Time and again, I receive the same request from readers, social media followers, and even friends at casual gatherings… what wine do I recommend? I often smirk at this question for two reasons: I am absolutely not an authority on wine and I hold the unconventional belief in the industry that wine quality is relatively subjective. GASP! Yes, not all wines are created equal, but I think enjoyment is truly in the “mouth” of the beholder. Whether it’s a $15 bottle or $150 bottle, a cabernet or a pinot grigio, it all comes down to your personal preference. But when I am forced to give a recommendation, I always come back to one family-owned vineyard. Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

The hybrid film-wine-making Coppola family offer a variety of quality wines at price points everyone can enjoy. Whether it’s their cheapest bottle or most expensive, they refuse to settle for anything less than high quality. I also consider them innovators in the “wine as a lifestyle” philosophy. Wine as a lifestyle, you say?! Yes! This is the idea of taking wine beyond drinking and enhancing it’s place in society. The Coppola family understands that wine isn’t just something you sip, it is an accessory to much of life’s joyous moments. Instead of stopping at the wine-making, much of their new stock is complimented with an experience. They produce short, artistic films highlighting the lives of customers from around the world. They offer immersive wine experiences at the family-owned resort in Belize. Exclusive spirits created to celebrate strong historic female icons. And most recently, the Coppola family has launched a book club. The Books & Bottles program.

The Books & Bottles program partners with Tall Poppy Writers, the only U.S. author-driven marketing cooperative exclusive to female authors who write award-winning fiction in all genres. Girl. Power. It is a quarterly curated offering of new selections of books from Tall Poppy Writers paired with two bottles of wine from Francis Ford Coppola Winery and a booklet featuring themed recipes, playlists, author bios, interviews and more. Designed for wine and book enthusiasts, Books & Bottles is the ideal gift for hosts who want to design the perfect book club night or an evening home alone.

I was able to sample the inaugural Books & Bottles quarterly and it was truly an enriching experience. The featured book, I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around, is a warm comic novel by USA Today best-selling author Ann Garvin. Along with a booklet of recipe pairings, music playlists, and discussion topics, the book was also accompanied by a delectable bottle of Rosso & Bianco and Votre Santé. Not only do I think a wine-book club is utter genius, I also was blown away by the attention to detail in the created experience. The Francis Ford Coppola Winery has taken every care to harbor a truly enriching cultural experience by pairing their wine expertise with a literary partnership. It makes the simple act of drinking a glass of wine into an existential moment of growth and awakening that is hard to match. In summary, the Books & Bottles package was literally the coolest wine initiative I have ever seen.

Luckily, you can get in on this amazing book club. Each Books & Bottles shipment costs $49 and will be available for purchase online here. So who will you be inviting to join you in a little sipping and reading?

For more sipping ideas, visit my ‘Drinks’ section here!