Mother’s Day is this Sunday. You might like to toast mom with a glass of wine or two, but what can you pair with wine beyond flowers? How about some terrific new books?
Here with her tips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.
What are you recommending first?
I have Blank: A Novel by Zibby Owens. Pippa Jones is a 40-something writer whose first book was an instant bestseller. Now she can’t think of what to write as she faces a blank page.
Her son suggests handing in a blank manuscript as a joke, but it ends up becoming a bold statement about the publishing industry. There’s lots of plot twists, humour and a juicy behind-the-scenes look at the literary world.
What would you pair with this novel?
Given Pippa’s quandary, I’d pair this book with the aptly named Conundrum Red or White, I couldn’t decide, so both. They’re made by the Wagner Family in California, who also make the coveted Caymus wines.
These wines are juicy and bursting with fresh fruit flavours, so I’d also dare to pair them with a Mother’s Day breakfast burrito.
Conundrum Red
California, United States
Conundrum White
California, United States
What’s next?
The Glow Code: A Cheat Sheet for Feeling, Looking, and Being Your Best at Any Age by Canadian author Michelle McIvor. This book is packed with practical tips on everything from applying eyeliner to getting better sleep.
Michelle is like your smartest, funniest girlfriend who always has great advice.
This book comes out in June, but you can pre-order it now online or in any bookstore so that your Mother’s Day celebrations continue next month and really, they should go year round, speaking as a mother myself.
What’s the best wine for this book?
I have a beautiful Rosé from Tweed, Ontario, which is only two hours away. Potter Settlement has vibrant notes of fresh field strawberries. I also have the Bread & Butter Chardonnay with aromas of freshly baked bread and green apple.
They’d both be perfect with brunch favourites like bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon.
Potter Settlement Wines Cabernet Franc Rosé
Tweed, Ontario, Canada
Bread & Butter Chardonnay
Napa Valley, California , United States
What else do you suggest?
In Mary’s Kitchen by Mary Berg, who is also host of the show The Good Stuff with Mary Berg on CTV, has 100 stress-free recipes for the home cook. They’re not complicated, but they’re so delicious.
Looks like you have a red wine here?
Yes, for moms who love full-bodied reds, I’d pair Mary’s roast beef bourguignon with the 7 Deadly Zins Zinfandel from California. This wine not only has layers of ripe dark berries and smoke, but it’s also vegan-friendly. For more than 20 years, the 7 different Lodi vineyards that grow the grapes for this wine have been certified sustainable for land stewardship and other factors.
7 Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel
Lodi, California, United States
What’s next?
The heroine of Possessed, Josephine, escapes from her dull day job to an island in the Adriatic Sea, where she meets a beautiful man with a haunting story. This novel is intimate, dark and funny while it explores desire and the supernatural.
There must be a wine for that?
I have the Villa Maria with flavours of zesty lime and lemon, perfect for this book’s lively dialogue and lingering finish. Another great choice would be the Santa Margherita Prosecco because what is Mother’s Day without sparkling wine?
The bonus is that you won’t want to mix this one with orange juice for a mimosa because it’s so tasty on its own. It would also pair well with fluffy, buttery scrambled eggs and toast.
Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand
Santa Margherita Brut Sparkling Rosé
Venezie, Italy
Sounds great! Finally, which wine would you pair with your latest book, Natalie?
Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much reads much better when you’re drinking all of these wines, or any wine, but if I’ve paired it with the Wander & Found Sparkling, since this book is a journey about being lost and finding yourself again.
Wander + Found Sparkling Cuveé Blanc
Germany
Bubbly is celebratory, and this one gives you an extra reason to have a second glass because it’s alcohol-free, yet it tastes amazing. Plus, my book is a sobering journey, though it does have humour and a happy ending ;)
