Pairing
A podcast about pairing wine with art and culture! Every other week, Emma, your host, talks with various guests about how to pair wine with the things that they love- and they're not talking about food! Learn more about wine and which bottles to look out for through a discussion of art, books, movies, music, theater, and more.
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Episode 100: The Silmarillion
08/12/2022
Episode 100: The Silmarillion
It's the end of the journey, and the beginning of another. Feels very Tolkien, right? In this 100th, and possibly last, episode of Pairing, Emma and Winston return to Pairing's origins to discuss another of Tolkien's works, The Silmarillion. We reflect on our experience making Pairing and Emma's wine philosophy. We're here for a good time, not a long time, so let's enjoy it. Plus: blending mythologies, committing to an emotional experience, Big Ahab Energy, musicality and wine, #notallchardonnay, and the orc violist fanfiction. Thank you to everyone who made Pairing possible. Find Us Online: If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on , , , & @PairingPodcast. Also check out our website, Please consider leaving us a review on , as that's one of the best ways to get more people listening in! Support Us: Become a Pairing Patron on to get access to exclusive content, personalized pairings, bonus episodes, and more! And do't forget to check out our store! About Pairing: Pairing was created, hosted, and produced by , with music and audio recording by , and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey. This episode was edited by Emma Sherr-Ziarko.
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Episode 99: Critical Role
07/25/2022
Episode 99: Critical Role
Emma and Winston sit down to discuss their latest and greatest obsession: Critical Role. We wax poetic about the talents of Matt Mercer and the gang's storytelling and voice acting abilities, and Emma pairs wine with the characters of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein. Featuring: wine-themed tongue twisters, Mollydooker for Mollymauk, collecting dice sets, Rogue Vine Wines, wine by Tool, Dancing Leitz, great character design, and your país should you choose to accept it. Find Us Online: If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on , , , & @PairingPodcast. Also check out our website, Please consider leaving us a review on , as that's one of the best ways to get more people listening in! Support Us: Become a Pairing Patron on to get access to exclusive content, personalized pairings, bonus episodes, and more! And do't forget to check out our store! About Pairing: Pairing was created, hosted, and produced by , with music and audio recording by , and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey. This episode was edited by Emma Sherr-Ziarko.
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Episode 98: Merlin (with Ariela Rotengold)
05/31/2022
Episode 98: Merlin (with Ariela Rotengold)
Emma is joined by her dear friend Ariela Rotengold to discuss their favorite adaptation of the Arthurian Legends: the BBC's Merlin. We talk about our deep love for and deep frustration with the show, and our history and relationships to different Arthurian content. Plus: creature lore and mythic traditions, the greatest bromance on television, giving Uther some therapy, great British character actors, justice for Guinevere, Chrètien de Troyes (from Troyes), and John Hurt: the dragon making wine in his cave. Find Us Online: If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on , , , & @PairingPodcast. Also check out our website, Please consider leaving us a review on , as that's one of the best ways to get more people listening in! Support Us: Become a Pairing Patron on to get access to exclusive content, personalized pairings, bonus episodes, and more! And do't forget to check out our store! About Pairing: Pairing was created, hosted, and produced by , with music and audio recording by , and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey. This episode was edited by Emma Sherr-Ziarko.
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Episode 97: Winston's History Corner
05/01/2022
Episode 97: Winston's History Corner
At long last, Winston gets to nerd out about history! Winston and Emma chat about their favorite podcasts, historical epics, documentaries, books, and more. The takeaway? We need more diverse voices in the telling of history. Plus: the white guy history nerd starter kit, the myth of sulfites, oral tradition, Kingdom of Heaven, Galadriel's boo, gushing about Gettysburg, Ken Burns' Civil War, control of historical narrative, and Epic Rap Battles of History! Find Us Online: If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on , , , & @PairingPodcast. Also check out our website, Please consider leaving us a review on , as that's one of the best ways to get more people listening in! Support Us: Become a Pairing Patron on to get access to exclusive content, personalized pairings, bonus episodes, and more! And do't forget to check out our store! About Pairing: Pairing was created, hosted, and produced by , with music and audio recording by , and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey. This episode was edited by Emma Sherr-Ziarko.
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Episode 96: Witcher Book Club (with Ester Ellis, Brenna Galvin, and Anthony Pinggera)
03/28/2022
Episode 96: Witcher Book Club (with Ester Ellis, Brenna Galvin, and Anthony Pinggera)
Over the past year+, Emma read The Witcher Book Series with a book club, and they were kind enough to come on Pairing and share their experience of reading these books! Emma, Ester Ellis, Brenna Galvin, and Anthony Pinggera discuss the ups and downs of these books, and why we're all glad that we read them as a book club. We also talk about the Netflix series and the video games from CD ProjektRed, but we focus on the books by Andrzej Sapkowski. Featuring: the Wine of the Witcher, himbo Geralt, the true translation of "Jaskier," our favorite (non-Regis) characters, resisting genre tropes, coping with trauma, and, of course, the stuffed unicorn. Special thanks to Ester Ellis for helping record this episode! Some spoilers in this episode. Content warning: discussion of upsetting topics, including violence, abuse, and sexual assault. If you're looking for a podcast to fill the void once Pairing goes on hiatus, check out Anthony's new podcast, ! Join Anthony and co-host Sydney Painter, two queer millennials with ADHD, as they explore "the canon." Follow them on Twitter Ester does a million things in audio, but make sure to check out , which she edits, and , which she writes and performs in. Follow Ester on Twitter Find Us Online: If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on , , , & @PairingPodcast. Also check out our website, Please consider leaving us a review on , as that's one of the best ways to get more people listening in! Support Us: Become a Pairing Patron on to get access to exclusive content, personalized pairings, bonus episodes, and more! And do't forget to check out our store! About Pairing: Pairing was created, hosted, and produced by , with music and audio recording by , and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey. This episode was edited by Emma Sherr-Ziarko.
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Episode 95: The Land of Two Thousand Grapes Part 2: The Red Wines of Italy
02/25/2022
Episode 95: The Land of Two Thousand Grapes Part 2: The Red Wines of Italy
Emma and Winston sit down to bring you a long-anticipated sequel: now you get the red wines of Italy! Emma explains some of the major (and minor) red grapes of Italy, and we pair them with the games that we've been playing and nerdy things we've been consuming (namely, God of War, Legend of Vox Machina, and Warhammer). Featuring: paradoxical grapes, sexy chaos gods, Emma's first wine (probably), Winston-splaining, pizza wines, elves getting trashed, and Gork & Mork's Fork: A Goblin Mobster Restaurant. Find Us Online: If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on , , , & @PairingPodcast. Also check out our website, Please consider leaving us a review on , as that's one of the best ways to get more people listening in! Support Us: Become a Pairing Patron on to get access to exclusive content, personalized pairings, bonus episodes, and more! And do't forget to check out our store! About Pairing: Pairing was created, hosted, and produced by , with music and audio recording by , and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey. This episode was edited by Emma Sherr-Ziarko.
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Episode 94: A Sundered Throne (with Philippa Werner aka Moira Katson)
01/23/2022
Episode 94: A Sundered Throne (with Philippa Werner aka Moira Katson)
Emma is joined by Philippa Werner (aka Moira Katson) to discuss her upcoming high fantasy novel, A Sundered Throne! Emma and Philippa give a spoiler-free rundown of the novel, by pairing wine with the characters and sharing their dream casts, including William Jackson Harper, Shohreh Agdashloo, and Tom Hardy. Plus: a fantasy Greek empire, Bin Bons, Papa Bear vibes, clairette v. claret, and slightly chaotic interpretation of "good." Content warning: brief discussion of suicide. Want to help fund the audiobook of A Sundered Throne (which Emma will be a narrator for), and get early access to the novel? Back it on Kickstarter! You can hear a sneak preview of Emma narrating a chapter on or the . Last but not least: check out and subscribe to Moira's blog on ghostwriting, ! Find Us Online: If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on , , , & @PairingPodcast. Also check out our website, Please consider leaving us a review on , as that's one of the best ways to get more people listening in! Support Us: Become a Pairing Patron on to get access to exclusive content, personalized pairings, bonus episodes, and more! And do't forget to check out our store! About Pairing: Pairing was created, hosted, and produced by , with music and audio recording by , and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey. This episode was edited by Emma Sherr-Ziarko.
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Episode 93: Wolf 359 (with the Cast and Crew of Wolf 359)
12/25/2021
Episode 93: Wolf 359 (with the Cast and Crew of Wolf 359)
Merry Christmas, and Happy 4-year Anniversary to the finale of Wolf 359! To celebrate, Pairing Commander Emma Sherr-Ziarko gathered (most) of the cast and crew of the show for a reunion. We reminisce about our favorite memories from making this show, what episodes we loved most, and we discuss what we think our characters would drink. Plus: Noah's slates, Zach Valenti breaking into song, Hilbert's commercial reads, Horse Wines, Gabriel the master synthesizer, How Could Dare You, and, of course, Funzo.
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Episode 92: Gilmore Girls (with Brooke Jennett)
11/18/2021
Episode 92: Gilmore Girls (with Brooke Jennett)
Emma is joined by Brooke Jennett (Thirteen, Olive Hill) to discuss the beloved and problematic show from our youth, Gilmore Girls. Brooke has some seriously hot takes, and we have some delightful headcanons of these characters being friends with winemakers. Plus: TV writing trends, a Tempranillo Man, Budweiser & Bordeaux, our Beaujolais King, and, mostly, Justice for Lane!
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Episode 91: Hallowine Part II (with John-Paul Cirelli)
10/22/2021
Episode 91: Hallowine Part II (with John-Paul Cirelli)
John-Paul Cirelli returns to Pairing for a second edition of our Hallowine series! This time we talk more about the holiday of Halloween itself: the history of the holiday, and our own personal traditions. Plus: haunted wineries, illegal UFO landings in wine country, a pairing for candy corn, Hell-ebrating, "Demon Wine" with Tom Waits, near-death experiences, and wine from a sippy cup.
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Episode 90: The Expanse
10/08/2021
Episode 90: The Expanse
Emma and Winston talk about one of the coolest sci-fi space shows out there: The Expanse! We talk about the sophisticated politics and cool physics of the show, and also make fun of Tom Jane's hair. Plus: writing and winemaking duos, wine that tastes like bacon, a Leviathan tangent, Shohreh Agdashloo's amazing cursing, new wine regions, and Winston's belt story.
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Episode 89: Ted Lasso
09/17/2021
Episode 89: Ted Lasso
Get ready for a feel-good episode about a feel-good show and some feel-good wines: Emma and Winston are talking about Ted Lasso! We talk about what makes this show so uniquely wonderful, and we do some pretty bad English accents. Plus: carbonic maceration, fathers and sons, toxic sports fandoms, wines from around the world, and a new game: is it a Cru of Beaujolais or a Dwarf from The Hobbit?
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Episode 88: Eldritch Horror
09/03/2021
Episode 88: Eldritch Horror
Emma and Winston discuss their favorite board game, Eldritch Horror. On top of talking about what makes this game so fun, we also talk about H.P. Lovecraft and the genre of Eldritch Horror itself. Plus: alcohol curing insanity, dusty wines, goat-related wine, Cthulhu's drink of choice, Lovecraft Country, and Winston's fanfic.
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Episode 87: Star Trek: The Next Generation
08/06/2021
Episode 87: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Emma and Winston discuss their favorite iteration of the beloved sci-fi franchise, Star Trek: The Next Generation! We discuss how the show deals with representation in both a progressive and problematic way, and Emma gives some Hot Tips on Bordeaux. Plus: wine is a drink for sharing, exploring identity, representation and stereotypes, silly costumes, luxury gay space communism, and Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra.
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Episode 86: Marvel TV
07/23/2021
Episode 86: Marvel TV
Emma and Winston sit down to discuss their hot takes on the three Marvel TV shows thus far: Wandavision, The Falcon and Winter Soldier, and Loki. We discuss using form as a method of storytelling and criticism, and appreciate some of the ambitiousness of these shows. Plus: love for Kathryn Hahn, Daniel Brühl, and Owen Wilson, attacks on Pinot Grigio, Loki's queerness, great acting, political rants, and handsome nerds.
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Episode 85: Supernatural (with Meghan Fitzmartin)
07/09/2021
Episode 85: Supernatural (with Meghan Fitzmartin)
Emma is joined by Meghan Fitzmartin to discuss the longest running American Sci-Fi and Fantasy show, Supernatural! Meghan, who was a writer on the show, shares her experience working on Supernatural, and discusses the value of genre television. Emma, meanwhile, shares what wine she thinks Crowley would serve in hell. Plus: meta narratives, deconstructing theology, subverting expectations, actors' effects on their characters, and families (on-screen and off) that don't end in blood.
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Episode 84: Schitt's Creek (with Emma Cohen)
06/25/2021
Episode 84: Schitt's Creek (with Emma Cohen)
The Emmas are back at it, this time talking about the award-winning, hysterical comedy, Schitt's Creek. We can't keep from laughing ourselves as we discuss the genius of Catherine O'Hara and all the other cast and crew of this show. Plus: Cougar Juice, Zhampagne, a nice little half-half situation, story arcs, character arcs, growth, and Crows.
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Episode 83: Beetlejuice (with Brooke Jennett)
06/11/2021
Episode 83: Beetlejuice (with Brooke Jennett)
Emma is joined by fellow podcaster, actor, and fan of wine Brooke Jennett to talk about Tim Burton's classic, Beetlejuice. We talk both about what makes this film amazing- from Michael Keaton's performance to Geena Davis's smock dress- and what wines the living would drink. Plus: a wine that is "Beetle Juice," young Alec Baldwin, Lambrusco in a can, Emma's favorite Gothic Wine, the interplanetary wine trade, and how to reveal yourself as a pretentious hipster wine snob.
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Episode 82: Comfort Wines Part Two
05/28/2021
Episode 82: Comfort Wines Part Two
Emma has a solo episode to reminisce on this past year, how difficult it was, and the comfort content that got her through it. She gives some recommendations of wines that are as reliable as they are inexpensive, and admits she has read some romance novels. Plus: more Mass Effect and Witcher, all the space feelings, French Whites and Italian Reds, new fantasy worlds, and symphonic metal.
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Episode 81: Black Sails
05/07/2021
Episode 81: Black Sails
Emma and Winston sit back and have a chat about their recent TV binge: Black Sails. They talk about how the show blends historical figures and events with the characters of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and how it ages like a fine wine. Plus: the USS Meritage, Wookie actors, the testosterone accent, dismantling toxic masculinity (kinda), Titus Pullo, and our favorite Himbo.
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Episode 80: King Kong (with John-Paul Cirelli)
04/23/2021
Episode 80: King Kong (with John-Paul Cirelli)
John-Paul Cirelli returns to Pairing to tell Emma all about everyone's favorite giant gorilla, King Kong! We talk about all the different adaptations and make some predictions for Kong's future, while Emma improvises some wine pairings. Plus: shipping Kong and Mothra, airport Sauvignon Blanc, iconic imagery and screams, special effects, an original Fairytale, critiquing colonialism, Andy Serkis appreciation, and Big Ahab Energy.
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Episode 79: The West Wing (with Mike Schubert)
04/09/2021
Episode 79: The West Wing (with Mike Schubert)
Mike Schubert, aka Schubes, returns to Pairing to talk about an oddly appropriate show for this moment: The West Wing. Emma and Schubes talk about their favorite characters, and Emma drags them for their choices in drinks. Plus: emails from Bradley Whitford, Mike's on-point cocktail game, making a fancy Fresca cocktail, Mrs. Landingham, signature wedding cocktails, and our love for Allison Janney.
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Episode 78: Sherlock Holmes (with Sara Ghaleb)
04/02/2021
Episode 78: Sherlock Holmes (with Sara Ghaleb)
Emma is joined by local genius Sara Ghaleb (Arden, Historical Hookups) to discuss one of the most iconic figures in modern literature, Sherlock Holmes. We cover everything from Sara's top 5 Holmes stories, to critical literary analysis, to salty takes on TV adaptations, to using wine knowledge to solve a murder. Plus: Sherlock Holmes: successful freelancer, Wicked Women, doing drugs for science, House M.D., Mormon Mafia Cults, and Watson: Equal Opportunity Horn-dog.
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Episode 77: Dragon Age (with Wil Williams)
03/12/2021
Episode 77: Dragon Age (with Wil Williams)
Emma continues her journey through BioWare content with Wil Williams, as they discuss the Dragon Age games. We focus on the third game, Inquisition, but we do discuss all three games, our favorite characters, and our least favorite writing choices. We agree that mages are the most fun, and they would also all be wine snobs. Plus: accidentally dirty wines, softies who are a mess of trauma, polyamory, racist writing choices, appreciation for Freddie Prinze Jr., precocious chaos man, and a Consortium of Dads.
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Episode 76: Clue
02/26/2021
Episode 76: Clue
In this episode, Emma and Winston discuss the 1985 zany comedy, Clue! We also discuss the game, and which character we would always play as. Listen to hear us gush over Madeline Kahn, Tim Curry, and the rest of the amazing cast, and Emma explains a bit about Cognac (whether or not it was poisoned). Plus: murder mysteries for children, theatricality, quarantine wine recommendations, recasting the film today, and the most iconic roles of Tim Curry.
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Episode 75: Pan's Labyrinth (with Eli Barazza)
02/12/2021
Episode 75: Pan's Labyrinth (with Eli Barazza)
Emma is joined by Eli Barazza (The Whisperforge) to discuss one of their favorite films, Pan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno). Eli brings all sorts of insight and knowledge to the table, while Emma talks a little bit about Spanish history and Spanish wine. They discuss Guillermo del Toro's unique imaginative storytelling and how terrifying Captain Vidal is as a villain. Plus: liminal spaces, appreciation for Doug Jones, magical realism and anti-colonialism, color theory, and the Spanish accent.
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Episode 74: Mass Effect Part II (with Philippa Werner)
01/29/2021
Episode 74: Mass Effect Part II (with Philippa Werner)
Emma and Philippa Werner continue their discussion of the original Mass Effect trilogy, this time delving deeper into some of the larger themes and bigger questions of the trilogy. We discuss the ending(s) and the relationship between organics and synthetics in the game, as well as in the wine world. Plus: our favorite moments, defending Andromeda, the scariest monsters, Emma's mistake in 2, reverence for the voice cast, and Elcor Hamlet.
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Episode 73: Mass Effect Part I (with Philippa Werner)
01/15/2021
Episode 73: Mass Effect Part I (with Philippa Werner)
We're back from hiatus, and Emma can't wait to talk about her newest obsession: Mass Effect. She is joined by author Philippa Werner (who writes under the names Moira Katson and Natalie Grey) to discuss this utter masterpiece of a videogame and storytelling. In this first part of our conversation, we discuss our favorite characters, squad members, romances, and more from the original Mass Effect trilogy.
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Episode 72: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Part Two
09/25/2020
Episode 72: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Part Two
Emma and Winston continue their discussion of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We focus on the last three seasons of the show, which cover some pretty dark themes, but we also talk about the fun. Emma gives her top 5 (ish) episodes, and Winston defends Dawn and rants about the Watcher's Council. Plus: Xander love, plot holes that bother us, wine nomenclature, Vampire Therapy, redemption arcs, toxic masculinity, and Winston's time in a hell dimension. Spoiler warning for all of Buffy.
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Episode 71: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Part One
09/18/2020
Episode 71: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Part One
At long last, Emma and Winston sit down to discuss one of their favorite television shows of all time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In this first part of our discussion, we talk about our complicated feelings about Angel and Spike, as well as our favorite (and least favorite) villains, seasons, and Winston shares his "Top 5 Episodes." Plus: justice for Charisma Carpenter, Sauvignon Blanc v. Pinot Grigio, disappointing finishes, dream episodes, and our love for the Mayor.
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