September 2018 Reading & Tasting

Book

September is all about transition: it's the end of summer and the beginning of fall, the air changes, and it feels like a little bit of a fresh start. That's why I went with a fresh new author, Crystal Hana Kim. "If You Leave Me" is her first novel, and an emotional one. It takes place on the Korean peninsula in times of war, following Haemi, who is forced into marriage at just 16 years old, while caring for her ailing brother. Aside from the dramatic premise, I like that this novel plays with the concept of choices, (or lack of) and how circumstances can instantly change our paths. 

Wine

We're about to get a little free form here with the wine pick so bear with me. In the same vein of freshness, this month, we're focusing on wines that are refreshing. Of course, that is different to everyone-- perhaps it's what you like to drink on a warm day, or a wine that leaves you feeling invigorated. I love this Geschickt 2014 Vin d'Alsace Grand Cru Kaefferkopf, it's dry and balanced and tastes like freshly picked peach with a crisp minerality. At our next meeting, bring the wine that is most refreshing to you, or share it with us on social:@bookwineclub.  

August 2018 Reading & Tasting

THE WINE:

This August, we're focusing on one grape: Gewurztraminer, an aromatic variety used in white wines that typically grows in cooler climates. You'll be able to pick out the grape in a glass by its lychee aroma, which can come across as a sweeter wine, but that's not always the case. Gewurztraminer is usually found in bottles from France (specifically Alsace), Germany, or Austria, but is grown here in the United States and Canada, too. I chose one from Alsace, with an aroma of a bouquet of roses and honey, and a rich, velvety texture. 

THE BOOK:
To pair with the wine, I thought we needed something seemingly sweet, but surprisingly rich and full-bodied. The Gunners, by Rebecca Kauffmancenters around Mikey Callahan, who is suffering from macular degeneration at thirty-three years old. He reconnects with a group of childhood friends, after one friend of the group had committed suicide. The event pivots Mikey into confronting the darkness of his past. The Gunners is character-driven, with themes of friendship, truth, and forgiveness. 

July 2018 Reading & Tasting

THE WINE:

Our July 2018 selection comes from Kortney Lawlor (pictured below), the founder of Wild Common Wines and Spirits, a cozy bottle shop in Andes, New York, filled with unique organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. Kortney choseItalian Rosato, a chill-able red that bridges the gap between the ubiquitous summer rosé and something with a bit more structure. 

"Rostatos come in a range of colors, but tend to be on the darker side of the pink spectrum, The color comes from the amount of skin contact the wine has while fermenting. The more skin contact, the bolder and more complex the wine will be. However, color has nothing to do with sweetness, so you won't have any white zin flashbacks!" Kortney said. 

This will be a fun way to challenge your preconceived notions about wine. I tasted Kortney's pick last night and while it was sweet on the nose, like a strawberry ice cream cone, it was super dry on the palate. Try this one with pizza. 

THE BOOK:
We're getting into the thick of summer now, and I think we need a fun mystery to accompany our beach trips, lake house escapes and our slightly chilled Italian wine,  so I selected The Last Equation of Isaac Severy by Nova Jacobs, pictured below. It's a suspenseful "novel in clues," about a mathematician who leaves his last equation to his granddaughter, Hazel, before he dies. I love the idea of a woman-centered detective story (and author), since we typically see a superhero/genius man who solves the murder of a beautiful model, or something like that. Do you remember the childhood book, The Westing Game? This is supposed to be an adult version of the story. 

June 2018 Reading & Tasting

Book

I've only heard good things about The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. The scene is New York City in 1969, and a mythical, training psychic woman claims she can tell anyone the day they will die. Four adolescents decide to learn their fate, and the story follows each of them, showing how this affects their life paths. What would you do if you knew the exact date of your death? Would it change your decisions? We'll discuss more at the end of June. 

Wine

Pétillant Naturel, or Pét-Nat for short, is a spritzy wine that is bottled before fully completing its first fermentation, which lets carbon dioxide form from the natural sugars found in the grapes. The method started in 16th century France, a form used by monks. You may notice a bit of sediment in your bottle-- that's the yeast that was not removed during the winemaking process. It's good, I swear! The wine is slightly bubbly, sometimes a little sweet, but definitely a more rustic, funky taste. 

May 2018 Reading & Tasting

Book

I was drawn to The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer not only for the in-your-face rainbow cover with bold type, but also for its timeliness to current events, and its abundance of rave reviews. The novel centers around a shy college freshman who meets a prominent figure in the women's movement, changing her future and life path forever. The Female Persuasion explores female mentorship and the relationship between a mentor and a mentee, a topic I think is underrepresented in literature. 

Wine

Rosé is almost a cliché at this point. In an Instagram culture of #roseallday, and Insta-famous celebrities like @thefatjewish creating their own bottles of aptly named White Girl Rosé, I admit, I roll my eyes a little bit at the pink wine. But truthfully, this kind-of-spring time of year makes me crave it. It tastes what a sunny day on a picnic blanket in Prospect Park should.
And while I typically look for a crisp Provence variety, this month we're drinking California rosé, like this one from Rootdown, a name referring to the influence of the soil on the wine, particularly in organic winemaking. This bottle has notes of strawberry and cracked pepper on the nose with a tangy peach pit, plum peel flavor. And don't judge the wine by its shade, you "I only drink rosés that are millennial pink/almost white/almost orange" this one isn't syrupy sweet-- give it a shot. 

April 2018 Reading & Tasting

Book

Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover had a unique and challenging upbringing. She didn't set foot in a school until she has 17, and due to her parents distrust in the medical establishment, she never saw doctors or nurses, only being treated with herbalism. Educated is Tara's memoir detailing her struggle to learn and invent herself, despite her isolated family. 

Wine

Meet Amanda Schuster, a native New Yorker and a friend of mine who is the best let's-share-a-bottle buddy. She has a certification from the American Sommelier Association, and recently wrote a book, New York Cocktails. She curated our April pick: Aglianico, a red from Southern Italy. 

"Since this is a memoir about a late education, I say get really weird and funky with the wines!" Amanda said. "This is a wine from a very volcanic region in Basilicata that tends to have a kind of robust, leathery (in a good way) taste with hints of cherries and orange zest. When people ask me to pick a wine that really tastes like something, I tell them to buy this." 

March 2018 Reading & Tasting

Book

I keep seeing An American Marriage by Tayari Jones ev.uh.ry.where! The book centers on a Southern couple living a happy and successful life, until the two are ripped apart by an unexpected arrest, and Celeste, the wife, has to cope with living on her own. Oprah also included this book in her book club picks, so it comes very highly rated. 

Wine

After drinking some very specific wine regions the last few months, let's simplify a bit, with American wine. Any American wine, from Washington State to Long Island. In fact, I'm currently drinking the wine pictured above from a fantastic Long Island wine-- Channing Daughters Winery. I definitely suggest taking a trip out to visit their tasting room when the weather warms up!  

February 2018 Reading & Tasting

Book

The power of women's voices has emerged in various forms recently: in the workplace, entertainment, and of course, politics. While women's voices have always been a key pillar of Book & Wine Club (through our writers, guest curators, and members), when selecting February's read, I wanted to choose something that is not only written by a woman, but is deeply entrenched in the timely topic of women and power. I selected Naomi Alderman's The Power. 

Wine

I've recently become a fan of Josie Zeigler's Instagram @sipculture, where Josie serves up insightful, non-pretentious, and fun wine recommendations. Josie was kind enough to select this month's wine pairing for our group. She picked the wine region of Ribeira Sacra in Galicia, Spain. "The wines are earth-driven, but easy drinking, typically good crowd-pleasers. Bonus points if you can find a bottle from a female wine-maker!" she said. 

January 2018 Reading & Tasting

Book

We're kicking off 2018 with a pick from a member of our group, Cathy Spinley. She selected My Name is Lucy Barton, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Strout. Under the unfortunate circumstances of a medical operation, Lucy Barton is reunited with her mother, whom she hasn't seen in years. The meeting unearths the tension in Lucy's life, from her troubled family to her ambitions and marriage. 

Wine

The book is rich with emotion and character depth, so I selected a region with a breadth of great wines-- Sicily. Some of those selections include Nero D'Avola, Primitivo, Nerello, Marsala, and Perricone, but right now I'm loving this bottle of Anatema, a playful and spicy wine grown 700 miles above sea level. 

December 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

We're finishing off the year with something delicious, Sourdough by Robin Sloan. The novel tells the story of Lois Clary, a software engineer turned baker, and the clash of new and old technologies in the food industry. It's thoughtful and fun, a little weird, but also charming. This is the second book written by Sloan, the first was a bestseller called Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. 

Wine

This month wine was selected by Jenny Dorsey, a professional chef and sommelier-in-training based in NYC. She runs a popular popup series named Wednesdays and just started a not-for-profit culinary production studio to create dining events fused with augmented and virtual reality. You can findmore of her work (and foodporn) here.

Jenny's wine pick: Txakoli

What is it? Txakoli is a very lightly sparkling but dry, white wine popular in Spain (particularly in the Basque County, so you'll see it everywhere in San Sebastian!). It's very fresh, sometimes a tint green, and usually served as an aperitif. If you're familiar with Portuguese Vinho Verde, you'll find txakoli to be its more structured, more mineral-y cousin. 

Why it's awesome: Txakoli is a great way to start off any meal, but I find it especially lovely when gearing up to eat a big, richly flavored meal. Its salinity sets up your appetite (a good reason for its popularity at pintxo joints!) and its acidity cuts through hearty, intense foods like anchovies or charcuterie or anything fried.

Ideal pairings: Seafood is the classic pairing in Basque County, where you can find a plethora of tasty dishes like tuna in oil, sardines, shrimp skewers on bread, anchovies with olives. But the brightness of txakoli makes it a great contender for meat and cheese plates, fried finger foods like croquettes and calamari, or even heartier main courses like tomato-based tripe stew (a San Sebastian favorite of mine). 

Jenny' s note: There are many types of txakoli to try, so since they are relatively low-alcohol you can buy a few extra bottles! They should be drunk young (no aging!) and if you're feeling froggy you can pour it the traditional way: hold the bottle a few feet in the air and pour straight into the glass tumbler to help it aerate and fizz.

November 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

Let's get into Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, a book about to be made into a motion picture by Reese Witherspoon. The story centers around Eleanor, a socially awkward, offbeat, out of the ordinary heroine with a deadpan and downright weird sense of humor-- a character maybe we can all relate to on some level. The novel has excellent reviews, so I'm excited to dive in! 

Wine

We'll pair that with a bit of a broad wine category: full-bodied whites, which is a selection I always try to incorporate into my Thanksgiving dinner wine list. They often have a smooth creaminess and rich flavor notes, think: burnt caramel, hazelnuts, or pie crust. Look for Chardonnay, Viognier, French Burgundy, or anything that's been aged in oak. I love Red Hook Winery's Clone 95 2012 Chardonnay. 

October 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

Alex Pope, commonly known as The Blonde Bookworm, fell in love with reading thanks to Roald Dahl's The BFG, now you can find her reviewing (and expertly photographing) new releases on Instagram and her blog. In honor of the season, Alex selected  the thriller The Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda. 

"It is a creepy thriller that left me totally shocked. I loved it because it was totally different than other thrillers I've read recently!" she said.Here's the synopsis. 

Wine

Our October 2017 wine selection comes from Tracy Kennard of  the impeccably-designed Brunette wine bar in Kingston, New York, which serves an array of natural wines. Tracy's knack for pairing wine with music felt like the perfect fit for selecting a wine for our group this month. Tracy selected Chillable Reds; read about her pick below. 

"Things we do around here, regardless of season, occasion, or weather:

Drink rosé year-round
Drink bubbles, even when it’s not a special occasion (and especially with a bucket of fried chicken on an unassuming Tuesday night)
Drink red wine with a slight chill

Not all red wines, but often lighter, brighter, easy-going grapes such as Cabernet Franc and Gamay and even Pinot Noir can benefit from a light chill. We keep ours in the wine fridge at about 52-55 degrees, but 15 minutes in an ice bath before serving, or 30 minutes in a fridge can also do the trick.

One of our favorites right now is Julian Merle's Champ Blanc. 100% Gamay from Beaujolais. Not a quick turnaround Nouveau, but one with a little more age on it. 

It tastes like a walk in the woods after the rain; Shielding your eyes from the bright splashes of sun flooding through the trees, mossy, rainy morning soil below your feet, and the promise of the unexpected that lies ahead," she said. 

September 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

Let's dive into Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang, her first story collection detailing the experience of Chinese American girls growing up in New York City. Each story is narrated by a child of a Chinese immigrant, exploring what it means to find identity within your family, your home, and your previous home. While I haven't read it yet, the title seems to be fitting for a dark yet humorous collection of stories. 

Wine

If I didn't live in Brooklyn, I would live in the Pacific Northwest. Or Provence, but that's for another month. Last year, I fell in love with Oregon's wine region: "It's like Sonoma, but so much less scene-y!" I told my husband when I returned. The expansive hills of grapes, small town feel, and the overflow of top-notch Pinot Noir won me over. So this month, let's drink to the Pacific Northwest-- Oregon or Washington Wines will do. 

August 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

August is a big month for travel, getting in the last beach days of summer. In that spirit, I'd like to read A Gentleman in Moscow, a novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life in a luxury hotel. 

Wine

On another note of travel, with one of our book club members honeymooning on the Italian Riviera, let's drink wine from that region. 

July 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

It's really summer now, and I think we need a gossipy beach read. That's why I picked The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, the dramatic tale of an actress of Old Hollywood, and of course, all of her husbands. 

Wine

To pair, we need a wine that's a little cheap to go with our gossip novel (price-wise, of course, not quality-- you know me). The low cost, crisp and refreshing Vinho Verde is a good fit (and my beach wine of choice). 

June 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

This month's book and wine were crowdsourced from our FB group (if you aren't on that and want to be let me know!). We're reading Mister Monkey by Francine Prose a dark comedy from a New York Times best selling author.

Wine

Wines from Alsace are making a comeback, according to Food & Wine. Let's embrace the trend and drink from the French region with German influences. 

May 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

Somehow it became May 1st, so I have another book and wine for you. The Leavers by Lisa Ko comes out in hardcover tomorrow, and I've already heard good things. The story is about a mother and a son separated by powerful forces-- the boy grows up in the Bronx and his mother is an undocumented Chinese immigrant who disappears one day, without explanation. I haven't started reading yet, but I hear that once you start it's hard to put down. 

Wine

To pair with it, let's drink any wine from Croatia. Why Croatia? Wellllllll... our very own book club member is getting married this month, and honeymooning in Croatia, so we'll be celebrating in her honor! 

April 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

I've been hearing about this book everywhere: The Idiot by Elif Batuman. It takes place in the '90s, following the daughter of Turkish immigrants through her time at Harvard, discovering and inventing herself into adulthood. 

Wine

And the wine of the month is... Semillon, a full-bodied white, much like a chardonnay, but with flavor notes like a Sauvignon Blanc-- lemon, green apple, and pear. It's most often found in France and Australia. Hello, SPRING! 

March 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

March's book is here! 

Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller-- a book that's getting lots of buzz for being a serious page-turner, and just came out a couple weeks ago. Prepare for a scandalous marriage tied with a bit of mystery, and a strange disappearance. 

Wine

Let's pair that with some wine (obviously). Because March marks the kick-off of spring, I think it's only right to drink rose, of the Provence variety. 

February 2017 Reading & Tasting

Book

This month, we're reading Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran, about an eighteen year old who travels across the Mexican border to California and her journey through motherhood and a newfound identity.

Wine

And to drink, let's go with a no-brainer and sip on any Italian wine.