HO HO HO: 12 Days of Books and Bottles!

Happy Holidays! In honor of the beloved song Twelve Days of Christmas, we’re bringing you something a little different: Twelve days of books and bottles! For the first twelve days of December, we’ll be giving you gift recommendations for the various types of people in your life. These recs can turn into gift baskets that we help you curate, or can be the stand-out item that your loved ones rave about for many holidays to come. 

Day 1 - The Thrifty Friend

Big Thrift Energy by Virginia Chamlee (Retail $29.95)

We all have that one friend that loves to thrift—and they’re good at it, too. They find the best statement shirts, the coziest sweaters, and the funkiest vases. Big Thrift Energy by Virginia Chamlee is the perfect gift for your thrifty friend. It gives you advice for every step of your shopping—including how to prepare before you ever walk into a store. There’s also advice that guides you to the best stores and Flea markets in the U.S. And, perhaps the most important lesson for the thrifter: When to say no.

 Champagne Laherte Freres Rosé de Meunier Extra Brut (Retail $68)

Speaking of funky vases, your thrifty friend also likely enjoys repurposing items. The Champagne Laherte Freres Rosé de Meunier is beautiful inside and out. It’s 100% Meunier with the perfect blend between fruit, complexity, structure, and freshness. It’s organic and biodynamic and is produced utilizing different vinification techniques which make it really unique. This bottle will look lovely in your thrifty friend’s home before and after they drink it. They might even repurpose it to hold flowers or a candle once they’ve enjoyed what’s inside.

Day 2 - The Music Enthusiast

The Beatles: Get Back by The Beatles (Retail $60) & Dickens and Prince by Nick Hornby (Retail $18)

Let’s take your music lover back to their roots: The Beatles and Prince, baby! Some things never get old, and these two books revere the greats in a way your music enthusiast is sure to appreciate. The Beatles: Get Back is the band’s authorized account, in their own words, of the creation of the 1970 album Let It Be. It contains everything from candid photographs to transcribed conversations. Dickens and Prince analyzes a surprising but somehow obvious pair: Charles Dickens and Prince. Their two legacies are linked in creative electricity as well as many other shocking parallels. It’s a book full of the flamboyance, discipline, and soul it takes to produce great art.

Domaine du Granit Les Garants Vieilles Vignes 2019 (Retail $45)

This wine is both expansive and traditional—like all great musicians. It comes from the fourth generation of winemakers in this domain, giving it all of the qualities one wants in a Beaujolais. They’re mixing modern techniques with old vinification methods passed down from parents and grandparents. It’s a fresh expression on violet and black cherries with elegant, strong tannins. For the music enthusiast, drinking this gamay would be like listening to their favorite album for the first time: Immaculate, reverent, classic.

Day 3 - The Playful Friend

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Retail $28)

This is a book about friendship, love, video games, and storytelling. It’s for gamers in the way that it shows the development of video games from the 90’s to now. But for those who don’t game, it demonstrates how gaming is all about world-building. And, more importantly, connecting with others in a very human way. The friendships forged throughout the book are complex and messy. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a house favorite here at Book + Bottle. It also happens to be our February Fiction Book Club pick! So you could even gift your playful friend the experience of reading this phenomenal book and joining us on the last Thursday of February to discuss.

Claus Preisinger Puszta Blanca! White 2021 (Retail $30)

The Puszta series from Preisinger is an ode to delicious, drinkable wine that doesn’t take itself so seriously—perfect for your playful friend. Based on the old field blend model, this crispy, slightly floral wine is juicy, bright, and ready to meet you on your porch. The drinker will enjoy notes of golden apples, lime zest, apricot, and marmalade. It’s an exciting Austrian blend with an easygoing goal. I imagine drinking this wine during a game night with friends or on the beach.

Day 4 - The Niche Nerd

Mary Roach - Grunt ($16.95), Bonk ($16.95), Six Feet Over (16.95), Gulp ($15.95)

Mary Roach’s work is many things, but it certainly isn’t boring. For the most curious, niche nerd in your life, Mary Roach presents essay collections that hone in on very particular subjects. For Grunt, it’s the science of humans at war. For Bonk, it’s the curious coupling of science and sex. In Six Feet Over, science tackles the afterlife. And Gulp—perhaps the most niche of them all—explores the adventures of the alimentary canal. But what really makes Roach’s work shine is its ability to provoke wit and humor with every sentence. It will make you laugh out loud, ponder the world’s big—and small—questions, and expand your palette for knowledge. If you have a nonfiction reader you want to impress, any essay collection by Mary Roach is sure to do the trick.

Gonc Winery Anna Rosé 2021 (Retail $20)

And now moving on to a different variety of niche nerdiness: cork dorks. We like to think every rosé in the shop rises to the occasion, but if you want to gift someone a beautiful bottle of rosé—at a great price—the Gonc Winery Anna Rosé 2021 is a winner. It’s Slovenian, which automatically lends it a hand at intrigue. It beams with both minerality and salinity while also expressing high-toned aromatics. These aromatics are what northeast Slovenia is known for, especially from the fourth-generation winemaking family that produces this wine. It’s a natural wine and a blend: 50% žametna črnina, 20% pinot noir, 20% pinot grigio, and 10% blaufränkisch. You’ll get notes of strawberry, raspberry, pomegranate, and watermelon. 

Day 5 - The Horror Fan

White Horse by Erika T. Wurth (Retail $27.99)

Of course, we have to include the person in your life who enjoys being haunted. This angsty narrator is the same way: a lover of Stephen King novels and wearer of ripped jeans. Kari James is an urban Indian living a monotonous life until her sister finds an old family bracelet. This bracelet conjures her mother’s ghost along with a mysterious entity that escapes Kari’s control. Thus, Kari is forced to unravel her mother’s past through people who are either unable or unwilling to help her. It’s a page-turning tale that covers Indigenous culture, hauntings in their truest form, and dysfunctional relationships. Gift White Horse to someone who’s read a lot of horror and is looking for something new.

Domaine Du Clos Des Fées Les Sorcières Rouge 2018 (Retail $30)

Our witchy wine sommelier, Heide, loves wicked red wine. The Les Sorcières Clos des Fées is a selection of old Grenache and Carignan from 80-year-old vines, then blended with Syrah from younger 25-year-old vines. Aging in stainless steel vats on fine lees creates this red with maximum drinkability: explosive fruit, delicate tannins, and a silky finish. You’ll get notes of blackberry, blueberry, smoke, and earth while feeling like you’re flying away on a broomstick. It’s the perfect concoction to drink while watching a favorite horror movie.

Day 6 - The Prestigious Friend

The New York Times Book Review: 125 Years of Literary History Edited by Tina Jordan with Noor Qasim (Retail $50)

If you know someone who drips with prestige—they are highly revered in their field and have high respect for history—we’ve found the perfect book for them. The New York Times Book Review is the longest-running, most influential book review in America. This collection preserves its legacy: the strangest, funniest, and best work from the last 125 years. It’s a representation of how literary tastes have changed over time while also supplying insight into what we read today. Within is a plethora of photography, letter exchanges, and outstanding reportage. Gift this book to someone dedicated to celebrating the finer things in life, like great literature.

Bernard Fouquet “Cuvée De Silex” Domaine Des Aubuisières Vouvray 2020 (Retail $25)

Nothing screams prestige like wine from Bernard Fouquet. A quiet-spoken man, Bernard Fouquet is making some of the most serious Vouvray of the last few vintages. He’s now regarded in France and the international press as one of the top three Vouvray producers. Vouvray is Chenin blanc that specifically comes from Vouvray, Loire Valley, France. This particular Vouvray has notes of tropical fruit, green apple, flint, and a touch of sweetness. It’s a great white wine for the winter season and is sure to impress your prestigious friend.

Day 7 - The Romantic

Vladimir by Julia May (Retail $27) & Jacket Weather by Mike DeCapite (Retail $16.95)

We’ve got two books for two different kinds of romantics. Vladimir is for the romantic who loves complicated relationships and literary writing. It’s an incandescent debut about a marriage that once condoned extramarital activities, but is now on the brink. The narrator navigates charged territory and sees just how close she can get to fire without being burned. Jacket Weather is for the romantic who finds love when it’s least expected. In this book, the two characters meet in their twenties and reunite ten years later. It’s a dizzying, all-consuming love with a glowing nostalgia for the present. Vladimir will satisfy an obsessive affection; for Jacket Weather, a worldview-shaking one.

Breathless Méthode Champenoise Brut (Retail $30)

In tune with the name of this exquisite sparkling wine, the romantic in your life spends much of their time searching for moments that will take their breath away. The Breathless Méthode Champenoise Brut is the perfect wine to pair with those moments. It’s golden in color with a firm mousse and has a lively, refreshing quality. Demonstrating a moderate weight, it remains fresh in the glass and finishes stony and dry. Pinot noir, chardonnay, and pinot meunier—the three main Champagne grapes—are used to create notes of apple skin, pear, mango, and brioche. You’ll enjoy a traditional pallet that will leave you feeling wistful.

Day 8 - The Plant Lover

Plantopedia by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan (Retail $45) & Houseplant Oasis by Melissa Lo (Retail $36)

Your plant lover is probably a pro at keeping green things alive. Or, they love plants but feel too nervous to jump in as a caretaker. Either way, we have two books that are perfect for the plant lover at any stage of their journey. Plantopedia acts as a definitive guide to houseplants. It offers more than 130 plant profiles with beautiful pictures. Additionally, you’ll gather a plethora of troubleshooting tips and tools to keep them healthy. Houseplant Oasis is more about cultivating an inspiring green space. You’ll learn how to style plants in your home and maintain the perfect conditions to keep them thriving. There’s nothing like gifting your plant lover a green thumb!

Liquid Farm Mourvèdre Rosé 2021 (Retail $32)

The Liquid Farm Mourvèdre Rosé is a California wine with a lot of personality; it’s a plant lover’s dream! This producer gives us wine from the happy canyon of Santa Barbara, a region known for its transverse valley and crisp, cool climate wines. It’s 100% Mourvedre and gives notes of red plum, apricot, and minerality. Picture the Liquid Farm rosé as a picnic sipper: out in nature on a beautiful, sunny afternoon. As a crisp, clean, and refreshing wine, drinking it feels like taking a big breath of fresh air. 

Day 9 - The Wellness Advocate

52 Ways to Walk by Annabel Streets (Retail $24)

Self-help books are always a great gift for your favorite wellness advocate. This particular wellness book channels an important type of thought-provoking evidence; it couples the science of walking with different routines. For example, walking before you eat breakfast lowers your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Or, strolling amongst the trees helps you sleep better at night. It encourages people to regard walking as a versatile tool. And, it’s wellness that requires nothing more than your own two feet—simple and effective!

Andrian Somereto Chardonnay 2019 (Retail $24)

This dreamy Chardonnay is a fan favorite in our shop. Fermented in stainless steel with six months on the lees, it's soft, floral, and pretty. The wellness advocate in your life will enjoy this because it’s fresh and leaves you feeling like you’re walking on sunshine. It has all the qualities you want from an Alto Adige D.O.C., Italian white: crisp, cool climate, and high-elevation wine. You’ll get notes of tropical fruits and ripe bananas with a fresh, acidic finish. Our favorite way to describe this wine is “like a cloud!”

Day 10 - The Genius

To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara (Retail $32.50)

The genius in your life has likely been looking for a book that will challenge them; this bold, brilliant novel is sure to do exactly that. Moving from 1893 to 1993 to 2093, an alternate version of the United States grapples with many things, including the elusive promise of utopia. Each century holds its own power struggle, categorized by one family that experiences everything that makes one human. To Paradise can be considered a work of emotional genius, the type of work that channels something visceral and true within all of us. 

Mary Taylor Marine Descombe Beaujolais-Villages 2020 (Retail $20)

Marine Descombe is a fifth-generation female winemaker. She and Mary Taylor are two women who we would absolutely call geniuses in the wine world. This particular wine is a textbook blue stone Brouilly-style Beaujolais-Villages. It’s a traditional, one-of-a-kind Gamay with tasting notes of black cherry, cranberry, strawberry, cassis, and smoky earth. You can pair this beautiful, affordable Beaujolais with food or savor a glass at the end of a productive day.

Day 11 - The History Buff

Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and the Great Environmental Awakening (Retail $40)

Written by bestselling author and acclaimed presidential historian Douglas Brinkley, this book chronicles an interesting time in history. The Long Sixties (1960-1973) were a time when a resilient generation saved the natural world under the leadership of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon. The history buff in your life will salivate at the sheer breadth of this book’s knowledge. It pays tribute to a number of key activists while highlighting every obstacle they faced. It also functions as a reminder that a new generation of twenty-first-century environmentalists can save the planet from ruin.

Barton & Guestier Cremant de Bordeaux Brut (Retail $25)

In 1725, Irishman Thomas Barton settled in Bordeaux to start his company, Barton & Guestier, which is today the city’s oldest winehouse still in activity. This is a soft wine with a creamy mousse. It’s a substance that is as rich with history as it is flavor. The light apple flavors are perfumed with an attractive aftertaste of acidity and spice. You’ll also get notes of white flesh fruits, citrus, brioche, and vanilla from this blend of cabernet franc and semillon. 

Day 12 - The Witchy Friend

Brujas: The Magic and Power of Witches of Color (Retail $26.99)

There is a new kind of witch emerging in our cultural consciousness: the bruja. The bruja is made up of Afro-Caribbean immigrants, Indigenous Americans, and other witches of color. They work to reclaim their ancestral traditions while contributing their voices to the feminist witchcraft of today. Part memoir, part ritual guide, this witchy book is one of our favorites in the shop; we had a workshop with the author on how to build an altar back in October. It was an empowering experience, one that taught us that witchcraft is an enduring movement. If you’re looking for a fun, interesting gift, this book is perfect!

Chateau de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet Rouge 2019 (Retail $34)

Your witchiest friend probably loves superb concoctions of every kind. This Cotes du Rhone is a blend of grenache, mourvedre, syrah, and cinsault. It has a deep color and is made from organically grown grapes. The complex nose offers notes of ripe fruit, spices, and flowers. Full-bodied and balanced, the palate is delicate with magnificent aromas of cherries, plums, licorice, and a long finish. Drink now or hold for the next decade and it will be a fabulous witchy wine.