There is one thing that is constant in my life: unexpected happenings. This past year has been a roller coaster of events that has certainly kept me on guard. Resilience, positivity, and the ability to look for the light at the end of the tunnel (so to speak) have always been a few of my signature traits. Many who know me well will have to agree. And one action I take on a regular basis is to find an engaging book in which to escape “the noise.”
During the last month, I finished three incredible novels that were completely different from each other yet were the same in that the endings were unforeseen. So what did I do? Continue the unanticipated course of events and pour a wine you may consider a bit unexpected, too.
Trust by Hernan Diaz and Roederer Estate Brut
One of my new favorite books, lauded by many, is Trust by Hernan Diaz. What intrigued me before I started reading was the format, in part a “book within a book” and chapters with variety of documents. Set in the 1920s in New York City, Trust is a dive into the fictional characters of Benjamin and Helen Rask with various perspectives on their extreme wealth, quest for secrecy, and the intriguing web of the financial system of the time. Diaz’ writing style is compelling and I was riveted with the attention to detail on every page. Honestly, the ending was a brilliant surprise, but I won’t spoil it for you!
Of course, I could have popped a cork from Champagne, but I decided to keep the price down a wee bit (you never know when the stock market will crash a la 1929), yet elevated with my choice: Roederer Estate Brut ($30). It is difficult to believe that Roederer Estate Brut from Anderson Valley in Mendocino is a mere $30-it could stand next to a bottle of Champagne and completely hold its own! Non-vintage, 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir offer aromas of juicy lemon, lemon peel, almonds, brioche, and white florals. On the dry palate, lively bubbles entertained throughout and notes of minerality, citrus, crisp apples, and hints of baking spice led to a lingering, magical finish. Find both book and wine now.
West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge and Phelan Farm Autrement Blanc 2023
Our book club read this surprisingly wonderful book, West with Giraffes, although I was bit sceptical at the beginning due to the unlikely (but true) premise. Because a hurricane struck New York, a ship carrying two giraffes met its fate, but not the giraffes on board. They managed to survive. In essence, this historical fiction is the story of Woodrow Wilson Nickel (Woody), an orphan, as he helps Riley Jones, the hired giraffe keeper, drive from the east coast to the San Diego Zoo in 1938. Plenty of challenges including treachery, horrific weather, and potential animal cruelty were met with unlikely friendships, dreams realized (and unrealized), and love that highlighted the westward journey. Truly a page turner, the ending is quite special and one I never considered.
Another surprise choice I made for pairing with the book was Phelan Farm Autrement Blanc 2022 ($38), This beauty is a blend of white grapes Chardonnay, Jacquère, and Gringet cultivated in Cambria, California within the SLO Coast AVA. Under the watchful eyes and finely honed skills of winemaker Rajat Parr, vineyards are biodynamic and regenerative organic. Parr has a light hand philosophy whereby minimal intervention is used in the vineyard and winemaking process; the wines are unfined and unfiltered. On the nose, I found intense aromas of green grass, florals, bright spice, and herbs. The palate burst with vibrant acidity, juicy citrus, stone fruit, salinity, and cool ocean breezes. Different, delicious, and lipsmacking, this wine is a keeper.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and King Family Vineyards 2021 Monticello Red Blend
With my Virginia roots firmly in place, I eagerly anticipated a book with its setting there. However, the story line was more than troubling. Based on David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, Kingsolver updated the story to reflect today’s beauty yet ugliness, too. By revealing the negative side of state institutions and people testing at all angles the resilience of the main character, Demon Copperhead, I felt anxious when reading, yet at the conclusion found peace. Through Barbara Kingsolver, a connection was made from “the present to the past to combine cultures and to adapt Dickens’ mission of using literature to hold a mirror up to society, thus making Demon Copperhead a modern retelling.” My next book will be David Copperfield for comparison. Stay tuned.
During the course of the book, I opened a bottle of wine from my home state of Virginia, King Family Vineyards 2021 Mountain Plains ($85). 45% Cabernet Franc, 37% Merlot, and 18% Petit Verdot cultivated on estate vineyards in Crozet within the Monticello AVA comprise the blend. After pressing, wines were aged in separate French oak barrels for 22 months before bottling. A lush, complex wine, pour after a slight chill for maximum enjoyment. On the nose, I found aromas of earth, dark cherries, chocolate, and spice. Notes on the palate were dense and balanced. Framed with firm tannins and bright acidity, flavors of spice, herbs, plums, violets, and crushed raspberries led to a lingering finish. This may be my favorite Cabernet Franc blend from Virginia.
What’s your next book? And the wine for pairing? Expect the unexpected and you’ll be in for a treat!
Cheers! ~ Cindy
The post Chapters and Pours: A Journey Beyond the Expected appeared first on Grape Experiences.
