PageFiftyNine

I'm writing this week's post from Appalachian Mountain Brewery in Boone, North Carolina. (I'm taking a break from my wine obsession to enjoy some craft beer and mountain views.) This blog will be short, because I'm ready to get back to yard games, hiking, and bonfires. The Pairing Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer and Glass Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon I'm more of a fiction reader at heart, but this true story of a disastrous climb of Mt. Everest doesn't seem real, so it could basically count. It has a lot more than adventure in it though- a lot of heart and science, too. That being said, the adventure piece is pretty awesome. This wine, too, has more to it than meets the eye. It's relatively inexpensive and super easy to drink. Both the wine and the book are bold and complex, making them a great mountain vacation pair. The best part about this pairing was just physically getting them to the top of a mountain. I did none of the heavy lifting, pre...

Next weekend I'll be heading to the mountains with friends and hope to do a mountain-themed post there, so I figured this week I would do something oceanic instead. I love this book. M. L. Stedman is a genius at creating characters that you become 100% invested in, so that when two of them are in conflict you truly cannot pick sides. It's so good. You know what else I love? Chardonnay. I'm also 100% invested in this buttery wine. Luckily, I had just discovered a new bottle of chard, so this pairing came together in a flash . (Like the flash of a lighthouse light? Haha?... Maybe not?... Work with me here.) The Pairing The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman and Miles From Nowhere Chardonnay Of course, the first connection between these two is Australia- the book is set there and the wine is made there. I considered going with one of the 19 Crimes wines that come out of Australia since this novel revolves around a (safe to say?) crime, but it didn't quite...

Happy St. Patrick's Day! This pair isn't very Irish, but it is green , and isn't that how this holiday works? I'm fairly certain the rule is: Green Things + Drinking = Irish In that spirit, I bring you the first non-wine pairing of the year! The Pairing The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and Angry Orchard Hard Cider In the spirit of this touching book about friendship, I have used only gifts for these photos. The quilt was made by my mom, the tray was given to me by my friend Lindsay, the flower is from a housewarming gift of daffodil bulbs from my parents, and the book itself in on loan from my friends Lauren and Craig. I'm surrounded by Giving Trees. :) This sweet book deserved the sweetest drink. Since it's about an apple tree, it had to be paired with a hard apple cider. I'm not as knowledgeable about ciders, but usually enjoy the classic styles like this Crisp Apple variety by Angry Orchard. It's really sweet, perfe...

I have the house to myself this weekend! The fiance is away, so it's just me, the cats, and my books. And my wine. And my DVRed shows. And my vegetable garden seedlings. And my to-do list from last spring. How is it possible that I'm busier when he's gone? Anyways, the quiet house makes for the perfect setting to dive into some reading/sipping and ignore all other plans. A casual topic this week: the science of the universe. The Pairing A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking and Cruze Alta Cabernet Sauvignon I am in love with the straightforwardness of these wines, particularly this Cab. It's no-nonsense. Just the information you're really looking for: what is in this bottle and what does it taste like. I like to think Stephen Hawking would also approve of this style. Of course, it's what's inside the bottle that really counts.  This particular Cabernet Sauvignon is just... easy .  It's light, low on alcohol, and finishes smoothl...

If you know me personally, then you know that this post is particularly important. I'm what you might call a "fan" of the Outlander novels. I'm also what you might call "completely obsessed" with the Outlander novels. With books as beloved to me as these, I was worried that I might agonize over the right wine. The take I took for this was to imagine myself as a part of the story, and then wonder what would be in my glass. This strategy narrowed the scope enough for me to find the right bottle. I would be drinking port. There is a healthy amount of this fortified wine consumed during Claire's journey. This makes sense as the drink was a large import to England, Scotland, and Ireland at the time. Jamie and Claire seem to mostly drink French port, which is no longer a thing (just like Champagne, as of 1759 only the wine made in the Douro region of Portugal can be labeled "port"). For more on this, or for those that love diving headfirst into r...