I was solicited several months ago by a media agent who wished to send me one of her client’s books to promote on my blog, along with a Q&A from the author. She was enthusiastic about its fit for my blog, claiming that the book discussed the wine industry.

As I prohibit myself from readying any books or materials other than those related to my exam during my study period (January -June), I asked her to send me the book, which I would review after my test. My plan was to read it on the plane the morning after the exam.

The book was written by Meg Cabot, who built much of her writing fame on The Princess Diaries series. However, this book was written for a slightly more mature audience, with most of the characters having just recently graduated from college. Since my own 15th year college reunion has just come and gone, I felt a little weird reading about such a young cohort, but I pressed on.

By page 75 or so, there was no indication that this book had anything to do with wine, but I gave Meg the benefit of the doubt and continued reading. In fact, I read the entire book, and having done so, for one to say that this is a  book about the wine industry is a real stretch. The latter half of the book does take place at a chateau in Sarlat, France, where the owner has a vineyard and makes both still and sparkling wines, but this is merely a backdrop to the real story. Other than our heroine’s brief visit to the cellar for a tour and barrel sampling and a second visit (spoiler alert) to have sex on top of one of those said barrels, wine does not figure prominently in this book other than to be served at the weddings hosted at the chateau.

I will attribute the error to an overzealous press agent, but she should really be more careful about the claims she makes regarding her authors’ books. As for our author herself, setting the castle and its vineyard in Sarlat is an odd choice. Sarlat is located within the Dordogne region of France, which is known for its Armagnac (type of brandy), truffles and foie gras, not for still wines. While I don’t doubt that you can find several non-Armagnac vineyards in the area, they are limited at best. The proprietor’s focus on sparkling wine, however, is not that far-fetched given that the high acidity prized in grapes destined for Champagne is also a hallmark of the grapes prized for Armagnac and both regions have similarly chalky soils, which promote the retention of high acidity. Finally, I will note that having visited the town of Sarlat some years ago, it is quite picturesque and, vineyards or no vineyards, I would highly recommend a trip if you get the chance.