Wondering what to pour at your book club meetings? Wonder no more: We’ve got five great crowd-pleasing grapes that don’t have to cost a fortune. Inspired by a passionate meetup of the women of Rolling Hills in the novel Rebecca, Not Becky by Christine Platt and Catherine Wigginton Greene, here are five of our favorite go-tos for a group.
Pet Nat
With a little bit of fizz, this bottle of white is best served ice cold. It’s got a similar feel to a cider, and is often a little bit honey-forward. It’s a fairly new type of wine that will very likely get quite a few oohs and aahs.
Sauvignon Blanc
You can never go wrong with a bottle of Sauv Blanc. It typically tends toward the drier side, with solid acidity and a fair amount of freshness. It’s quite food friendly — and will stand up to the boldness of any book.
Chardonnay
Typically a little fuller bodied than Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay is also a great pick for book club because of its substantialness. It varies from crisp to creamy, so choose your direction and dive on in.
Pinot Noir
There are countless great bottles of the very popular Pinot Noir at a group-friendly price point — which is only one of the many reasons to pour it. WIth a little earth, a little spice, and often a touch of fruit, here’s a bottle you’ll always want to have on hand.
Barbera
This is Barolo’s more approachable, less complex cousin. It tends toward the fuller bodied side, and can often be quite lush with cherry and other dark fruits. It’s a grape you’ll have endless fun exploring — and endless fun introducing to your reading circle.
Rebecca, Not Becky
by Christine Platt - Catherine Wigginton Greene
In the vein of Such a Fun Age, a whip-smart, compulsively readable novel about two upper-class stay-at-home mothers – one white, one Black – living in a "perfect" suburb that explores motherhood, friendship, and the true meaning of sisterhood amidst the backdrop of America's all-too-familiar racial reckoning.
Check out Page & Pairing's full guide to Rebecca, Not Becky here.