February 2019 Reading & Tasting
Book
Happy almost February, Book & Wine Club. This month, we're readingThe Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani, a creepy thriller about Myriam, a lawyer who decides to return to work after having children, and hires the perfect nanny. The story details how the nanny's relationship to the family grows, and how it takes a very dark turn.The Perfect Nanny made several best books of 2018 lists, and won the Goncourt Prize. It's a short, addicting little book for a short month.
Wine
February's wine was curated by someone our group has grown to know well-- Therese Bruno-Cavallaro (pictured above), the woman behind York Cellars in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Therese's pick to pair with The Perfect Nanny? Bloody wines. Not literally, of course, but more than minerally quality you'll find in some red wines, and a few white wines, too. Read my interview with Therese below.
Wine
What's your wine pick for Book & Wine Club this February?
Ah, February. It's the mid-winter deep freeze, perfect for all-day cooking and nights in. My February pick is "minerally reds." We all know what a minerally white tastes like (bright, crisp, rocky, sometimes 'tingly'), but that mineral quality expresses itself differently in a red. This month's wines align nicely with The Perfect Nanny: a touch of intrigue, and an unusual "sanguine" note (think: iron, iodine, chewable vitamins) beyond the usual trine of fruit, acid, and tannins.
Why do you love this wine right now?
I love layered, complex wines - and minerally reds fit the bill. Many of these bottles come from unusual grapes, unsung growing regions - or both. Wines like these upend convention and inspire contemplation since they're a touch different.
Tell me a little bit about your experience in wine.
I grew up in California, just south of San Francisco. Not too far from wine country! My first job at 15 was a catering gig for Mirassou Winery in Silicon Valley where I overheard the "5 S methodology of wine tastings": see, swirl, smell, sip, savor - and was hooked. Further wine-related travel to less-traveled regions of Italy, a sojourn in Rome, then Montreal, and finally New York helped foster my love and appreciation of old-world wines. After multiple decades in technology marketing, I finally had the opportunity to turn a passion into an occupation in 2017 and open my own wine shop. It's been a challenging and rewarding dream come true ever since!
Speaking of your wine shop, give us all the deets.
York Cellars is small shop with a big heart in DUMBO, Brooklyn. We opened our doors in September 2017, with a curated selection of uncommon wines from small- to mid-sized producers around the world that skew clean, balanced, and natural. We go out of our way to be knowledgeable, friendly, helpful "everyday somms" - whether that's pairing takeout for busy professionals and parents, or selecting a top-shelf gift. By design, the bulk of the shop is well-priced to let wine be an everyday pleasure. We're super grateful for the warm reception we've received in the neighborhood.