A pleasurable, if not optimal, experience

Maddie & Andrea put the "rules" of wine pairing to the test — by breaking them on purpose. This episode, they pair inexpensive white and red wines with snacks that really shouldn't work. Along the way they get into umami vs. salt, why chilli turns wine bland instead of horrifying, and how low-alcohol wines survive spicy food better than high-alcohol ones — plus a detour into Palooza vs. curated tastings, and whether rules are, in fact, for losers. Wines featured: Millbrook Viognier 2022 Fasoli Gino "Pigio" Pinot Grigio DOC 2024 Jeanne Marie Chardonnay 2024 Monte Sasso Braschi Famoso 2020 Hoi Polloi Red Blend (Margaret River) Les Champs d'Amour Cabernet Sauvignon 2024