Pages & Pours: Four Book-and-Wine Pairings for the Holidays
/“There’s no friend as loyal as a book,” Hemingway once wrote. I’d argue a great glass of wine comes pretty close.
Put the two together, and you’ve got one of life’s simplest luxuries: a chance to sit still and let your mind wander to faraway places. Whether you’re buying for a curious reader, an adventurous wine lover, or someone who’s both, these pairings make holiday gifting easy.
Champagne Charlie: The Frenchman Who Taught Americans to Love Champagne
Authors: Don & Petie Kladstrup. List Price: $32.95
If your recipient loves a story filled with personality, history, and a larger-than-life central figure, this book is a joy. Champagne producer Charles Heidsieck was a bold, charming presence who helped ignite America’s early passion for sparkling wine.
One chapter I especially loved, “The Lion of New York,” lays out just how Champagne-crazy the United States was in the mid-1800s, and how much of that excitement centered on Heidsieck himself. Patrons of bars and restaurants didn’t order “a bottle of Champagne,” they simply asked for “a bottle of Charles.”
Heidsieck’s American adventure wasn’t all glamour, though. When the Civil War erupted, he was imprisoned and nearly executed after being falsely accused of being a Confederate spy. The Kladstrups bring that era to life with color and energy, showing how America became the world’s most enthusiastic market for Champagne.
Find the book on amazon.com, bookshop.org, and thriftbooks.com.
Pair with Champagne Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs
This all-Chardonnay cuvée ages for years in 2,000-year-old chalk caves that are now designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It offers a unique combination of freshness and softness, with zesty acidity supporting a creamy texture. Pair it with caviar and crème fraîche atop homemade blinis. Oh là là! (SRP: $69)
All photos by Lisa Denning
The Iberian Table: Healthy Cooking Secrets from the Land of Longevity
Author: Robin Keuneke. List Price: $25
This book is a thoughtful gift for anyone who wants to eat fresh, nutritious food that tastes good. Keuneke is the author of The Total Breast Health and The Detox Revolution, which she co-authored with nutrition scientist Thomas J. Slaga. In her latest book, The Iberian Table, she brings northern Spain’s culinary traditions to life as a cultural exploration that weaves in health science, original recipes, and stories of Spanish resilience.
Keuneke has devoted decades to the study of natural health, and shares her knowledge without any nutritional preaching. Her chapter on sofrito, a simple mix of tomatoes, onions, and garlic, is a perfect example. She describes it as an antioxidant powerhouse and shares research on its anticancer and anti-inflammatory polyphenols and carotenoids, all in an engaging way.
The book is full of helpful insights, including sidebars such as “Health Benefits of Saffron,” which briefly explain how the spice supports heart health, improves vision, and boosts mood. She calls her gazpacho a “life-extending soup,” and whether you take that literally or playfully, the recipe is packed with vibrant, fresh ingredients that are both nourishing and delicious.
Keuneke also touches upon Spanish wine throughout the book, saying that wine drinking in Spain is not about snobbism or false elegance. She notes how studies show that biflavonoids and resveratrol in red wine may help prevent cancer among moderate drinkers.
While I haven’t had the chance to cook from the book yet, I’ve already dog-eared several recipes: Cod on a Bed of Multi-Colored Vegetables, Pa Amb Tomàquet (tomato-garlic-olive-oil bread), Poached Chicken on Endive with Saffron Yogurt, and more. With over 100 recipes and special contributions from Michelin-starred chefs Carme Ruscalleda and Elena Arzak, it’s a book that will inspire you from the very first flip-through.
The Iberian Table is available for purchase at theiberiantable.com, Amazon, tienda.com, barnesandnoble.com, and target.com.
Pair with Martínez Lacuesta Gran Reserva Rioja 2012
This wine is Rioja at its most classic: dried cherry, warm spices, cedar, and tobacco leaf shaped by its long aging. It’s graceful, savory, and perfect for cozy winter meals. Find it at 67 Wine & Spirits for $45.99
Exploring Wine Regions - México: Discovering México's Quality Wines and Phenomenal Cuisine
Author: Michael C. Higgins, PhD. List Price: $34.95
For anyone who loves discovering emerging wine destinations, this book, the fourth in an award-winning series, is a terrific introduction to Mexico’s most exciting wine regions. Higgins focuses on three areas: Valle de Guadalupe, Guanajuato, and Querétaro, offering a detailed, visually engaging guide to their wineries, food culture, and landscapes.
It’s especially valuable for travelers. Higgins highlights not only tasting rooms and vineyards, but also gastronomy (chefs, restaurants, culinary traditions), lodging (luxury resorts, B&Bs, villas), and cultural stops.
In Valle de Guadalupe, for example, he writes about Casa Frida, a colorful boutique property inspired by Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico's most important artists. And in Guanajuato, he takes readers to the Santuario de Atotonilco, the breathtaking World Heritage church often called the “Sistine Chapel of Mexico.”
Higgins portrays a centuries-old wine culture that’s vibrant, diverse, and ready for exploration. He ties history, travel, and winemaking together in a way that makes Mexico feel both familiar and entirely new.
Purchase the book at exploringwineregions.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
Pair with Monte Xanic Chenin Blanc 2022
Monte Xanic Chenin Blanc 2022 is bright and lifted, layering crisp pear, white flowers with a touch of citrus zest, all anchored by the vibrant acidity that has become Monte Xanic’s calling card. ($20)
Founded in 1987, Monte Xanic is one of Valle de Guadalupe’s pioneering modern wineries. In his book, Higgins says its hillside tasting area has the “Best View for Wine Tasting,” thanks to its sweeping overlook of the valley and the serene lake below. Here, guests can settle in for everything from classic tastings to a popular Wine & Chocolate pairing.
Stikky Wine
Author: Andrea Ribel. List Price $12
This small but useful book uses simple visuals and diagrams to help new wine enthusiasts quickly learn tasting skills and wine lingo. It’s one of the most approachable, unintimidating introductions to wine for beginners who want to feel more confident without wading through jargon or dense technical talk.
Tannins, acidity, flavors, and aromas are explained with such clarity that readers will think, “Oh, I get this now.” The book also offers tips on navigating restaurant wine lists and store shelves without feeling overwhelmed.
The author distills the essentials into short, focused lessons with plenty of visuals that help students understand, and more importantly, remember the material. For example, Ribel doesn’t just tell the reader that Sauvignon Blanc is considered a light-bodied wine; she asks them, with a diagram, to choose which of three cartons of milk (shown as fat-free, 2%, and whole) has the most similar mouthfeel and weight. This kind of visual association makes the concept stick, turning abstract tasting notes into something you can recall easily at the table.
And it’s just plain fun to read, with a friendly, conversational tone that makes learning feel like chatting with a friend over a glass of wine.
Purchase the book at stikkywine.com.
Pair with Santa Julia La Vaquita 2024
Santa Julia’s La Vaquita Natural is the perfect match for this book: fun, unpretentious, and full of personality. Made from a co-fermentation of roughly 80% Malbec and 20% Torrontés, it’s crafted organically in Mendoza, Argentina, with native yeasts and no added sulfites. It’s a vibrant, chillable wine with juicy red fruit, a floral lift, and a lively, refreshing finish, and exactly the kind of bottle that makes learning about aromas, flavors, and structure feel exciting rather than academic. And its playful label goes perfectly with the book’s friendly, approachable vibe. ($19)
Four books, four bottles, and endless possibilities for holiday escape. These pairings make it easy to give something thoughtful, delicious, and transportive.
