The Wine Situation hosts everyone from winemakers to writers to find out what a person’s situation is…with wine. At the end of each episode, host Ellen Clifford wants to know the basics of her guests’ final thoughts on wine, drink and food. This month, Ellen talks with Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly! (This was edited for length.) Ellen: Question number one, whatcha drinking? What are you into these days? Madeline: I’m recently doing a deep dive on sweet wines and I’m super excited to be tasting the new vintages of Mosel Riesling. I just got a Vin Santo from Chianti Classico, and I’m very excited to drink that. So I’m on a sweet wine bent. Ellen: Question number two is, do you have a favorite or unusual pairing? Madeline: Cava and red bean chili with cheddar cheese and onions is my favorite. It doesn’t make sense. It’s a weird pairing. Ellen: Question number three: if you were to make a wine, what would you make, and what would you call your winery? Madeline: I would go to the south and start harvesting all those scuppernong and muscadine grapes, and I would come up with a kombucha made of grapes. Ellen: Question number four is what’s your favorite snack? Madeline: Nuts and dates. Delicious. Ellen: Question number five: what’s bringing you joy these days? Madeline: I think a lot about having the right attitude, and putting yourself in the right place to have the right attitude. I’m currently in California and whenever it’s sunny and I’m having a bad day I go outside and I get sun on my face and that seems to fix a lot of my problems. So it’s little moments like that. I never forget to love a shower because there is nothing more luxurious in the world than taking a shower. Hot water running on your body can be the most luxurious thing. You can find Wine Folly on Insta and Youtube! Click here to check out the previous Wine Situation podcast with Fahara Zamorano of NiteThyme Wine.