Wine fiction is a beautiful way to inspire your wine travel and deepen your knowledge of wine. This guide to the best wine fiction is based on my experience and research.
Wine fiction is a way to enjoy wine, travel, and storytelling from around the world. You can put yourself in the shoes of wine families, merchants, and others who bring wine to life. Wine fiction is also an excellent gift for wine lovers and a way to get excited about wine travel or wine tour things to do.
As a general rule, there are a few different kinds of wine fiction. Some novels feature wine, vineyards, and related themes as a central concern. Others involve wine as a secondary concern. You can find historical wine fiction and modern stories. Whatever you are in the mood for, you can find wine fiction to fit your mood. If you are looking for gift suggestions for the wine lover in your life, pay close attention to the “Who Should Read It” section next to each book.
Wine Fiction Set In France
Wine fiction set in France and involving French wines are my favorite kind of wine fiction because my wine passion started in France.
1) A Good Year by Peter Mayle
- Amazon Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2005
What It’s About:
An Englishman inherits a vineyard in France from his uncle, moves to France, and discovers the vineyard isn’t quite what it appears.
Who Should Read It:
If you’ve ever read one of Peter Mayle’s books about living in Provence (e.g., “My Twenty-five Years in Provence: Reflections on Then and Now,” which I read earlier this year), then I recommend this book. The novel is an easy read, and I enjoyed how it used the “fish out of water” (i.e., an Englishman moves to France) idea. I also immensely enjoyed the romantic and mystery elements of the story. The movie “A Good Year” makes quite a few departures from the book (#TheBookWasBetter).
2) The Vintner’s Daughter by Kristen Harnisch
- Amazon Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2014
What It’s About:
Set in the Loire Valley 1895, this wine novel takes you on a journey from France to America. The Amazon description makes it quite appealing: “This riveting tale of betrayal, retribution, love, and redemption, Kristen Harnisch’s debut novel immerses readers in the rich vineyard culture of both the Old and New Worlds, the burgeoning cities of late-nineteenth-century America and a spirited heroine’s fight to determine her destiny.”
Who Should Read It:
This wine novel is a good pick if you’re looking for historical fiction that stars a female lead. The trans-Atlantic travels might also appeal to readers looking to explore the wine world of France and California (and even decide when to visit wine country).
3) The Lost Vintage by Ann Mah
- Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2018
What It’s About
Set in Burgundy, Kate returns to her family vineyard and decides to enter the wine profession by passing the Master of Wine Examination. There’s more to the story, including secrets dating back to the Second World War.
Who Should Read It
The Lost Vintage is a good pick for wine lovers who are particularly passionate about Burgundy (and California, where part of the story is also set). The novel is also an exciting exploration of France during the German occupation. It is a mystery in terms of plot, so be prepared to stay up late reading this one.
4) The Little Vineyard in Provence by Ruth Kelly
- Amazon Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2019
What It’s About:
Frustrated about her dead-end job, debts, and a failed marriage, Ava receives life-changing news. She has inherited a vineyard in Provence. She moves to Chateaux Saint Clair and starts a new chapter of her life.
Who Should Read It
The premise is similar to “A Good Year,” so if you enjoyed Mayle’s books about Provence, Kelly’s novel is well worth a look. However, “The Little Vineyard in Provence” is different in several years. Published in 2018, it will feel more contemporary compared to Mayle’s older novel. In addition, you get to experience Provence through the eyes of a female protagonist. Some reviewers have described it as an escapist beach read, so keep it in mind as you plan a wine trip.
5) Treachery in Bordeaux by Jean-Pierre Alaux
- Amazon Rating: 3.1 out of 5
- Publication Year: 2012
What It’s About
There’s a mystery involving one of the most famous Bordeaux wineries: Haut-Brion. Have the wines been neglected or sabotaged? As the Amazon description puts it, “Grab a glass of your favorite Bordeaux and delve into a world of money, deceit, inheritance, greed, and fine wine.” The novels have also been adapted for TV in France! Exciting!
Who Read It
Treachery in Bordeaux is focused on Bordeaux and takes a deep dive into the wine industry. I would recommend this book to three kinds of readers. If you are particularly interested in the Bordeaux wine region, it is a good pick. It is also a good pick for people who like the mystery and detective genre. Finally, the novel features the wine industry directly rather than outsiders who fall into the industry.
Unlike the other wine fiction we’ve looked at, this novel is part of a long series of novels known as The Winemaker Detective. As of today, there are fourteen novels in the series!
Wine Fiction: Novels In Napa And California
California wine country is well regarded around the world, and several novelists have explored the region. It may not have the same history as Europe, but there are still many exciting stories to tell.
6) Sideways A Novel by Rex Pickett
- Amazon Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2004
What It’s About:
You’ve probably heard of the movie “Sideways” (it is one of the movies profiled in Best Wine Movies On Netflix). But have you read the novel? I confess that I haven’t read the novel yet, but I like the look of it. I’d love to go on a seven-day tour of California wine country, just like the characters in the novel.
Who Should Read It:
Fans of the movie “Sideways” will probably enjoy the movie. If you are thinking about planning a wine trip to California, let this novel inspire you. Maybe you will even develop a passion for Pinot Noir! It is one of the best novels to making the first trip to Napa.
7) Nose: A Novel by James Conaway
- Amazon Rating: 3.6 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2013
What It’s About:
The story of wine critic Clyde Crave-Jones, a wine critic, finds his way into a major scandal. This book is set in northern California, contrasting movies like Netflix’s “Wine Country.” It’s a story about the big egos that dominate the wine world.
Who Should Read It:
This wine novel is a good choice for people curious about the details behind the world’s wine reviews and critics. The professional wine world relies on secrets and mystique to a degree, and this novel imagines more about what is happening behind the scenes.
Published in 2013, it also offers a fun perspective on California wines. The author has previously published other books about wine like “Napa: The Story of an American Eden” (2002) and has contributed to significant travel magazines like Gourmet and National Geographic Traveler.
8) The California Wife by Kristen Harnish
- Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2014
What It’s About:
The novel is a sequel to “The Vintner’s Daughter” profiled above. Set in 1900 California, you’ll discover how a family faces the threat of Prohibition and phylloxera (a blight that destroyed many wines).
Who Should Read It:
California wine only started to become well known and appreciated after World War 2. This novel offers a glimpse at the origins of California winemaking and explores related themes like the role of women in a changing world. For readers looking for a historical fiction romance centered on California, this novel is for you.
Wine Fiction Set In Italy
Italy has an ancient wine traditions going back thousands of years, so you have plenty of options for wine fiction set in Italy. Oddly, I found that there seems to be much more wine fiction set in France than Italy. The large number of wine books set in France is one reason why French wines are expensive.
9) Root Cause by Steven Laine
- Amazon Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2019
What It’s About:
A globe-trotting winemaker comes home to Italy to find out that phylloxera, the pest that devastated 19th-century European wines, is back. The threat threatens to destroy much of the world’s wines unless Corvina can find a way to stop the threat and discover the cause of the threat.
Who Should Read It:
Set in Italy, this novel is a good pick for Italian wine lovers. Also, this novel brings the thriller genre to the wine world. Imagine losing the world’s wine and having to solve that challenge on a terrifying deadline. Kirkus described the book as “an entertaining, wine-soaked mystery.” Further, this novel helps us imagine what wine makers in the 19th century must have felt when phylloxera threatened to obliterate European wine.
10) A Long Finish by Michael Dibdin
- Amazon Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2009
What It’s About:
Join a long-running series of crime novels that follow Italian detective Aurelio Zen. Set in the Alba, the son of a prominent winemaker is charged with murder. Will he get out in time to save the upcoming vintage?
Who Should Read It
Do you love the murder mystery genre? This is the novel for you! You’ll find your way into a mystery set in Italian wine country. It’s also interesting to see this novel go beyond Tuscany, the Italian wine region that tends to grab most of the headlines in modern pop culture. Give this novel to a friend who sings the praises of classic Italian wines like Barolo. Published in 1998, it’s also fun to enter a world that is still modern yet different (i.e., no smartphones!).
11) The Winemakers: A Novel of Wine and Secrets by Jan Moran
- Amazon Rating: 4.5 stars out of 20
- Publication Year: 2020
What It’s About:
“Napa Valley, 1956: Winemaker Caterina Rosetta and her widowed mother Ava harbor family secrets and face threats that could ruin their family winery.” A wine mystery that takes you across the world to unravel a family drama.
Who Should Read It
Published in August 2020, this book is one of the newest works of wine fiction to come out. You’ll get to see Ava navigate the world of 1950s winemaking in Napa and travel to her family’s wine inheritance in Italy. This is a good pick for a reader who enjoys relatively modern historical fiction, Napa and Italian wines, and a determined female protagonist.
Wine Fiction: A Splash of Wine In The Story
So far, we’ve covered novels where wine is a central element. For this final section, let’s open up our criteria to look at stories that mention wine, even if it is not a central concern. Many titles could fit into this broad category. I will limit it to a recent book and an older book. Most of these novels feel like excellent reads as the global pandemic is starting to end.
12) A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towse
- Amazon Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
- Publication Year: 2019
What It’s About:
Following the Russian Revolution, a Russian Count is sentenced to house arrest in an upscale Moscow hotel. As the years unfold, Rostov makes a living in the hotel serving guests and sharing his wine knowledge with them. Rostov sees Soviet politicians come and go; he gains a unique perspective on the private leaders of the people leading the Soviet Union.
Who Should Read It
Published in 2016, this novel was inspired by the intriguing question of imagining what it is like to live in a luxury hotel. Whether you’re interested in the allure of life in Moscow in the Soviet era, this novel is a great read. Imagine if you needed to reinvent yourself, and you couldn’t go outside? That’s the challenge that “A Gentleman in Moscow” plays, and wine is a supporting actor in this exciting story.
The novel has also earned positive reviews and recognition, including becoming a finalist for the 2016 Kirkus Prize in Fiction & Literature. There have also been reports that an adaptation of the novel starring Kenneth Branagh is in the works. Bill Gates has also given a positive review for the novel.
13) The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
- Amazon Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5 (i.e., The Sun Also Rises: The Hemingway Library Edition)
- Publication Year: 1926
What It’s About:
In the aftermath of the First World War, finding purpose in life was complicated. Follow a group of young expatriates who party in France, travel to Spain, and try to come to grips with life.
Who Should Read It
Published in 1926, this classic Hemingway novel brings to the 1920s when American and British expatriates explored Europe. Their adventures and misadventures throughout the story often involve more than a bit of drinking. The novel was adapted for film in 1956 in a movie that starred noted actor Errol Flynn.
Prefer To Watch A Wine Movie Instead?
Depending on your mood, you might prefer a movie or documentary instead. Not sure what to watch? Check out “Best Wine Movies On Netflix: 10 Must-See Films” for recommendations. In future articles, expect to see reviews and discussion of wine books covering history, tasting, and much more.
