Chardonnay – Meeples And Wine

In this episode of Meeples & Wine, Michael and Suzy dive into one of the most entertaining bag-building games around: Quacks (originally released as The Quacks of Quedlinburg). They pair it with the approachable and delicious Decoy Chardonnay 2024 from Duckhorn Vineyards.

The game puts you in the role of quack doctors brewing risky potions by drawing ingredient chips from your personal bag. Push your luck to fill your pot for big points, but watch out — too many cherry bombs and your potion explodes! Michael and Suzy discuss how it plays with two players, share their fun scores, and talk about the clever risk-reward mechanics that make every round exciting.

They also review the Decoy Chardonnay 2024, a fruit-forward white with notes of ripe tangerine, mango, pineapple, and a touch of vanilla oak. It’s a versatile, crowd-pleasing wine that pairs beautifully with the game’s lighthearted chaos.

Listen now to hear their full thoughts on gameplay, strategy, and whether this combo is relationship-safe!

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Here are the show notes for the episode Bosworth and Freakshow Chardonnay from Meeples & Wine—your podcast of board game reviews for couples, with a drink in hand!

Hosts: Michael & Suzy

Wine We’re Tasting Today:
Freakshow Chardonnay 2024 by Michael David Winery

Game We’re Playing:
Bosworth (1998)
A chaotic 2-4 player chess variant where pieces are cards drawn randomly from your personal pile. Same classic chess pieces (pawns, knights, rooks, bishops, queen, king), but with twists: pawns move/capture sideways too, kings can capture their own pieces to escape check, and it’s all about multiplayer mayhem on a 6×6 board with blocked corners and face-down covers. Goal? Checkmate everyone else’s kings—last king standing wins!

Historical nod: Named after the Battle of Bosworth Field — https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Bosworth-Field

How It Plays with Two Players & Our Takes

Expansions? None.

Final Sip
How’s the Freakshow Chardonnay evolved since opening? (We chat about it in the episode!)

Last Call – Kickstarter/Gamefound Spotlight
Boktor: A Cooperative Dungeon Quest by Fox Troll Games
Fast-paced dungeon crawler for 1-6 players—explore modular dungeons, evolve your heroes, battle Tyrants, and stop the Vortex. Quick setup, intuitive rules, real strategy, all in ~60 minutes.
Check it out: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/fox-troll-games/boktor-a-cooperative-dungeon-quest

Contact Us!

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See you next time on Meeples & Wine! Buh-bye!

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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 more weighty, honeyed, and nutty character. This makes it a great wine to accompany your appetizer or pair with fish like hake or monkfish. (In case you’re wondering the image below is a monkfish…)

Tonight’s game is Targi, a highly-rated 2-player board game with a BGG rating of 7.6/10 and a complexity weight of 2.34/5. Designed by Andreas Steiger and illustrated by Taira Akitsu and Franz Vohwinkel, this game is published by KOSMOS.

In Targi, you take on the role of a leader of a Tuareg tribe. Unlike other cultures, the Tuareg men, known as Targi, cover their faces while the women do not. As a tribal leader, you’ll trade goods like dates, salt, and pepper to earn gold and other benefits, all while trying to expand your tribe.

The game is played on a 5×5 grid, with 16 action spaces along the border and nine blank spaces in the center. Players take turns placing their meeples on the border spaces (avoiding corners and spaces directly across from an opponent’s meeple). Once all meeples are placed, you collect cards from the central grid that correspond to your meeple’s row and column. You can also carry out the actions on the border spaces.

We also have our eye on a cool game on Kickstarter: Camp Grizzly Second Edition by Trick or Treat Studios. After being out of print for over 10 years, this horror survival board game for 1-6 players is back. You play as camp counselors stalked by a maniac named Otis the Bear. To win, you must collect objectives to trigger one of four Finales. The game is filled with Easter eggs and lore, promising 80’s horror moments through the whole game.

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at [email protected], 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/meeplesandwine/

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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 Expansion
25:23 Playing Fire Tower with Two Players
26:11 Balancing Offense and Defense
27:51 Fun Score and Relationship Impact
29:17 Final Thoughts on Fire Tower
32:35 Wild Imaginary West RPG
41:06 Meeples and Wine: Where to Find Us

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Board Games, Wine Tasting, and Midwest Gaming Classic Adventures

In this episode of Meeples and Wine, hosts Michael and Suzy return after a brief hiatus to share news of their appearance at the Midwest Gaming Classic 2024 in Milwaukee. They reminisce about their past experience at the event, interview highlights, and announce their plans for game demos, reviews, and more on the Meeples and Wine Tabletop stage. Following the event news, they dive into a wine tasting session featuring 19 Crimes Martha’s Chard from California, discussing its characteristics, pairing options, and their personal tasting notes. The episode shifts to a detailed review of RoboRally 2023, comparing it with previous editions, discussing its gameplay mechanics, and debating its impact on relationships. Lastly, they introduce an upcoming Kickstarter project, River Valley Glassworks, noting its cute premise and potential gameplay allure.

00:00 Welcome to Meeples and Wine: Midwest Gaming Classic Announcement
01:25 Tasting 19 Crimes Martha’s Chard: A Wine Review
04:54 Diving Into RoboRally 2023: Gameplay and Comparison
17:55 Diving Deep into Game Mechanics
23:22 Exploring Game Upgrades and Strategy
33:57 Wrapping Up with Final Thoughts and Future Plans

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at [email protected], 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/meeplesandwine/

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Title: Reviewing “The Rocketeer” – A Perfect Pairing with A Glass of Chardonnay

Hello everybody and welcome to the world of board games and fine wine, where every roll of the dice pairs perfectly with every sip of a good vintage. Today, we’re going to delve into the world of “The Rocketeer: Fate of the Future” board game while savoring a glass of the 2021 vintage Chardonnay from Bread and Butter Winery.

The link above is an Amazon Affiliate link, and we will earn a commission if you click it and purchase!

Now, if you’re wondering about “The Rocketeer”, it is based off a movie (which in turn was based on a comic book) about a guy named Cliff Secord who stumbled upon a jet pack and his life flipped upside down. This game has an enjoyable theme, engaging gameplay and a variety of interesting game mechanics which will keep you hooked.

It is designed by Prospero Hall (also Brian Kirk), who has previously contributed to other iconic games like Back to the Future: Back in Time and Bob Ross: Art of Chill. The game enjoys beautiful art by Henning Ludvigsen that keeps you engaged visually as you steer your way through stealing the plans from the heroes or keeping them safe from the villains before the zeppelin arrives.

Let’s shift gears and talk about the wine we paired with “The Rocketeer” – the 2021 vintage Chardonnay from Bread and Butter Winery. This Californian beauty with a golden straw hue has a distinctive Chardonnay aroma – a mix of buttery grapes with subtle hints of peaches and apples.

Upon sipping, you would notice a creamy texture with a balance of acidity and an oaky finish that lingers pleasantly in your mouth. However, letting the wine breathe is crucial to truly unlock its flavors. There is a marked richness that is not overly intense, making it perfect for a relaxed evening of board gaming.

In conclusion, “The Rocketeer” is a delightful board game that delivers on 1930’s intrigue, tug of war strategy, and beautiful art. Paired with the Bread and Butter’s Chardonnay, it makes for an ideal game night with your significant other or a group of friends.

So, why not treat yourself to a new experience? Get your hands on “The Rocketeer” and a good-quality Chardonnay, and dive into an evening of strategic fun and good vibes. With all these ingredients at hand, you’re sure to have a memorable night!

0:00 The Rocketeer
00:13 Introduction
01:29 Wine Review: Bread and Butter 2021

05:04 #Sponsored #ad Spotlight: Manscaped – Use our promo code “MeeplesandWine” for 20% off and free shipping!

20:50 Diving into the Game Mechanics of The Rocketeer: Fate of the Future
26:13 Strategies and Challenges
29:22 Final Thoughts and Review

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This week Michael and Suzy take on the high-flying world of zeppelin racing! Yes, we’re playing Quicksilver a tabletop game for 2 to 6 people that has you zipping your dirigibles high above the city of Paradise Falls. This game by Split Second Games packs all the thrill and excitement that you remember from the zeppelin races of your youth! Is that a thing? Let’s pretend that’s a thing.

We also taste a California Chardonnay from The Seeker, a nice golden chard that describes itself as “aromas of ripe pineapple, golden apple, Anjou pear and guava with hints of vanilla and baking spice.”

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at [email protected], 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/meeplesandwine/

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Welcome to Meeples & Wine! This week we’re taking our spelling skills to task with the game Letterflip from (the now defunct) Out of the Box Publishing! They’re the team that introduced us to Apples 2 Apples, among other games! But yes, we’re playing the tile-flippy game that’s pretty much Guess Who? with less strategy. Also, we’re tasting Aldi’s Quarter Cut Bourbon Barrell Chardonnay!

If you’ve got a game that you’d like us to demo get in touch at [email protected], 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/meeplesandwine/

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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 [email protected], 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!

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