Pairing Pages: Online Literary And Wine Events
Nothing beats winding down an evening with a good book and a glass of wine so we thought we’d play on this idea by pairing wine experts with established and debut authors to launch a series of online events. From red-wine thrillers to pink-fizz summer sizzlers, books set in exotic places paired with wines from that region, or simply identifying accompanying beverages based on themes, topics and passages, our wine experts will find the perfect pairing. Authors are provided with the wines of the evening and together the host and author read, drink and discuss.
This is a creative, cross-promotional activity which was established by Naomi Bacon and Clare Malec, two influential creative talents managing companies in the publishing and wine worlds. The objective of Pairing Pages is to reach a wider, overlapping audience on both sides, bringing together the wine and book industries. From a more mature male audience, to young women and Gen Z, we’ll ensure the beverage of choice is paired with the perfect book and demographic.
We are not restricting this exciting initiative to just wine and can pair books with the trendiest beverages (eg. sherry/ wine in a can/ non-alcoholic alternatives, to name just a few), to target the perfect demographics.
Each event is supported by:
Publisher channels
Author channels
Wine expert channels
Wine sponsor
Tandem Collective channels (newsletter, social media and website)
Media Outreach in the book and wine trades, including media kit, bespoke press releases and book/beverage mail out
A weekly competition to win the book and bottle
And if this wasn’t enough, we’ve just launched our very first Pairing Pages Readalong, with the wine pairing at the heart of the creative challenges and online wine tasting moments planned as part of the reading schedule.
Past Pairing Pages Events
Watch all our Pairing Pages events on YouTube.
Book: We Are Not Like Them
Authors: Christine Pride & Jo Piazza
Host: Aleesha Hansel
Wine sponsor: Journey’s End (South Africa)
In our first ever Pairing Pages event, we paired wines from South Africa's Journey's End vineyards with We Are Not Like Them, a novel that touches on themes of friendship and racism with grace and honesty. Red Wine Magazine critic Aleesha Hansel interviews author duo Christine Pride and Jo Piazza about the logistics of co-authorship, getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, and the hope that their book inspires meaningful conversation.
Book: The Maid
Author: Nita Prose
Host: Susy Atkins
Wine sponsor: New York Wines
Telegraph wine columnist Susy Atkins curates wine pairings and conversation to celebrate the most talked about debut of the year, The Maid by Nita Prose. Susy and Nita sample New York Wines as they discuss the coworking politics of Nita’s Grand Regency Hotel, inserting a comic vein into distressing scenes, and speculating on the future of The Maid’s title character.
Book: Are We Having Fun Yet?
Author: Lucy Mangan
Host: Helen McGinn
Wine sponsor: Bouvet Ladubay
Author Lucy Mangan is joined by Helen McGinn, author of the award winning blog The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club. Helen pairs wines from Bouvet Ladubay with Lucy’s outrageously funny book, Are We Having Fun Yet?, in which protagonist Liz faces all the storms of modern life (babysitters, death, threadworms) on her epic quest for that holy grail: a moment to herself. Helen and Lucy discuss kid-free gyms, the unforeseen benefits of working from home in lockdown, and recognizing your own hard work and accomplishments.
Book: The Secrets of Sainte Madeleine
Author: Tilly Bagshawe
Host: Libby Zietsman-Brodie
Wine sponsor: Louis Jadot
Wine consultant Libby Zietsman-Brodie pairs wines from Louis Jadot with author Tilly Bagshawe’s sweeping, multi-generational saga, The Secrets of Sainte Madeleine. Tilly speaks to Libby about her return to writing about families and legacy after publishing thrillers and romances and enthuses with Libby about the idyllic draw of wine vineyards.
Book: The Summer Fair
Author: Heidi Swain
Host: Susy Atkins
Wine sponsor: Ramon Bilbao
“I have packed every bit of summer in as I possibly could have, so it doesn't matter if it's showery outside, you've got summer in your hand."
Telegraph wine writer Susy Atkins sits down with Heidi Swain to discuss The Summer Fair, Heidi's latest tale from the fictional town of Nightingale Square. Accompanied by decadent pairings from winery Ramon Bilbao, Susy and Heidi talk summer escapism, plants boosting mental health, and embracing relationships during lockdown.
Book: Young Women
Author: Jessica Moor
Host: Aleesha Hansel
Wine sponsor: Bodega y Veñedos Catena
Wine magazine critic Aleesha Hansel returns to Pairing Pages to sit down with author Jessica Moor and discuss Jessica's new release, Young Women. Aleesha shares her clever pairings of wine from Argentinian winery Bodega Catena Zapata as Jessica speaks about the intensities of female friendship and learning to disagree (again).
Book: Sun Damage
Author: Sabine Durrant
Host: Amelia Singer
Wine sponsor: Mouton Cadet
Wine Show TV presenter Amelia Singer is joined on screen by Sabine Durrant to discuss Sabine's latest release (and evidently her most fun book to write!), Sun Damage. Amelia curates wines from top French producer Mouton Cadet, to match themes from the book, echoing Sabine's stunning depictions of the south of France. Find out why Amelia burned through Sun Damage in two days flat as Sabine reveals her fascination with people who infiltrate places they do not belong, the joys of writing about food, and how she would prefer her books to be labelled (hint: NOT as thrillers!). Sun Damage is an addictive and fast-paced psychological thriller exploration of secrecy, deception and vulnerability.
