Book clubs aren’t just about discussing the latest bestseller or old-school classic; they’re about spending quality time with friends. So pay some attention to what you quaff while talking novels What’s a good drink for when you’re talking about books? Photograph: Getty Images/Image Source Book clubs aren’t just about discussing the latest bestseller or old-school classic; “My book club only reads wine labels,” goes the slogan on innumerable bags and aprons, and it’s true: book clubs are as notorious for boozing as for literary deliberations. But what do, or should, they drink? I hosted a combined wine-and-book-club session at a friend’s house a few weeks ago, to see if I could find out if there was a perfect book club wine. Like most such groups, I’d guess, it was composed of mums who weren’t averse to a glass or two on a night out. My idea was to help them identify the wine style they liked best. The most popular wines – and I imagine this would be true of any group of youngish women – were a picpoul, a Loire sauvignon blanc, a rioja and a malbec (all were sourced from Majestic).

More divisive were a chardonnay, an Australian riesling (even though it was outstandingly good with an Asian-style salad that our hostess had whipped up) and a fruity beaujolais. Much of this, I suspect, was to do with the fact that none of these were perceived as particularly cool wines to be seen drinking. In hindsight, we should have tasted them blind. There are practicalities, too. You don’t want to get stuck into a 15% abv red if you want members to stay awake or avoid them getting garrulous, argumentative or weepy about a recently departed ex. Similarly, you don’t want wines that are too acid, funky, oaky or sweet (unless it’s prosecco, which seems to be universally popular). So I would play safe and keep things affordable. Crisp Italian whites such as gavi and fiano should go down well, plus they sound a lot more enticing than pinot grigio. Aldi has a classy-looking, fresh-tasting Gavi in its “Exquisite Collection” (£5.49; 12% abv), while Tesco’s Finest Fiano (13.5% abv), a smooth, Sicilian white, now comes in a 1.5-litre bag-in-box format for £10.49, although it still works out marginally cheaper by the bottle (£5.49);

Tesco’s Picpoul (£7.99; 12.5% abv) from the same range is good, too. Asda stocks a couple of well-priced French wines under the La Maison Elyse label that would suit a tight January budget: the zesty La Maison Elyse Sauvignon Blanc Colombard 2013 (£4; 12% abv) should please Kiwi sauvignon blanc fans, while the ripe, juicy Cabernet Shiraz 2013 (£4; 13% abv) should keep red wine lovers happy. Finally, if you feel your fellow members might be suffering from the January blues, how about a bottle of the Co-op’s Pic St Loup Rosé 2013 (£6.99; 13.5% abv)? wooden wine boxes to buyIt might not live up to its hyperbolic Truly Irresistible billing, but it’s an appealing pale dry rosé that should appeal to lovers of Provence rosé. top 10 italian white wineNot that I’d go so far as to read Peter Mayle with it…top wine regions in usa

How to Host a Book Club Party You've gathered your closest friends and chosen your favorite books -- now it's your turn to host the next book club meeting. Whether your book club meets weekly or monthly (or somewhere in between), we have the best tips and tricks for when it's your turn to host, including themed meetings, recipes, and more. Everything In This Slideshow Basics for a Book Club Party Book club parties are a good way to get friends together and have great discussion over appetizers, drinks, or brunch. good wine online couponWhether your book club is a few close friends or a larger group, hosting a book club party still takes some amount of planning. food and wine magazine best new york restaurantsFood, seating arrangements, and discussion questions are just some of the things that should be taken into account when you're the host. wine for cats news

On the next slides, see our tips for hosting a party, designing the invitations, choosing the book, and picking a fun theme. Step 1: Choose the Book Club Book When choosing book club books, it's important to make sure they're ones most everyone can agree on. At the very first meeting, come up with a list of 20 books based on suggestions from each group member and distribute it to everyone. The host of the next book club will pick one from the list. the drinks business top 10 wine brandsTo get ideas for your book list, look up book reviews for books on bestseller lists, or see if your local library has a list of recommendations.best white wine for summer party Editor's Tip: After the book is chosen, go online and look for discussion questions. where to buy wine in quebec city

Sometimes, the book publisher includes them at the end of the book or has a link to resources online. If there are no ready-made discussion questions, ask everyone to come up with at least one or two talking points before the next meeting. Step 2: Choose the Book Club Host There are several options for choosing the first host (and subsequent hosts) for a book club party. The same person can host every time and have different people bring appetizers and small dishes for each meeting, or a different person can host every time. At the first meeting, put everyone's name on a slip of paper and put it in a bowl to choose the next host at random; the person drawn will host the next meeting and get to choose the next book. The host can decide whether to have the book club party at her house or at a separate venue, such as a restaurant or a coffee shop. Editor's Tip: If you decide to host the next meeting at a restaurant, be sure to call ahead and make a reservation, especially if the venue has a private meeting room that you can reserve.

Make a Bookmark Book Club Invitation Mark the date of the next book club party as well as your spot in the current book with this fun bookmark invitation. Type the party information (host's address, date and time of the party, and what people should bring) in a column and print on cardstock. Cut around the text to make a strip (perfect for a bookmark) and cut two slits in the top and bottom of the strip. Thread a separate strip of patterned paper through the slits, and tie colorful ribbon at the top to finish the bookmark invitation. Place it in a larger envelope to mail or simply hand out to group members. Book Club Tip: No Cell Phones Allowed To keep conversation and discussion about the book flowing, have everyone switch their cell phones to silent mode -- or turn them off completely -- and put them in a basket in the center of the table. This simple step before you get started will help everyone get engaged in the book discussion. Continue to the next slides for book club theme ideas.

Book Club Party Theme: Wine and Spine There's nothing better than having a book club discussion over a few glasses of wine with your closest friends. Easy appetizers work best for this book club party theme, so we've chosen a few of our favorite cheesy bites to get you started. Plus, check out our tips on how to pair wine and cheese -- and get a free guide to print. Get our free guide to pairing wine and cheese See our complete guide to white wine See our complete guide to red wine Gorgonzola & Pear Focaccia Baked Mozzarella and Tomato-Basil Antipasti See more warm and cheesy appetizer recipes Book Club Party Theme: Book Club Bucket List If you want to set a challenge for your book club group, pick your books from the BBC's Big Read Top 100 list. The list, which can be found in many different places online, contains classics, such as Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and To Kill a Mockingbird, along with newer bestsellers, such as the Harry Potter series, The Time Traveler's Wife, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.