Pairing Sparkling Wine with Books

What’s your favourite sparkling wine and book pairing?

Choosing a good sparkling wine to enjoy while reading a book is fun and is like pairing wine with food.

Below are some of the best types of sparkling wines to enjoy while reading these popular non-fiction book genres.

Romance

Romantic books can be classical, contemporary, historical or compelling characters with strong chemistry, a believable plot with engaging conflict, emotional depth, and a satisfying happy ending, These types of books pair well with a bottle of Rosé Champagne as it’s pretty, elegant and the ultimate romantic wine.

Book suggestions:

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Funny Story by Emily Henry

Mystery

A good mystery book will involve a compelling mystery with intriguing characters and well-placed clues along with red herrings to mislead the reader. There are lots of different mystery styles of books, including murder, detective and disappearances, which can also cross over into other genres. These types of books will pair well with a bottle of Lambrusco, a sparkling red wine with a whole lot of character.

Book suggestions:

The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
Before She Disappeared by Lisa Gardner
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Fantasy

Fantasy books will have a well-developed, rich and immersive world with compelling characters, these can be humans, supernatural entities, mythical or magical creatures. Great fantasy fiction is all about escapism which pairs well with a bottle of New Zealand sparkling wine renowned for its nutty, biscuity aromas, balanced with fresh acidity and fruit which will pair well with the fantastical world you find yourself reading about.

Book suggestions:

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Thriller

Thriller books are made up of lots of sub-genres including psychological, crime, action and spy. A good thriller book will have suspense, tension, unexpected, devious twists, secrets and shocks that give you an edge-of-your-seat feeling. A bottle of Franciacorta, a sparkling wine from Italy with complex flavours that include notes of fruit, flowers, bread, and yeast will pair with all the layers in a thriller.

Book suggestions:

Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Horror

A horror book will scare you! The key elements of a good horror book are tapping into fear, setting, suspense and foreshadowing. There are different sub-genres of horror including body horror, comedy slasher, gory, supernatural and psychological. South African sparkling wines, also known as Méthode Cap Classique (MCC), can have notes of toast, yeast, bread dough, and nuts. They can also have chalky or flinty aromas which will stand up and pair well with the horror you find yourself reading about.

Book suggestions:

The Shining by Stephen King
The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

Classics

A classic novel is a book that has stood the test of time because it’s so good. They are known for their strong characters and well-crafted storytelling. They are known for their lasting influence on culture, which is still relevant today. This type of story needs a strong classic pairing of a bottle of Vintage Champagne.  This type of Champagne will be rich and complex in flavours and aromas, smooth, creamy and persistent, which stands the test of time.

Book suggestions:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Science Fiction

Science Fiction stories usually take place in an unfamiliar setting, for example, a dystopian past or future, in space, on another planet or in apocalyptic landscapes. Every great science fiction novel explores a ‘what if’ question, which is a hypothetical question that ignites your imagination. A bottle of Sekt made in Germany or Austria will usually be crisp, fruity, and refreshing, but will likely be a bit unfamiliar to most sparkling wine lovers, which will pair well with the unfamiliar setting you are reading about.

Book suggestions:

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Dune by Frank Herbert
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins