What if a book could find the right wine to accompany it? This is the idea behind the Pairing Boxes from Wine & Books Club, a new experience from Wine & Books Hotels that brings together, in a single box, a work by a Lusophone author, also available in English translation, and a Portuguese wine carefully selected to complement its story.
More than a combination of two products, the Pairing Boxes embody a concept that has been at the heart of Wine & Books Club since its creation: bringing literature and wine together, discovering the points of connection between what we read and what we taste.
Every month, Wine & Books Club presents a new pairing. Literary curation is currently led by writer Maria Francisca Gama, author of works such as “A Cicatriz” and “Filha da Louca”, while Bento Amaral, one of Portugal’s leading voices in wine, selects the Portuguese wine to accompany each book.
“More than a combination of two products, each pairing seeks to establish a relationship between what we read and what we taste. The characters, places, atmosphere or themes of a work can find a correspondence in the grape varieties, aromas, origin or personality of a wine, adding a new dimension to the experience of both,” comments Joana Saraiva, Board Member of the PBH Group.
This curation now takes on a new dimension through the Pairing Boxes, available in Portuguese and English and designed to be discovered during a stay at Wine & Books Hotels, taken home by guests as a souvenir of Portugal or given as a gift to someone special.
Among the pairings currently available are “A Boneca de Kokoschka” by Afonso Cruz, accompanied by Chocapalha Vinha Mãe 2017; “Puro” by Nara Vidal, with Kopke Tawny 10 Years; “O Avesso da Pele” by Jefferson Tenório, with Quinta de Arcossó Rosé; “Todos os Livros que Devoraram o Meu Pai” by Afonso Cruz, with Arvad Negra Mole Tinto 2024; and “Eliete” by Dulce Maria Cardoso, accompanied by Lacrau Field Blend.
With more than 20 pairings already presented by Wine & Books Club, the experience can go even further: any of the book and wine pairings previously recommended by the Club can be ordered as a Pairing Box.
The initiative therefore extends the philosophy of Wine & Books Hotels beyond the stay itself: introducing Portugal through its stories, authors and wines, while creating new ways to discover and experience Portuguese culture.
Price per box: €70
Available at Wine & Books Hotels in Porto, Lisbon and the Algarve, and also available for home delivery.
From the box to the live experience
On 22 October, from 5pm to 7pm, the concept comes to life at Wine & Books Hotel Porto, with a Pairing Session featuring the Wine & Books Club curators.
Throughout the event, excerpts from some of the works selected by the Club will be read, accompanied by tastings of the wines chosen for each one. The programme will also include other cultural moments, in a relaxed and sensory gathering designed to explore the connections between literature and wine.
Participation costs €25 per person or €50 including a Pairing Box, available at a special price exclusively during the event.
Reservations: reception@porto.wbh.pt
INFO: winebookshotels.com