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Books and bottles: A wine writer's top pairings for Father's Day

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Wine writer Natalie MacLean is quite the matchmaker.

While other wine experts may suggest pairing specific wines with certain meals, Natalie digs deeper.

She suggests wines for between the covers—of a good book.

For CTV News at Noon, MacLean curated a wine list for your reading list—a list for Father’s Day, or any day, for that matter.

She calls this concept “books and bottles” or “bottles and books”.

It’s for those who like to sip while they flip the pages, or toast to time with their tablets--or klink to the glow of the Kindle or Kobo.  

So on this list, MacLean will dish on a Cab Sauv to compliment your tenderloin and she will serve that with a side suggestion of a memoir.

Dad Bod: Portraits of Pop Culture Papas

FIRST PAIRING

“Dad Bod: Portraits of Pop Culture Papas” by Almonte author and new dad himself Cian Cruise.

“This is a collection of funny essays about fatherhood depicted in film, television, and video games. Whether they’re spouting homespun wisdom and atrocious jokes, or wallowing in back-in-my-day stories, these fictional dads fuel myths about fatherhood. He covers Gandalf, Homer Simpson, Die Hard, The Mandalorian and more in his stories, unpacking the stereotypes that form our image of fatherhood.”

NATALIE’S BOTTLE PICK:

“Pair this book with the Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon made by the Wagner Family in California. It’s full-bodied with deep, dark flavours of ripe blackberries and mocha. Perfect for grilled steaks and other Dad favourites.”

Taste: My Life Through Food

SECOND PAIRING

“’Taste: My Life Through Food’ by the actor Stanley Tucci, who also happened to be obsessed with food as meals were the heart of his life growing up in an Italian American family. I love how he explores the connection we find with each other through food and wine, as much as his foodie films like The Big Night and Julie & Julia.”

NATALIE’S BOTTLE PICK:  

“I’m pairing it with La Marca, an Italian Prosecco, which is a vibrant bubbly and great pairing with many of the dishes Stanley mentions as well as for movie night with popcorn.”

’Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives

THIRD PAIRING

“’Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives’ by Mary Laura Philpott is a powerful new memoir dives into issues of life, death, and parenthood with wisdom and warm humor. One morning, Mary Laura wakes up abruptly to find her teenage son unconscious on the floor. We follow her journey through a family crisis which changes the way she, and we, look at the world for the better.”

NATALIE BOTTLE PICK:

“I’d pair this book with Mindful Pinot Grigio, a new wine from Niagara with just 8% alcohol yet it’s packed with flavour. It would also pair well with grilled seafood.”

Farm, Fire & Feast: Recipes from the Inn at Bay Fortune

FOURTH PAIRING

“’Farm, Fire & Feast: Recipes from the Inn at Bay Fortune’ by chef Michael Smith is packed with dishes inspired by ingredients of his home in Prince Edward Island. These are part of the dishes he creates at the FireWorks restaurant in the five-star Inn at Bay Fortune. It overlooks the Fortune River at the eastern tip of the province. Guests are treated to live-fire culinary experiences at family-style, long feast tables.”

NATALIE’S BOTTLE PICK:

“I’d pair this cookbook with this H3 Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State that has terrific aromas of cassis and smoke. It would also go well with several recipes in the book, including Wood-Grilled Butcher’s Steak and Smokehouse Pork Belly.”

Ten Garments Every Man Should Own: A Practical Guide to Building a Permanent Wardrobe

FIFTH PAIRING

“’Ten Garments Every Man Should Own: A Practical Guide to Building a Permanent Wardrobe’ by Pedro Mendes. This is an accessible field guide to classic menswear, no matter what dad’s age or budget or the fact he still loves those painter pants from the 80s with all the side pockets. Each chapter covers an essential piece – shirt, jacket, hat, leather shoes, etc – in an entertaining way.”

NATALIE’S BOTTLE PICK:  

“Since we want Dad to fit into the latest skinny jean cuffed pant, we’ll keep the wine light too with a pret-a-rosé. This is Drea’s Rosé from Niagara that also pairs beautifully with grilled veggies or Portobello mushrooms.”

Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life

SIXTH PAIRING

“’Left on Tenth: A Second Chance at Life’ by Delia Ephron. It’s about second chances when it comes to life and love and reads like a movie, which isn’t surprising given Delia is the author of romantic comedies like You've Got Mail. She shares her late-in-life love story as well as battle with cancer in this funny, moving memoir.”

NATALIE’S BOTTLE PICK:

“I’d pair this book with Quails’ Gate Pinot Noir from BC, known as the heartbreak grape, as there’s plenty of that in Delia’s story but she manages to balance tears and laughter. This Pinot is sensuous and silky smooth with ripe berry notes. It would pair well with grilled chicken.”

“I should note that all of the Canadian wines ship across the country right to your door, so there’s never been a better time or an easier way to support our homegrown businesses from coast to coast.”

Love or Die Trying: How I Lost It All, Died, and Came Back for Life

SEVENTH PAIRING

“’Love or Die Trying: How I Lost It All, Died, and Came Back for Life’ by Toronto author Bob Ramsay. Bob was at the peak of his corporate career, when he ended up in a drug treatment centre for cocaine addiction. After his release, he fell in love with a woman who was a doctor. But just as his life was getting better, his heart stopped, he actually technically died, though they were able to bring him back. This is a love story set against the backdrop of addiction, recovery, and the grit in believing it’s never too late to start over.”

NATALIE’S BOTTLE PICK:

“I’d pair this book with the Kaiken Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina. This wine, like the book, has a meaty middle and a satisfying finish. It’ll also pair well with hamburgers with all the fixins because isn’t that what life throws at us?”

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir

EIGHTH PAIRING

“’The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir’ by Bill Bryson. Bill is my favourite travel writer, with books like In A Sunburned Country and The Lost Continent. In fact, his first travel book opened with the immortal line, “I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.” This is his hilarious memoir of growing up in the 1950s. It’s truly “laugh-out-loud funny.””

“When he was six, he found an old college football sweater with lightning bolt and wore his underpants over his jeans like Superman. His stories are heartwarming.”

NATALIE’S BOTTLE PICK:

“I’d pair this book with the Lenz Moser Gruner Veltliner from Austria. It’s light and carefree, like the book, but is also juicy and delicious. Pair it with grilled seafood.”

Write for Your Life by Anna Quindlen

NINTH PAIRING

"Write for Your Life’ by Anna Quindlen is perfect for those who aspire to write their own story. Anna is a multi-award winning author who believes that we can clarify what’s important in our lives by writing about it. When we write, we pay closer attention to our lives and reflect on their meaning. That’s certainly what I’m doing now with my own memoir, ‘Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Depression and Drinking Too Much’. Don't worry, it has a happy ending.”

NATALIE’S BOTTLE PICK:

“I’d pair this book with Emmolo sparkling wine from California. Bubbly is the wine of celebration, so what better way to toast Dad. Sip on this wine as you wait for the BBQ to heat up, or pair it with grilled seafood.”

You can find all the wines and books Natalie recommended on her website.

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