. Floral on the nose, it's a really refreshing wine to the palate. Zippy with bits of white pepper + spice. Perfect for pairing to Joan’s adventures!
Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy + Do Ferreiro Albariño
The book: The Salt family are the last inhabitants on a remote island in Antarctica called Shearwater, where they are the stewards of the world's largest seed bank. One day an epic storm washes a mysterious woman, called Rowan, upon their shores. The Salts gladly take her in, but they soon realize that everything is not as it seems.
Leslee's pairing: Ooooo, now this is my style of book! A little mystery washed ashore a tiny island. The theme makes me think of ‘sea evoking’ sips for sure! Our Do Ferreiro Albariño is one of the world’s most iconic ‘sea sips’. Kissed by the salty sea air of the Atlantic, this Galician white is always on my list as favorite whites. Do Ferreiro is truly the benchmark for the grape Albariño. Briny, textured + crystal clear, this is the first wine I crave when having seafood. White flowers, aromatic herbs + bright, crunchy minerality make this, literally, one of the best Albariños of its class. Now crack open a tin of fishes, pop the cork + flip the pages of this alluring tale!
Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito + Field Recordings 'Fiction' Red Blend
The book: Winifred Notty is the new governess at Ensor House in Grim Wolds, England. As she begins her post, Winifred does her best to play the part of nurturing caretaker to Drusilla and Andrew Pounds, but her Darkness threatens to seep out as time marches on. In truth, Winifred has goulish motives. This book is a little nasty, darkly hilarious, and never takes itself too seriously. A perfect read for spooky season!
Leslee's pairing: I LOVE a good spooky season read or flick and this one sounds perfect as we settle into these fall-ish nights. I’m going with our buddy Andrew Jones’ wine: Field Recordings 'Fiction' Red Blend.
Not to mention, Andrew has a very twisted sense of humor. Don’t believe me? Pick up any one of his wines + you’re sure to find some funny sayings, pairings, tasting notes + more on his labels.
In fact, here are Andrew’s exact words for this CA blend (Zinfandel, Syrah, Alicante Bouchet, Cabernet, Sangiovese, Carignan, Touriga Nacional, Charbono, Corvina, Barbera): "Daybreak, I load the van and set out. The path quickly changes from highway to frontage road, to side road, to no road. Addresses begin to dwindle, the buildings become fields, but I’m not looking at the road. Eyes wide open for the thick lines of vines rolling through any river basin or over any outcropping along the horizon. I must continue every day. These lines will come together to create the next vintage tale."
His tasting notes read: "Pours the color of darkest night. Heady aromas of bleuberry pie, luxurious suede couches, ham paninis, unlit menthol cigarettes and roquefort tarts. Firm tannins anchor flavors of grilled meats, cherry cola, sweet carob and black licorice chews, all cased up together conveniently in a cigar humidifier. Drink now. You know you're going to, anyway."
I mean was I right or was I right?
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry + Cantina Puianello 'Reggiano' Lambrusco Rosso Amabile
The book: Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson are both writers, clamoring to be the very first person to tell the life story of a notorious and reclusive woman named Margaret Ives. When Margaret invites the two of them to her island to compete for her tale, it becomes "abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it." (via Bookshop.org)
Leslee's pairing: Oh, cute! I cannot wait to read this one. Honestly, this rom com just deserves bubbles on bubbles on bubbles.
Step 1: Make yourself the CUTEST charcuterie/snack board.
Step 2: Twist the top of this black, frothy bubble—the Cantina Puianello 'Reggiano' Lambrusco Rosso Amabile. There is absolutely nothing better than Lambrusco + charcuterie as a pairing! It’s fun, easy going + oh so enjoyable – just like the adventure you’re about to embark on with Great Big Beautiful Life. Go for it!
Happy reading!
*TBR list: To Be Read list