Thank you NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail for the eARC in Exchange for my honest review!

Hazy, hedonistic, reckless, debauchery, excess, decadence, uninhibited, bacchanal

This is one of those books where the less you know going in, the better.

First half had its ups and downs. Second half had me so engaged I didn’t want to put it down! It was confusing at times as it skips around from person to person and scene to scene especially in the beginning. It starts to take off and become less meandering and more focused in the second half.

Explores each person, watching them as if you’re lounging on a slow, summer day overtaken by heat and alcohol numbing your mind to feel fuzzy! Which made the story feel almost like a fever dream for the reader. Each character has flaws and secrets revealed through the course of the holiday. 

The book also explores the privilege and darker side of the wine industry. With commentary on the old vs the new, alcoholism, snobbery (I guess; or how closed off certain parts of the industry are for majority of the population), and the sexism that’s faced by female somms. This is especially evident through Avery who is a Black woman in a largely white and male industry.

I enjoyed the lyrical prose and provocative imagery. The novel is filled with similes and metaphors to create a vivid setting and occasionally thought provoking sentimentality.

The title is accurate; everyone is drinking often and to excess. Overall I enjoyed my time with it and the second half definitely redeemed the book! I’d recommend if you want a meandering story that is purely vibes and would make Dionysus proud