Sip of the Day

The tales in “Reality and Other Stories” are spooky. You’ll feel a vague sense of unease that something is off while reading, and then author John Lancaster ends each story with a sinister surprise twist—often not until the very last sentence. They are just right for Halloween! I paired his book with a delicious volcanic red from the slopes of Mt. Etna, Sicily: Feudo Maccari Contrada Santo Spirito Animardente Etna DOC. Why? Because grapes growing in the sinister shadow of a volcano is definitely a surprising twist of viticulture. The wine is as highly satisfying as the stories; every sip is delicious, with refreshing acidity and bold tannins, plenty of red plum fruit, black raspberry, and hints of flowers, pepper, and graphite.