Meet Madeline Puckette #withTownHall

By Leeann Froese It’s a new week to introduce you to one of the fabulous personalities in the world #withTownHall!

This does not mean they work as part of our team, or are our client (although sometimes they are).

We just interact with so many amazing people that we want to expand networks and introduce them to you, and you to them. This week #withTownHall, we introduce you to Madeline Puckette.

A true #winelover, Madeline is the talented genius behind Wine Folly. We choose to feature Madeline today as this week she released her #WineFollyBook aptly titled “The Essential Guide to Wine”.

Wine Folly is a culture site offering articles and videos that connect people to the world of wine. Madeline and her Wine Folly team are based in Seattle, but they travel the world over for wine.

Madeline’s roots as a graphic designer are very apparent with the website’s aesthetically pleasing and easy to consume infographics. This, paired with her extensive credentials as a wine expert and wine writer, makes Wine Folly an essential guide for the new generation of wine drinkers.

I first met Madeline in Portland at the Wine Bloggers Conference in 2012, just as Wine Folly was starting to be a thing of note. She has come so far in a few short years and her progress has been nothing short of amazing. She has won critical acclaim for her humorous and clever way of educating and demystifying wine, and is a person featured in the 2015 Wine Enthusiast magazine 40 Under 40 list. #gogetit Madeline!

To Madeline: I am hungrily devouring your book and I know I am with people all over the world when I offer you my heartfelt congratulations on the launch!

Everyone, please say hi to Madeline and congratulate her on the launch of the Wine Folly book.

Leave a comment below – or go give this post a like or share on Facebook or Twitter.

Colour BC and ChefMeetsBCGrape To Showcase Okanagan Crush Pad

On September 16^th, the British Columbia Wine Institute will be hosting Colour BC VQA Fall Release Tasting and ChefMeetsBCGrape to showcase VQA wines of British Columbia.

On each day leading up to the events, we would like to introduce you to winery clients in attendance with unique stories and flavours that you will not want to miss. First, here is more information about the events:

Attendees will be able to thoroughly explore the world of BC wines with walk-around tastings featuring 90 of the top BC wineries (the full list can be found here)  with principals and winemakers on site to guide you, as you immerse yourself in beautiful flavours.

Colour BC VQA Fall Release Tasting

Who: Trade and Media

Where: East Ballroom, 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

When: September 16^th, 2015 from 2pm to 5pm

This trade and media invite-only event will allow trade to connect with others in the industry, from winemakers to wine writers to sales specialists (the list goes on and on), all while tasting an extensive list of BC VQA wines.

More information about Colour BC can be found here.

Trade and Media registration can be found here.

ChefMeetsBCGrape

Who: All wine lovers

Where: East Ballroom, 999 Canada Place, Vancouver, British Columbia

When: September 16^th, 2015 from 7pm to 9:30pm

This event is open to anyone with a passion for wine and will showcase BC VQA wines and cuisine. Attendees will enjoy a walk around tasting while 11 of BC’s top restaurants prepare small plates focused on freshly sourced ingredients from local farmers and producers. Celebrity judges of the “Small Plate Challenge” will taste and evaluate each food and wine pairing throughout the evening and at the end of the night prizes will be awarded for the “"Best Regional Wine & Food Pairing" and "Plate of the Night."

More information about ChefMeetsBCGrape can be found here.

At Town Hall we like to be prepared, and with such an amazing and extensive list of wines being showcased, we have some tips to help you make the most out of your experience:

• Find out which wineries will be at the event
• Research the wineries beforehand
• Make a list of the people, wineries, and products you want to see
• Jot down questions you have for the principals and winemaker
• Use the hashtags #BCVQA #BCWine and #ChefMeetsBCGrape to share your experience at the events
• Allocate the total amount of time you want to spent at the event and at each individual booth
• Bring your business cards, a fresh palate, and open mind to share your passion with like-minded wine enthusiasts

Today, we would like to introduce you to...

Okanagan Crush Pad Winery, Summerland BC

• Gain a deeper understanding of how Okanagan Crush Pad utilizes concrete tanks in their wine cellars to directly shape the taste profiles of their wines.
• Learn how Okanagan Crush Pad recently received their “Certified Organic” certification allowing their organic grapes to truly reflect the terroir in which they are grown.
• Enjoy tasting the 2013 Haywire Bub with 'the Bub' herself, Alison Scholefield.

Okanagan Crush Pad's commitment to making wines that celebrate the distinctive beauty and exceptional micro-climates and geology of their vineyards, makes them a true Okanagan Winery in every sense of the term. Owned by Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie, the 10-acre Switchback Organic Vineyard site overlooking Lake Okanagan is home to Haywire Wines, Narrative Wines, and the Okanagan Wine Campus; where a mentorship program provides the person named Vancouver’s “Sommelier of the Year” has the chance to make a small lot wine using the grape variety and style of their choice with proceeds benefiting the BC Hospitality Foundation. As the first purpose-built custom wine making facility in the Okanagan, Okanagan Crush Pad nurtures their product from the field to the market, all while achieving winemaking excellence.

 To Learn More:

www.okanagancrushpad.com | Twitter: @OKCrushPad | Instagram: @OKCrushPad

What you will taste:

• 2013 Haywire Bub $29.90 - The Bub is bottle fermented and aged using Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes gown on cool vineyard sites in Oliver and Summerland. A fresh and lively wine with nice warm bread aromas and a crisp green apple finish, which is a shining example of what the Okanagan does best - crisp, fresh, and delicious.
• 2013 Haywire Switchback Pinot Gris $24.90 - Switchback is the winery’s home vineyard with surrounding sage, bunch grass, Ponderosa pine, and fruit trees, hallmarking the site’s aromas. Fermented in egg-shaped concrete tanks, the wine takes on minerality balanced with fruit, incredible complexity, and a round, creamy mouthfeel.
• 2013 Haywire Pinot Noir $24.90 - Loaded with lively ripe red-berry fruits, exotic spice blends, and earthy characters, this wine is best enjoyed with salmon, soft ripe cheeses, pork, or wild mushrooms. 
• 2012 Haywire Canyonview Pinot Noir $39.90 - This wine has the hallmark cherry fruit intensity of the previous vintage, with soft, lush tannins and will continue to improve and evolve with bottle ageing.  Pair with soft ripe cheeses, hearty stews and game meats.

Who You Will Meet:

Rebeka Eriksson and Amy Hollenbach from the sales team will be in attendance alongside brand manager Alison Scholefield, a.k.a. The Bub.