The Shadow of the Wind and Rioja Reserva
The Shadow of the Wind
Carlos Ruiz Zafón, 2001
Rioja Reserva
Rioja, Spain
A book lover’s mystery, with a wine aged as patiently as an old library.
Why it works
Zafón’s gothic Barcelona — the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, the rain-slick streets — calls for one of Spain’s great classics. Rioja Reserva must be aged for at least three years, at least one of them in oak barrels, before release.
The result is mellow and savory: dried cherry, vanilla, tobacco and old leather, like a fine bookshop in liquid form. It is a superb partner for a long evening with a book about the love of books.
Also try
A Ribera del Duero Crianza for a bolder Tempranillo.
In the same spirit
Pride and Prejudice
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A Moveable Feast
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A café carafe of Paris, hungry and happy.