Episode 97: Beer & Bread & Butter

Welcome to Meeples & Wine, the podcast of board game reviews for couples, with a drink in hand! I’m Michael and I’m joined by Suzy. Today we are balancing our pallets and our game boards with a “harmonious” pairing.

The Wine: Bread & Butter California Red Blend

We aren’t overthinking it today! Our pick is the Bread & Butter California Red Blend, a classic everyday red that’s all about relaxed vibes.

Unraveling the Mythos with Meeples & Wine

Hey board game lovers! Welcome back to Meeples & Wine, your podcast for couples’ board game reviews with a drink in hand. We’re your hosts, Michael & Suzy, and this episode we’re diving deep into a world of Lovecraftian mystery, monsters, and madness!

What We’re Sipping

Today, we’re getting cozy with a glass of Witches Brew Mulled Wine from Leelanau Cellars in Northport, Michigan.

Meeples & Wine: A Tactical Sip and Battle

Hey there, friends! It’s Michael and Suzy, your hosts of Meeples & Wine, the podcast where we review board games perfect for couples, with a drink in hand to keep things fun. We love hearing from you, so drop us a line at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn, or leave a voicemail at (707) 572-5282 or via our Speakpipe.

Also we’ll be at Lodge Con on November 1st! It’s at Will County Fairgrounds Atrium
710 S. West St., Peotone Illinois!

...

First things first—what’s in the glass? We cracked open a bottle of Junmai Ginjo Super-Premium Sake, aka TYKU Black from the TY KU Sake Brewery. Brewed in Japan and bottled in Ewing, NJ (fancy, right?), this bad boy clocks in at 15.5% ABV with a 60% polish ratio—meaning they’ve shaved down the rice to unlock those silky flavors. We’re talking rich texture, hints of natural sweetness, peach, and vanilla on the nose. Over 200 flavor components and higher amino acids make it a killer white wine stand-in.

Pairing-wise? Oh man, it’s perfect for full-fla...

Borsao Selección Blanco is a delightful blend of Chardonnay and Macabeo grapes. The Chardonnay brings bright, fruity aromas, while the Macabeo provides structure and body. To preserve its vibrant fruit character, the wine is aged briefly, fermenting in French oak barrels.

The Macabeo grape, also known as Viura, is a versatile white wine grape found on both sides of the Pyrenees in Spain and France. Its flavor profile is quite dynamic; when harvested early and aged in stainless steel, it can be fresh, floral, and aromatic. However, when harvested later and aged in oak, it develops a...

Welcome to Meeples and Wine! Your podcast of board game reviews for couples, with a drink in hand!

This week we’re playing Radlands by Roxley Games, a two-player only card game that pits you and your opponent as rival gangs in a post-apocalyptic world! Drawing from the same deck, you’ll defend your three camps with people ranging from the super accurate sniper to the lowly punk (though, remember, PUNKS ARE PEOPLE TOO!) Find synergies and combos to do damage and eventually destroy your opponent’s camps, while launching your raiders to do direct attacks! You can fi...

This week we play PandaSaraus Game’s “Sea Salt & Paper” a nice relaxed set making game with some fantastic aquatic origami images with Sea Glass Winery’s Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc. Lately we’ve been playing some serious “take that” games like Smash Up, we take a 180 turn with Sea Salt & Paper, where you gather shells, octupi and other sea life to gather points to win. But be careful, if your opponent thinks they’ve got more points they can declare “Last Chance” and put all their (and your) points on the line!

We’re tasting Sea Glass winery’s Central...

Welcome to episode 80! This time around we’re playing the deck-drafting game Smash Up! by Alderac Entertainment Group. This 2-4 player game pits all the teams that you’ve wanted to see fighting against each other to lay claim to bases to score 15 victory points to win. Have you ever wanted to play Zombie Truckers, Kung-Fu Sheep, or Robot 70’s Vigilantes? All possible in Smash Up!

This episode we’re also not tasting a wine, but a cocktail, the Whiskey Smash (see the connection?) This simple cocktail with only a few ingredients, whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup and mint...

Happy New Year and welcome to 2025! For our first show of the year we taste Ménage à Trois – Northern Seduction Red Blend, and play Summoner Wars! This hearty red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah has some intense tobacco and leather notes on the nose with a solid dark cherry flavor, some tartness and a mild tannin at the end. We also talk about our play-through of the Vanguard vs Fallen Kingdom in Summoner Wars.

We’re also going to be at the Midwest Gaming Classic again this year! You can find more info on this great gaming...

Meeples & Wine: Buffy and the Devil’s Cellar!

Welcome back to Meeples & Wine, where Michael and Suzy bring you the latest in board game reviews for couples—alongside a delicious glass of wine! In this episode, we dive into the world of both vampire slaying and Chilean wine. We’re tasting Casillero del Diablo’s Cabernet Sauvignon, known for its bold cherry and blackcurrant notes with a hint of vanilla, perfect for pairing with grilled meats and mature cheeses. With medium body and marked tannins, this wine unfolds a story as rich as the legend behind its name: “T...

Hello, Meeples and Wine listeners! This week, we sunk our teeth into The Hunger, a vampire-themed deck-builder by Richard Garfield. In the game, you play as vampires hunting humans to gain points, but there’s a catch: you need to make it back to your castle before sunrise, or you’ll burn to ash! It’s a fun push-your-luck experience where you must balance collecting points with your race against time.

We paired the game with a bottle of Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, which was a solid hit with its smoky, oaky flavor and rich notes of plum and mo...

In this episode, we review Fire Tower and taste Toasted Head 2022 Chardonnay, along with the Last Call Kickstarter “Wild Imaginary West”.

00:00 Welcome to Meeples and Wine
00:24 Meet Your Hosts: Michael and Susie
00:47 Contacting Meeples and Wine
01:02 The Voicemail Debate
02:13 Today’s Game: Fire Tower
02:39 Wine Tasting: Toasted Head Chardonnay
08:41 Fire Tower: Game Overview
12:04 Fire Tower: Game Mechanics
16:42 Fire Tower: Strategy and Gameplay
21:04 Fire Tower: Special Cards and Roles
22:25 Winning Strategies for Shadow of the Wood
22:47 Champion of the Wood: Special Abilities
23:34 Fire Tower: Rising Flames Expans...

This week we review Unexpected Games’ 3000 Scoundrels, a futuristic wild-west shootout of bluffing and misdirection! In this game you and up to three more of your friends play rival leaders vying to gather as much of the technology left behind by the mysterious “Traveler” who has just disappeared. Gather your posse together by joining the trait and transparent job cards to create new Scoundrels to hire, will you have a Corrupt Printer, Filthy Dog, or Helpful Banker? Play your poker hand to gain cash, scout the tech loaded safes, and then steal them, but be careful, if you get caught...

This week Michael and Suzy play the second game from their Kozz games Kickstarter, Dark Tomb: Bloodthorn Island! It’s the follow up to the first game, Crypts of Aurelian. This time around, though, it’s got a BOAT! We also taste The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc, a 100% Sauv Blanc from New Zealand!

Be sure to check out our Kickstarter Last Call, Imperial Borders, HERE!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a...

This week we take a look at the first game from our recent Kickstarter purchase from Kozz games, Dark Tomb: Crypts of Aurelian, a “super portable” tabletop game (think Altoid’s tin-ish) where 1 to 5 players descend into the tombs to reclaim the Amulet of Fire to save Gorriah! It’s got all the cubes you want, and a multiple play-through setup so no two games are the same!

Along with this we’re tasting Chronic Cellars Suite Petite, another suggestion from our wine department friends at our local Binny’s. It’s a Petite Sirah, one of Michael’s favo...

Hello and welcome back to everyone! This week Michael and Suzy are tasting a yuzu fruit sake cocktail mixing Zipang Sparkling Sake and Joto Yuzu Sake, a suggestion that we got from Susie and Tim, wine consultant and manager respectively, from our local Binny’s Beverage Depot out in Geneva, IL. Spoilers, there was nothing left by the end of the show…also, we are in no way sponsored by Binny’s (yet.)

We also play Shinobi Wat-ahh! A hand management/worker placement game from Iello Games out in France! Play an aspiring lord who is vying to tak...

We’re back and this week we’re reviewing Rocket House Games‘ Potion Panic a frantic race to become the Alchemist a la Mode by completing potion recipe’s components, smashing vials to get more cards in your hand or to deny your opponents those super valuable crystals! Ten crystals gets you the Philosopher’s Stone, which wins you the game and grants you powers beyond explanation in the next game (well, there is a card that explains them…). How does Potion Panic rate on our Fun scale? How does is rate on our Couch Score (how likely it is for Micha...

Solo Game Exploration and Beer Tasting: ‘Onirim’ and Two Brothers Imperial Stout

Onirim: A Dreamy Solitaire Adventure

Introduction

This week I’m reviewing Onirim, a solo/cooperative card game where you navigate a mysterious labyrinth as a dreamwalker. You must escape before your dream time runs out by finding the eight oneiric doors.

Gameplay

Onirim is a set collection and deck-building game. You have a hand of five cards and must match sets of three to unlock doors. However, there are challenges:

In this episode of ‘Meeples and Wine’, hosts Michael and Suzy kick off the New Year by reviewing board game ‘Tiny Epic Dungeons’. The couple highlight the high replayability, short playtime, and high strategy of the game, despite its challenging learning curve. Michael and Suzy also mention a Kickstarter game they found interesting, ‘The Last Lighthouse’. They celebrate the return of their podcast after a hiatus and introduce their new sponsor, Manscaped. The hosts also enjoy Apothic Red wine, describing it as a good everyday wine to have on hand for casual meals like burgers and pizza.

Please give...

Welcome to Meeples and Wine Na Pod Pomo 2023, hosted by Michael and Suzy, where they review board and tabletop games for couples. They explore how well games play with two players, their fun factor, complexity, and whether they might “destroy the marriage.” Each episode also includes a thematic wine, beer, or drink tasting to accompany the game.

Exploring ‘Take That’ Games and Related Mechanics: From Munchkin to UNO Flip

In this episode of ‘Meeples and Wine’, Michael explores the popular board and tabletop game mechanic known as ‘Take That’ or ‘Screw Your Neighbor”. They discuss games including ‘Mun...

Welcome to Meeples and Wine Na Pod Pomo 2023, hosted by Michael and Suzy, where they review board and tabletop games for couples. They explore how well games play with two players, their fun factor, complexity, and whether they might “destroy the marriage.” Each episode also includes a thematic wine, beer, or drink tasting to accompany the game.

Board Games Review: Exploring Set Collection Games with a Focus on ‘Point Salad’

In this episode of ‘Meeples Wine Na Pod Pomo 2023’, Michael reviews set collection board games with focus on the game ‘Point Salad’, launched by AEG in 2019, involve...

Deck Building Games, sometimes known as Card Drafting, is a game mechanic where players take turns selecting cards from a common pool. The cards that are available change each round, as players take cards and pass the remaining cards to the next player. This creates a dynamic and interactive game experience, as players must carefully consider their own picks and how they can deny their opponents the cards they want.

Simple strategy for card drafting games

Hello there married (or in a relationship) gamers! This week we’re diving into the fantastical world of the Dragonrealm card/dice game by Gamewright. Join me, Michael, and my wonderful wife Suzy as we gather our adventurers play our enhancements, fight our way through goblins and landslides as we claim our territories in this card and dice game.

But that’s not all! As we explore the Dragonrealms, we’re sipping on Dragon’s Milk Tales of Gold beer, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to our gaming experience. (at least for Michael…) If you’re a married/re...

Welcome to another exciting episode of Meeples and Wine! Join Michael and Suzanne in this episode, where we delve into the world of dark humor and indulgent sips as we review the Horseshoes and Handgrenades Red Blend wine and the captivating card game, Gloom by Atlas Games.

Our wine adventure takes us to Southern Oregon and Red Mountain Washington, where Maison Noir Wine’s Horseshoes and Handgrenades Red Blend awaits. This fruit-driven, full-bodied delight is a complex fusion of Oregon Syrah, Washington Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The result is a rich, ripe, and voluptuous blend that tantalizes th...

Hey there, fellow adventurers! Welcome to another exciting episode of “Meeples and Wine” Today, we’re delving into the magical world of Dungeon Mayhem, a thrilling card game brought to life by the creative minds of Jordan Comar and Roscoe Wetlaufer, with stunning illustrations by Kyle Ferrin. But that’s not all; we’re also uncorking a bottle of the enchanting “Girl and Dragon” Malbec from the heart of Mendoza, Argentina. So grab your dice and pour yourself a glass, as we embark on this thrilling quest!

First things first, Dungeon Mayhem brings an epic battle to your tabletop...

Welcome to the bloodiest of our shows so far! We’re tasting Pernod Ricard Lillet Rouge, a French fortified wine that can be drunk as an aperitif or as a mixer in such beverages as the Vesper Martini and the Corpse Reviver #2! We chose this one due to it’s being a favorite drink of a certain literary character that segues nicely into the game of the week! (Listen to find out this one!)

Out wandering the streets one night we came across a game store that we had not visited before, Treasures in Naperville! This fine esta...

This week we get our wands out and DUEL! It’s time for Renegade Game’s Duel of Wands, a wand combat game based in the Kids on Brooms world, a collaborative RPG where witches and wizards in training at a magical school where anything could happen! Promising theme, sounds like something that could make a popular movie or book series, someone should get on that.

We’re also tasting Broken Brix‘s PB&J Mead, made locally in St. Charles, IL, and also where we buy our brewing equipment for our first batch of Blueberry Mead! If you’r...

This week we’re getting QUANTIUM! We’re playing Bezier Games’ Cat In The Box, a trick taking card game where you both know and don’t know the cards in your hand until they’re played. We also taste Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon, which is now number one for the most aggressive wine label we’ve seen.

We’ve also started up a Vivino account, and will be adding all the wines we’ve tasted, you can find our profile HERE!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meep...

Howdy pardners! Welcome to the Weird West, where the Reckoners are comin’, that there mad scientist down the street has some real odd noises comin’ from his barn, and tumbleweeds can actually kill ya! Sorry, tumblebleed’ll kill ya! Yes, welcome to the world of Doomtown: Reloaded a living card game by AEG where you face off as one of four starting factions. Will you play the Law Dogs, the (more or less) good guys who keep the peace here in the town of Gomorra or will you face off against them as the Sloane Gang, and take over the to...

Suzanne and Michael are back from attending Polar Vortex! We had a great conversation on two player games with Graham from Fair Game and picked up The Fox in the Forest from Renegade Game Studios and Cat in the Box from Bezier Games! We got a hand painted dice tray from Joe Abboreno, check out his stuff on the shop on Threadless! Also check out the cool crocheted plushies and bags from Candi Coated Creations!, like the super cute Futurama brain slug!

We’ve also played the two-player trick-taking game Foxes in the Forest for this week’s sh...

It’s episode 29, almost to the end of #NaPodPoMo, and we’re sending Love Letters to Batman! This show we’re talking about “Papa’s Game”, the trick taking game that Suz’s dad loves and loves to change the rules on. Also, Michael is sipping Tuaca, while Suzy pounds down a tall glass of NyQuil! The game of the show is Batman Love Letter, that reskinned version of the original Love Letter with all your favorite villains and heroes!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmai...

Welcome to almost the end of the #NaPodPoMo month with episode 28! This time it’s Michael rolling solo one last time, with only 2 shows left to go before midnight! It’s a nail-biter of will they/won’t they?! He’s tasting Bell’s Black Hearted Ale, a darker than sin, IPA that in all honesty he didn’t think that he would enjoy, spoilers. He’s talking about the card game Brawl from 1999, a “A real-time card game of brawling martial artists.” where you’ve got everything from goth-waitresses, to catgirl fighters all going at it in a free for all fight t...

Hello and welcome to Meeples & Wine number 26! Only four left for #napodpomo, which would be awesome if we actually had 4 days left! This show we have Daughter “first out of the gates” Katie, who’s joining Michael in talking about her favorite games for playing with the family. (This is also her first podcast hosting experience!) We’re tasting Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer, it’s a NA drink that has nothing to do with any Wizarding World out there. The game of the day is Anomia, a fast moving card game where things that you could have totally recalled a moment a...

Hello and welcome to episode 25! Tonight Michael is going it alone, and tasting Unicorn Fight Club from Mill Stream Brewing! The game of the day is Welcome to the Dungeon from Iello Games!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to 

https://www.speakpipe.com/MeeplesandWine or call at (707) 572-5282!

You can also check out our quicklinks page! https://podcast.show/meeplesand...

Welcome to episode 21! Tonight on the closing of Thanksgiving, we’re resting in our turkey comas have put away all the leftovers and are enjoying a nice hot mug of cider. What’s in that cider, you may ask? Well we’ve got Plantation Original Dark Rum and Old Granddad’s Bonded Bourbon, both worthy additions to a apple-y nightcap!

We’ve also got some Twitter chatter with Dave Z ✶✶✶✶ Beer In Front Podcast (@BeerInFront) and F**k My Work Life (@fmwlpod) on making beer, Malort or White Claw gummies!

The question of the day is “What are the b...

Welcome to episode 20, where we try 3 Floyds Daiquiris and kittens in blenders for dessert!

Wait.

Let me rephrase. Welcome to episode 20, where we drink 3 Floyds Barnabus Lime Daiquiri (still not as good as a Hemmingway), and talk about the card game Kittens in a Blender and what are the best Thanksgiving desserts! Much better, kinda.

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to  Duration: 00:22:01

Tonight we discuss tabletop games that have a theme of food! Thanksgiving is just a couple days away and we’ve gotten our baking needs bought, well, except for heavy cream. I don’t care if it’s grass fed, organic, only got sun from the west, the name of the cow was “Loretta”, I’m not paying $6.50 for a pint of cream. – Michael. We’re sipping Chaucer’s Mead (with the spice bag) hot tonight, so we’ll see where that takes us, it’s from Bargetto Winery by the way. But on to the games! Food themes is where we’re at, and...

Welcome to Meeples & Wine! Tonight Michael and Suzy talk about Flat Top Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2018, a light “not as citrus as they describe” wine that still was pretty good. We also talk about Phil and Kaja Foglio’s Girl Genius: The Works, a game that originated from the “adults only” XXXenophile TCG from 1996. Also, a super cool badge goes to Dave C. out at Blubrry, for getting things fixed up for us to keep posting through #napodpomo!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter...

Welcome to episode 14! Tonight Michael and Suzy discuss a Cocobon 2020 Roasted Oak Chardonnay, talk about Choose Your Own Adventure books, and others such as Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, Dungeon and Dungeons & Dragons gamebooks. We also talk about playing the House of Danger Choose Your Own Adventure game from Zman games! (BTW, the Dragonlance gamebook Mike was thinking of was Gnomes – 100, Dragons – 0)

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to htt...

Welcome to Meeples and Wine! Tonight Michael and Suzy talk about Grifone Primitivo from Trader Joe’s, the card game Guillotine from Wizards of the Coast and the worst games that they have played. 

What’s your worst game? What’s your favorite French Revolution character? What’s the meaning of life? Give us a call or email and let us know! Marie Antoinette is hot right?

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to le...

Hello and welcome to episode 10! Tonight our last child has turned 18, and we’re discussing tabletop games that we played with them when they were littles. We’re also tasting Decoy Wineries’ 2019 Zinfandel and reviewing the 2000 game Shipwrecked by (the now defunct!!!) Out of the Box games! Also, we are now on Podvine! One of you requested it!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@javakat.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like to leave us a voicemail you can go to https://www...

Welcome to episode 9 of Meeples & Wine!

Tonight we talk about Door Peninsula Winery Mead, stepping into our new adventure of making our own blueberry mead with the help of Broken Brix Winery & Cidery. The games tonight are Karma from the people that brought you the game Set, and the James Ernest/Cheapass Games‘ Devil Bunny Needs a Ham. Also, we’re at https://meeplesandwine.blubrry.net/ now!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at meeplesandwine@javakat.com, at our Twitter (@Meeplesandwine) or Facebook or if you’d like...

/ Hello and welcome to the first episode of Meeples & Wine! We are Michael and Suzanne, trying our first NaPodPoMo where we will (attempt) to post 30 episodes in the month of November! We’re easing into this one with our intro show, where we’re discussing the trials you go through trying to make mead, …

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