Bookworm, Issue 3

The Book: Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 classic thriller Rebecca famously opens, “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again,” introducing us to the splendid Cornish seaside estate where the novel takes places and priming our imagination for the mystery and terror that will unfold. Filled with valuable art and furnishings, lush gardens and servants, Manderley looms large throughout the book, and as it turns out, the perfect wine pairing comes from an old-world, famous wine region that is also near the sea. As you read, be aware of du Maurier’s beautiful sensory prose when she describes Manderley – we’ll use many of these same senses to discover hidden nuances to this elegant and complex wine.

But first, let’s begin with our story, Rebecca.

From the outset du Maurier lays the groundwork for readers that some terrible and frightening things will happen to the narrator, the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter, but the plot twists are imaginative and entirely unexpected. The narrator is shy and young, working as a companion to a snobbish American woman, when she meets and quickly marries Maxim de Winter. He’s at least twice her age and grieving the death of his first wife Rebecca, a beautiful, talented and much-adored socialite.

While the narrator is deeply in love with Maxim, she doesn’t quite believe him when he proposes. She says “I’m not the sort of person men marry.” She thinks he is asking because he pities her. She worries, “He had not said anything yet about being in love. Just that we would be married. Short and definite, very original. Original proposals were much better. More genuine. Not like other people…Not like him the first time, asking Rebecca.”

And so begins the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter’s obsessive comparison of herself to Rebecca. 

The newlyweds return to the de Winter estate, Manderley. The housekeeper Mrs. Danvers clearly dislikes the new bride and remains openly devoted to Rebecca. The narrator (readers never learn her first name) feels isolated and small in the eyes of the household staff and curious neighbors who come to call. While Rebecca has been dead for a year, she still haunts Manderley – in her untouched rooms, the unaltered household routine, her elegant handwriting in the guest book. The second Mrs. Maxim de Winter fears she will never measure up. “I could fight the living but I could not fight the dead,” she says.

Du Maurier constructs the story from inside the narrator’s head so convincingly that readers do not consider alternative perspectives. We believe what the narrator believes. Her imagination shapes how she perceives herself and how she thinks others perceive her. And so, when Maxim’s sister tells her “you are so very different from Rebecca,” she assumes she has fallen short of expectations.

The suspense unfolds amidst du Maurier’s darkly beautiful descriptions of the Cornish countryside and the Manderley estate. Her writing exploits all the senses. Readers smell, hear, see, taste and touch Manderley – experiencing the “eternal roll and thunder and hiss” of the sea, the “ancient mossy smell” in the library, and the wall of “blood-red” rhododendrons along the drive to the house. Manderley is enchanting, but also menacing: “When the leaves rustle, they sound very much like the stealthy movement of a woman in evening dress…and the mark in the gravel the imprint of a high-heeled satin shoe.” With senses heightened we are carried along by the narrator’s unchecked rumination as she uncovers Manderley’s secrets.

And when those secrets are revealed, they’re grim and unsettling. In the end du Maurier solves the mystery, but she does not provide emotional closure. Upon finishing the novel, many readers will feel a complicated array of emotions. Perhaps relief, possibly satisfaction? Or sadness, dismay, and even horror? Readers will need to decide for themselves who has won, who has lost and was it worth the cost.

The Wine: Chateau Tournefeuille, 2020, Lalande-de-Pomerol, Grand Vin de Bordeaux, $35

This wine is deep ruby, almost purple, with medium (+) intensity on the nose. Fruity aromas of ripe black cherry, blackberry, jammy strawberry, currants and fresh black plum abound, while herbaceous notes of green bell pepper and jalapeño, plus black pepper, anise and a hint of vanilla, add intrigue.

It is a medium-bodied, dry wine with high alcohol (14.5% ABV), medium (+) acidity and medium tannins that are smooth and controlled. It has medium (+) intensity on the palate with flavors consistent with those on the nose, but with even more pronounced pepper and spice. The wine has a pleasant, medium (+) finish. 

This is a balanced and complex wine that delivers a wonderful surprise – while the nose exhibits distinct fruity aromas, the palate reveals pronounced pepper and spice. It’s absolutely delicious!

This wine is fermented in concrete tanks and aged for 12-14 months in 80% new French oak. It is estate grown and bottled. The hillside vineyard is just outside the famous wine-producing appellation of Pomerol on Bordeaux’s right bank. Chateau Tournefeuille benefits from terroir similar to that of Pomerol, so this wine is an exceptional value.

The wine is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Decant for at least 30 minutes, preferably a bit longer, and serve at around 60 degrees F.

I want to give a shout out to my friend Horacio @sommnow for recommending and procuring this wine. Horacio is a sommelier and WSET Level 4 diploma candidate who curates specialty cases of wine for home delivery in almost all 50 states. He created a survey to assess your tastes (It’s fun, try it here.) and uses the results to assemble a case of different wines you’ll surely love.

Why the pairing works:

After marrying Maxim de Winter, our youthful narrator finds herself the mistress of Manderley, an elegant seaside estate in Cornwall, England. Our pairing is inspired by this mansion and its expansive gardens and grounds because du Maurier’s vivid descriptions of Manderley further intensify the suspense throughout the novel.

Given Manderley’s opulence and awe-inspiring reputation, we go to Bordeaux, France, one of the world’s most famous fine-wine producing regions, to find our perfect pair. Historically, the British aristocracy has consumed huge amounts of Bordeaux from many of the most highly regarded chateaux. Wines from these chateaux are status symbols, just as Manderley is to the de Winter family and to all who reside in the nearby countryside.

But because the second Mrs. de Winter has a humble, middle class background, our wine from Chateau Tournefeuille comes from a vineyard that is not in, but adjacent to, some of the most prestigious estates. It is an example of an outstanding wine at an attractive price.

Du Maurier’s descriptions of Manderley are very sensory, especially when she writes about smell. Maxim describes the intoxicating aromas of rose- and lilac-filled vases around the house. The narrator recalls the scent of the sea and wet earth, the sweet and strong smell of crushed azalea petals. “Colour and scent and sound, rain and the lapping of water, even the mists of autumn and the smell of the flood tide, these are memories of Manderley that will not be denied.” Of our five senses, smell is the most important when tasting wine, so spend some time evaluating the aromas in this complex wine.

And, just as du Maurier foreshadows the shocking things that will unfold, this wine, too, offers us an element of (pleasant) surprise. On the nose it’s primarily fruit-driven, with only hints of pepper and spice, but on the palate those non-fruit flavors prevail.

As a final note, if you’re short on time but want to enjoy this enchanting wine with the story, I recommend watching the film Rebecca that Alfred Hitchcock directed in 1940. It won an Academy Award for Best Picture.