Fine dining with cheap bubbly or fast food with top-shelf champagne? I’m putting this ridiculous question to the test with a head-to-head battle between a McDonald’s classic paired with $300 Ace of Spades versus premium seafood with $5 André. The results might shock you (they certainly shocked me).
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🍷 I Took On 21 Bottles of Trader Joe’s Pinot Noir in One Sitting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKhsSc4lx4s&t=203s
🍷 How I wish ORDERING WINE was explained to me as a beginner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSxtx0vux4I&t=22s
🍷 Sommelier Ranked $400 of Trader Joe’s Bordeaux Wine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKaousRwylg
🍷 I Tested Costco vs. Trader Joe’s Cabernet Sauvignon: Which One Is Best? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qvuj5zlhWE&t=5s
🍷 Is a $300 Champagne Really Worth It? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i4s-ZD1mdk&t=782s
TIMESTAMP
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:46 Taste test method
00:01:25 Pairing test the $50 Ruth’s Chris sea bass with $5 André
00:03:14 Pairing test the $4 Filet-O-Fish with $300 Ace of Spades
00:04:57 Unexpected verdict
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Discover whether to splurge on the food or the wine in this ultimate wine and food pairing challenge. In this unique taste test, I’m putting luxury champagne vs fast food, and fine dining vs cheap wine, to see which pairing delivers the most memorable dining experience.
We’re tasting a $4 McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish paired with a $300 bottle of Ace of Spades Champagne, against a $50 garlic-crusted sea bass from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse served with $5 André sparkling wine. This side-by-side comparison explores whether expensive wine can elevate cheap food, or if high-end cuisine still stands strong with budget sparkling wine.
Perfect for wine beginners, champagne lovers, and anyone curious about how to pair wine with food, this video breaks down the surprising impact of wine pairing choices on flavor, balance, and the overall meal. Learn about sparkling wine pairing tips, fast food wine pairings, and whether cheap wine with gourmet food can actually work.
Whether you’re sipping on affordable wine, enjoying a fancy dinner, or grabbing a quick fast food meal, this video shows you how the right wine pairing can totally change the experience — no wine snobbery required.
15 Comments
what a creative and interesting idea! love your channel <3
A very interesting Pairing. Keep em coming.
We have a friend who loves Andre, and he is a constant target for ridicule from us. But who is laughing if your favorite bottle of wine costs $7…
Hey Dustin you're doing a great job; we really appreciate the videos and the humor. What's next? A classed growth Bordeaux with a Whopper? KFC with Burgundy? Chateau neuf du pape with taco bell? When we saw the fillet-o-fish we were rolling 😅. Would love to see a judgement-of-Paris style video where you pit similar American Wines against their French cousins in a blind tasting. And to circle back to the video (i've seen them all), maybe food paring is why Italian wine seems overrated? Recently I went to a friend's to taste wines and we all thought the Barbera d'Alba was nice and inoffensive, unlike the other "serious" wines that we rated highly, but when it came time for dinner we all hilariously and independently chose the Barbera to go with the homemade spaghetti and meatballs – it was the better pairing! In any event, please keep the videos coming: we always look forward to them.
You are killing it brother!
It is also cool to see that the newsletter is up running,can't wait for the many more to come..
I would be interested to see the outcome with the same experiment but with reds.. In my limited experience the bottom shelf whites are generally more tolerable than the bottom shelf reds..
I love the concept! Wine doesn't have to be pretentious, it can go with anything. Pairing rules are meant to be broken! Rhône Syrah with Taco Bell, Brunello di Montalcino with Pizza Hut, Napa Cabernet with In N Out! Now that I say that, Torchy's with a good CdP would be killer.
How do we get access to the full unhinged rant against tartar sauce?
Interesting thought/video. I loved the extreme pairing filet-o-fish and the Ace of Spades. You get extra credibility admitting the filet-o-fish was okay as a sandwich (not just hating it). Thanks for another fun one.
Fun video! The title is a little scary, it sort of reads like a math equation. Maybe something like "Can a $300 dollar bottle of wine level up fast food?" Idk I'm just spitballing. Good luck with the youtube journey!
Fun video! Thanks for sharing. I’d appreciate a video of some of your favorite pairings and maybe some popular pairings you think are overrated
This is the first of your videos that I have seen, but I liked it. You did pick a rather forgiving pairing for it, though. There are few, if any, undrinkable sparkling white wines, so just about anything you paired with that underseasoned fish would have worked, unless it was a dessert wine like an asti or sweet prosecco. Pairing a $7 cabernet sauvignon with a perfectly prepared chateaubriand would (probably) not have been as successful… or would it? Agree with your assessment of the Filet of Fish. If your're going to eat fast food, it isn't the worst.
As I’m sitting here next to you I really want a tl;dr of this video and it’s not being provided. How was the fish filet?!?! I need to know but can’t watch the video because you are rushing me out of the house.
Where can I see tartar sauce rant? Patreon only contents 😂
Dustin ❤ Did you try the Andre with the McDonald fish sandwich? ❤