Wine blogger, Alexa Ferra, and book aficionado, Maritza Lacayo, have partnered up to bring us Pouring Over Pages, a unique Miami wine podcast with a literary pairing. We recently connected with Alexa to give us all the details on why they chose wine & books, and where you can meet this dynamic duo.
Tell us about Pouring Over Pages.
Pouring Over Pages is a podcast of words and wine that we started in August 2021. We get lit on literature while diving into pop culture, wine, and current events. The goal of this wine podcast is to use books and bottles as a catalyst for conversation.
How did you two get started building a podcast?
Maritza has always loved books. She reads one every week or so. I’ve been diving into wine the past few years with my own wine blog, Alexa’s Wine Diary. We had always wanted to work on a project together, and even mentioned starting a podcast, but we didn’t know exactly what the topic would be. One day during the summer of 2021, I was nearing the end of a wine bottle when the idea hit me—we should pair books and wine! We quickly rallied a logo, a discussion format, books, wine, and the rest was history.
How does a wine podcast bring together the perfect literary pairing?
Maritza begins with the book. She picks books that are topical or pegged to an upcoming theme—like Women’s History Month, for example. We also try to look for diverse authors to highlight.
Then, I come in with the wine. After reading the book, I think about my angle—am I going to take some cues from the location, the main character, themes, etc.? For example, in episode 13, we paired The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris with McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic Rosé. The main character was in a toxic work environment with a female archnemesis, so I decided to juxtapose that with a wine brand that was all about female empowerment and inclusivity. Once I pick a wine, I source it, and we record.
What is your upcoming event in Miami?
We are hosting Books & Books’ next Winedown Wednesday in Coral Gables. On March 23 from 6-8pm, you can stop by the bookstore to mix and mingle with us and fellow bibliophiles over music, happy hour specials (buy a bottle of wine at full price and get the second bottle 50% off), and a curated book selection highlighting titles we’ve featured on the podcast. It should be a great time! Tickets are free, and you can RSVP here.
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