Bookworm x Westside Wine Bar x The Thinking Spot
Uncorked Book Club at Westside
September 21: “The Soul of an Octopus” by Sy Montgomery
You’re Invited
Join us for a lively conversation about books, wine, and how pairing the two can elevate our enjoyment of both. At this relaxed book club, we’ll discuss a work of story-driven nonfiction or science-forward fiction and sip on a wine selected specifically to pair with the book’s themes and ideas. Joining me to guide the discussion will be Rima Parikh, founder of The Thinking Spot, a Wayzata bookstore with a curated selection of science-themed nonfiction and fiction for adults and children.We meet every other month on Mondays, 6-7:30 pm, at the Westside Wine Bar in St. Louis Park. Tickets cost $21 and include one glass of wine. Sandwiches, snacks, and additional wine pours are available for purchase.
The Uncorked Book Club at Westside is a collaboration between myself, Westside Wine & Spirits, and The Thinking Spot. Our 2026 schedule: September 21, The Soul of an Octopus; November 16, Exit Party. Attendees receive a 10% discount on book club purchases at The Thinking Spot and on retail market and liquor store purchases that night at Westside.
June 1, 2026: “A Marriage at Sea” by Sophie Elmhirst paired with Allan Scott Sauvignon Blanc 2025
The Book: British couple Maurice and Maralyn Bailey long to escape their “affluent, though mundane” lives. And so, they sell everything to buy a 31-foot sailboat, and in 1972, set off for New Zealand. The two successfully navigate the Atlantic, but early into the journey across the Pacific a whale strikes their boat and sinks it. They will spend a grueling 117 days adrift in an inflatable life raft. At the heart of this true story is not only a fight for survival, but the evolving relationship between two people forced to confront unimaginable hardship.
The Wine: A refreshing, fruit-forward Sauvignon Blanc from sustainably-farmed vineyards in Marlborough, New Zealand. Cool fermentation in stainless steel heightens aromatic intensity. Tropical fruit, citrus, herbs. 12.5% ABV. Bottled in recycled glass. Family-owned estate.
Why it works: The sea, its currents, and its creatures play a central role in Maurice and Maralyn’s story. And the ocean (combined with other factors like latitude) helps create ideal growing conditions for Sauvignon Blanc – a cool to moderate maritime climate – in New Zealand. In this wine, find brightness and intensity to match Maralyn’s unfailing optimism. She never doubts that the couple will survive.