2021 Summer Reading List
There is nothing quite like reading in the summertime, belly-down on a sunbaked dock or reclined on a blanket in the welcomed shade of a leafy tree. Celebrate the dog days of summer with one of these fatcork selected summer reads—and while you’re at it, stay cool with a chilled bottle of bubbles. We hope you have many delightful afternoons reading and sipping.
Step 1: Chill your Champagne.
Step 2: Grab a crunchy snack, and one of these fatcork selections at the library or your local bookstore.
Step 3: Park your bum, pop that bottle, and crack that book.
Chronicles for bon viveurs & francophiles
The Drink: Didier Ducos Pétale de Rosé
Raspberry tones with gold reflections dazzle as you hold your glass up to the light. It's luxurious and creamy on the palate with fresh notes of wild strawberries, cherries and a hint of green herbs, followed by floral aromas of peony and wilted roses. This is the perfect light and quaffable back-porch pounder as you read your book at the edge of the garden.
The Read: A year in Provence - Peter Mayle
An honest, witty, and ridiculously charming tale of food, wild weather, and life at a much different pace. Live vicariously through Peter Mayle's autobiographical digest of him and his wife’s move from England to a 200-year old farmhouse in the southern countryside of Provence, France.
Fruitful & fun for the fond-of-fiction bookworm
The Drink: Vadin Plateau Intuition Premier Cru
Are you Alice in wonderland? Or asleep just under a tree? In the glass, shimmering chrome-colored beads dance upward and catch your eye. Aromas of fresh hay, brioche, and jasmine flower reel you in. The palate is all white flowers, zippy meyer lemon freshness and lively acidity. Every sip like the last page of your book—you never want it to end.
The Read: Dandelion Wine - Ray Bradbury
Dive into this novel that commemorates the routines of small-town America and the simple joys of timeless summer; “green apple trees, mowed lawns, and new sneakers. Of half-burnt firecrackers, of gathering dandelions, of Grandma's belly-busting dinner—sorrows and marvels and gold-fuzzed bees.”
Tantalizing summer romance for the bold and scandalous
The Drink: Mathieu-Gandon Rosé de Saignée
Ripe red and black-skinned fruit is first on the nose. You'll notice a shocking fuchsia in the glass, with a deep sanguine core. It's voluptuous on the palate with seductive strawberries and a twist of piercing acidity. A sip of this while you read is sure to keep you on your toes.
The Read: Bonjour Tristesse - Françoise Sagan
French for “hello, sadness.”—A complex coming of age tale of a young woman's anguished venture to comprehend and control the world around her. Promiscuity, the casual amorality of youth and it’s tragic consequences are depicted beautifully with a raw tone cynical of disillusionment, rooted in reality of the author’s own young life.
Thought provoking novella for deep thinkers
The Drink: Alexandre Lenique Secret de Famille
This cuvée is pale yellow in the glass adorned by pretty green glints. The effervescence is steady and calm. A fresh and intense bouquet of vibrant spring lilies of the valley and acacia is followed by lemon zest. The balance of fruit and minerality is precious and the long-lasting acidity speaks boldly of its chalky terroir. Yellow apple, honeysuckle, and slippery salinity coats the insides of your cheeks. Grated ginger and fresh squeezed citrus are precise and focused, but the rich and weighty body leaves your palate confused yet satisfied—just like one of these thought-provoking novels.
The Read: The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
An observation of both adult’s inability to perceive “important things” and the enlightenment of children. Dressed as a children’s book, this novella is both a dichotomy and harmony of loneliness and friendship, and the vital power and beauty of love and loss necessary for understanding life and all its pieces.
Light, juicy read for the wine nerds
The Drink: Etienne Calsac L'Echappée Belle Extra Brut
A beautiful expression of the clay-limestone and chalk soil where it comes from. Gilded gold in the glass with brilliant clarity that speaks of freshness to come. Yellow apple, fresh grass, and mineral notes on the nose—delicious scents of summer. On the palate, tart lemon, perfectly ripe pear notes are followed by a hint of brioche. These balanced bubbles are easy to crush, much like a page-turner of a book.
The Read: Wine: All the Time: The Casual Guide to Confident Drinking - Marissa A. Ross
Contributing editor and official wine columnist for Bon Appétit magazine, Marissa Ross dishes go-to strategies for picking out wine for your dinner parties and making it feel effortless.
Cheers!
Team fatcork