As the Autumn days get cozier, there’s nothing more comforting than curling up with a great book and a glass of fine wine. This Thanksgiving, our staff is reflecting on the books and bottles that have brought them joy and comfort throughout their lives. From literary treasures to delicious libations, discover the pairings that we’re most grateful for this season. 

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Frecciarossa Oltrepo Pavese Pinot Grigio 2022

“The Bear and the Nightingale is a perfect example of how traditional folklore can help us understand our modern world, teaching us to search for light in dark times. I’m so grateful that books like this exist.” – Katelyn

Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil. Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village. But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales. A light in the darkness, this Pinot Grigio is bright and savory with focused notes of creamy lemon curd, marzipan, herbs, ripe pear, and white flowers.

The Book of Bill by Alex Hirsch
Thomain Enfer d'Arvier 2022

“This book reminds me of one of my favorite cartoons as a child and brings me back to simpler times. This book caters to the generation that grew up watching ‘Gravity Falls,’ a treat for the inner child and adult.” – Jess

Inside, Bill Cipher sheds light on his bizarre origins, his sinister effects on human history, the Pines family’s most embarrassing secrets, and the key to overthrowing the world (laid out in a handy step-by-step guide). This chaotic and beautifully illustrated tome contains baffling riddles, uncrackable ciphers, lost Journal 3 pages, ways to cheat death, the meaning of life, and a whole chapter on Silly Straws. But most importantly, The Book of Bill is deeply, deeply cursed. While the label of this bottle may look cursed, the wine is anything but, delivering luscious notes of fruit and earth. 

A Deeper Love Inside by Sister Souljah
Stolpman Vineyards Love You Bunches Orange 2023

“This was the first book I read that talked about mental health in some capacity. It inspired me to start my own journey of writing fiction. The author has become my favorite author and I hope to write a series just like her one day.” – Nora

A continuation of Sister Souljah’s The Coldest Winter Ever, this story is told by Porche Santiaga, the sharp-tongued, quick-witted younger sister of Winter Santiaga. A natural born hustler, Porsche is also cut from the same cloth as her father, the infamous Ricky Santiaga. Passionate and loyal to the extreme, Porsche refuses to accept her new life in group homes, foster care, and juvenile detention after her wealthy family is torn apart. Porsche cries as much as she fights and uses whatever she has to reclaim her status. A wine that expresses your feelings for you, this orange wine offers mouthwatering notes of guava, passion fruit, dried herbs, and hints of soft earth.

Dracula by Bram Stoker
Dorli Muhr Carnuntum Red 2020

“Dracula introduced me to the idea that literature can be an artifact, reflecting important aspects of humanity and human history. I am ever grateful to the high school teacher who first assigned it to me.” – Michele

An 1897 Gothic horror novel that set the blueprint for vampires for generations, Bram Stoker’s Dracula tells the story of Count Dracula’s attempt to move from Transylvania to England with the help of solicitor Jonathan Harker. Meanwhile, eerie incidents are unfolding in England, with a series of disturbing deaths and unexplained bite marks, which captures the attention of Professor Abraham Van Helsing. Elegant and sleek, this red wine delivers notes of crunchy red forest berries, red peppercorns, sweet herbs, and savory earth.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Pierre Elie Carron ‘Rodoz’ Fendant 2022

“Spending summers in Barbados may seem like paradise to most people, but staying with my great aunt without any A.C., it was less than ideal. There wasn’t much to do besides read, and Heidi was one of the few books my great aunt approved of. Read by the various generations of people who grew up in that house, Heidi was both a fantastic escape to someplace cooler, while providing a new way to connect with my family.” – Kiah

At the age of five, little orphan Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Everyone in the village is afraid of him, but Heidi is fascinated by his long beard and bushy grey eyebrows. She loves her life in the mountains, playing in the sunshine and growing up amongst the goats and birds. But one terrible day, Heidi is collected by her aunt and is made to live with a new family in town. Heidi can't bear to be away from her grandfather; can she find a way back up the mountain, where she belongs? Indulge in all things Swiss with this delightful white wine offering notes of peach blossom and lemon zest.

Reasons to Live by Amy Hempel
Nomadica Bubbly Rose Can

“This collection taught me what a short story could look like—that impressionistic vignettes and snapshots are just as ‘story’ as any ‘beginning-middle-end.’ The haters will say that minimalism hides behind itself. I say, is the call coming from inside the house on that one? Start with “In a Tub,” go straight to “In The Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried” after that, and take the rest of them as they come.” – Katherine

It is always "earthquake weather" in Amy Hempel's California, a landscape where everything can change without warning. Traditional resources—home, parents, lovers, friends, even willpower—are not dependable. And so the characters in these short, compelling stories have learned to depend on small triumphs of wit, irony, and spirit. Shake things up with this sparkling rose that taste like the inside of a waterfall surrounded by raspberries and pomegranates — fresh and ethereal.