The Book

Meet Asterios Polyp: middle-aged, meagerly successful architect and teacher, aesthete, and womanizer, whose life is wholly upended when his New York City apartment goes up in flames. In a tenacious daze, he leaves the city and relocates to a small town in the American heartland. But what is this “escape” really about? Let’s dive into this graphic novel named after this complex character to find out.

The Wine

It may not surprise you to learn that the name “Asterios Polyp” is Greek. Therefore, I chose to pair this month’s text with a Greek varietal that I have fallen madly in love with as of late. There are plenty of other Greek varietals, but for the sake of dipping our toes into Greek waters, I felt it would be best to stick with one of their most well-known varietals. The style is called Assyrtiko (ah-sear-tee-koh) and, although it grows all over Greece, the most impressive region is on the breathtaking island of Santorini.

Assyrtiko is a white grape that imparts bright notes of lemon, pineapple, fennel, and even cream and baked pie crust. If that doesn’t sound like the perfect Mediterranean treat in a glass, then I don’t know what does. Enjoy one or all three of these Assyrtiko wines from GWCSanto Wines, and Domaine Sigalas, and familiarize yourself with one of the oldest wine regions in the world. Your palate and your pocketbook will be glad you did.

$ GWC | Assyrtiko | NV
$$ Santo Wines | Assyrtiko | 2019  
$$$ Domaine Sigalas | Assyrtiko | 2020

Free to join and open to all!

About Reading Cru

What do we read?

Our club curator selects a range of literature, both fiction and nonfiction

What do we drink? 

Three suggested wines that pair with the book based on themes and flavors.

What & where do we meet? 

Join us virtually the last Sunday of each month at 5pm via Zoom or Google Meet.

October 25, 2020 @ 5:00 pm
5:00 pm — 6:00 pm