Press Your Luck Games – Meeples And Wine

Arkham Horror Lovecraft Letter and Cult Cabernet Sauvignon

By MeeplesandWine | April 18, 2026

We’re Michael and Suzy, your hosts dishing out honest board game reviews for couples, blending wine (or in this case, beer) tastings with gameplay breakdowns. Got feedback? Hit us up at meeplesandwine@gmail.com, or connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. And hey, leave a voicemail at (707) 572-5282 – we love hearing from you!

We’re heading to the Midwest Gaming Classic next week outside Tabletop Village. Come say hi!

Today we’re tasting the Cult Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 from Cult Vines in Lodi, California. It’s a medium-bodied, easy-drinking Cab with notes of black cherry, raspberry, chocolate, oak, tobacco, and light spice. Smooth and silky with powdery tannins—fruity, lightly spicy, and great for casual sipping. Vivino rating ~3.8–3.9. Pairs beautifully with grilled steak, burgers, lamb, tomato-based pastas, mushroom risotto, eggplant Parmesan, or bold cheeses.

The game we’re playing is Arkham Horror: Lovecraft Letter (2025). It’s a super quick push-your-luck deduction card game that re-themes the classic Love Letter system with the madness and monsters of the Arkham Horror universe. Draw, discard, and try to survive Cthulhu-flavored chaos—multiple winners possible. Very light, plays 2–6, BGG ~7.5.

We review Batman: Love Letter at episode 29, you can find that HERE!

How does it play with two players? Was it fun?
Fun Score 1–10: Michael – 8, Suzy – 8.

Will it wreck the relationship?
Couch Score 1–5: Michael – 2, Suzy – 2.

Time Sink – How long does it take to learn the rules?
1–5. 1 – Super easy to grasp.

Final Sip – How has the wine changed since opening?

Last Call –
We hit Kickstarter/Gamefound for cool upcoming games. This time: Flockers – navigate your flock of geese south for the winter!

If you like the show, share it with a friend!

See you next time on Meeples and Wine! Buh-Bye!

URLs:
https://gamefound.com/en/projects/odd-bird/flockers

The Hunger and Vampire Vineyard’s Cabernet Sauvignon

By MeeplesandWine | October 15, 2024

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.

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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 mocha. The game was great for two players, but we both agreed it would be even better with a few more friends to compete against. We also touched on the expansion, Hunger: High Stakes, which adds werewolves and vampire hunters into the mix, making the game even more intense.

If you love spooky deck-builders, we definitely recommend giving this one a try, especially with some vampire wine on the side! More info on the wine 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 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/

NaPodPomo 2023: 30 Days of Game Mechanics: Press Your Luck Games

By MeeplesandWine | November 16, 2023

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.

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Push Your Luck – Unveiling the Mechanics of ‘Pass the Pigs’ & ‘Cosmic Wimp Out’

Welcome to another episode of Meeples and Wine’s NaPodPoMo 2023: 30 Days of Game Mechanics! Today Michael explores ‘press your luck’ games with attention to popular classics ‘Pass the Pigs’ and ‘Cosmic Wimp Out’. He discusses the effective use of risk and reward systems in these games and provide insights into how to play, emphasizing their appeal as highly portable and entertaining. They also encourage listeners to engage with them through their podcast site and SpeakPipe link, which is HERE.

00:09 Introduction and Podcast Overview
01:06 Introduction to ‘Push Your Luck’ Games
01:37 Exploring ‘Pass the Pigs’ Game
03:14 Introduction to ‘Cosmic Wimp Out’ Game
03:59 Detailed Gameplay of ‘Cosmic Wimp Out’
06:40 Additional Features and Availability of ‘Cosmic Wimp Out’
08:31 Conclusion and Sign Off