Wine plus Friendship

A special AKA "Friendship Plus Wine" Andrea and Maddie raise a glass to Taylor Swift (and her rumoured wedding!) and spend some time talking about the music, lyrics and memories that have meant the most to them over the years. Along the way they sip sparkling wine, reminisce about London, share the Taylor Swift songs that have shaped their lives, and discuss why her songwriting resonates so deeply...

What makes a grape "noble" anyway? Andrea and Maddie kick off a two-part battle to crown the king (or queen) of the noble white grapes. They make the case for and against Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Riesling and go head-to-head in a tasting showdown. Along the way they discuss consultant-style scoring frameworks, mutant grapes, petrol aromas, and whether the honorary grape deserves...

Maddie & Andrea investigate whether wine glasses actually matter by drinking Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir out of coffee mugs, water glasses, crystal stemware, and giant Burgundy bowls. Along the way they discuss crystal vs glass, varietal-specific stemware, quiet luxury, and why some vessels feel refined while others feel… desperate. Wines featured: Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Riesling Trocken 20...

[Edited to fix corrupted audio] Maddie & Andrea dig into the role of soil in wine (pun fully intended) while tasting Pinot Noir from Burgundy and New Zealand. Along the way, they bust some common wine myths, question whether you can actually taste “minerality,” and discover just how much soil influences what ends up in your glass. Maddie shares some facts about the science of smell (including...

Maddie & Andrea (& a special guest) walk through how to taste wine and answer questions like what is biodynamic wine? Why do I want to taste dirt in my wine? Is a pear the same as a tomato? Wines featured: Sassotondo San Lorenzo 2021 I Forestieri Giratondo Rosso 2022 Cullen Wines Red Moon 2024 La Bien Planta Garnacha 2023

Maddie & Andrea talk food and wine pairing and peppery Shiraz (or Syrah?). Who wore it better, France or Australia? Wines featured Wine paired: Wild Bee Chardonnay from Big Table Farm ( link ) French Syrah: Etienne Becheras “Le Pieurre d’Arras” Crozes-Hermitage 2022 ( link ) Julien Cecillon “Les Marguerites” Crozes-Hermitage 2022 ( link ) Australian Shiraz: Karatta “Lost Ram” Shiraz 2023 ( lin...

Maddie & Andrea (& a special guest) talk Spain. Rioja or Ribera del Duero? Who makes the best Paella in DC? Answers to these questions and more. Wines featured: Nivarius 2022 Tempranillo Blanco (Rioja) ( link ) Valenciso 2020 Cemento (Rioja) ( link ) 2022 Granito del Caldazo Garnacha (Sierra de Gredos) ( link )

Maddie & Andrea get topical. Andrea apologises twice. Chats include: the role of oak in winemaking, how to hook a “wine guy”, what does full bodied mean, what if trees in France were endangered.  Wines featured: Cerro Añon 2023 Crianza and 2018 Gran Reserva Rioja ( https://www.grupobodegasolarra.com/en/label/cerro-anon/ ) Leeuwin Estates Art Series 2025 Sauvignon Blanc ( https://leeuwinestate....

Maddie & Andrea (re)record their very first podcast episode. Topics discussed include: their origin story, the benefits of fries (or beer), Napa wine tasting. Laughs are had. Missions are accepted. Wines featured: Tantalus ( https://tantalus.ca/ ) Yellowtail (correction: it was the 2003 Cab Sauv that won the Jimmy Watson award, not the 2001 Shiraz - link )