About Us
About the event
Please The Palate presents
The Festival of Forgotten Grapes
produced by Allison Levine of Please The Palate and Chris Kern of Forgotten Grapes Wine Club.
Allison Levine
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique agency specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. With over 15 years of experience in communications, marketing, and event planning, Allison is passionate about the world around her and the diverse people in it. Allison holds a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service. She holds a WSET Level 3 Certificate from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) and is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers.
As an industry expert, she has worked with wine regions around the world. She has traveled extensively and has lived abroad in Italy, Spain, and Mexico where she developed her passion for food and wine. Her work allows her to live life to the fullest and, as a freelance writer, Allison communicates her experiences in articles for various publications, as well as in her blog. Allison is the US Host for the international podcast Wine Soundtrack where she interviews winemakers and winery owners who share their stories, insights, and some humorous anecdotes, and she is co-host of the YouTube wine series Crush On This. Allison is a judge at wine competitions and moderates wine panels for different organizations.
Favorite grape variety?
I love exploring the world of wine and discovering new grape varieties. I cannot say that I have a favorite as there are too many and each one has its place and time. But some at the top of my list are Grignolino, Cinsault, Frappato, Gamay, Pinot Meunier, Counoise, Valdiguie, Encruzado, and Brachetto.
Favorite region?
I have fallen in love with many wine regions, but my heart will always be in Piemonte, Italy as that is where my wine journey truly began. After college, I spent six months living in Vercelli, Italy, and working as an au pair. That is where I first fell in love with Brachetto. Piemonte is home to so many indigenous lesser-known varieties, including Grignolino, Pelaverga, Arneis, Erbaluce, Cortese, and Nascetta.
Please The Palate
Please The Palate is a boutique firm specializing in marketing and event planning for the wine and spirits industry. From new product launches to regional promotions, Please the Palate creates and tailors packages to meet each client’s needs from the big picture to the organizational details. Owner Allison Levine has designed and produced trade tastings in all major markets around the United States for wineries, wine associations and spirits companies, both domestic and international. Please the Palate is dedicated to providing seamless customer service. For more information, visit www.pleasethepalate.com
Chris Kern
Chris Kern is the co-founder of the Festival of Forgotten Grapes and the founder of the Forgotten Grapes Wine Club, which he launched in 2011 as part of his Forgotten Grapes wine shop in Southern California. Chris is also the founder and vintner of PasoSecco, the first and only Prosecco-style sparkling wine brand from Paso Robles using exclusively Paso Robles fruit. A serial wine entrepreneur as well as a wine media personality, Chris has held virtually every position one can hold in the wine industry. He is the founder and co-host of the One Bourbon, One Chard, or One Beer podcast, the first-ever drinking musical gameshow podcast. He lives in Paso Robles wine country with his New York Times #1 best-selling author partner Teresa and their two adorable beagles.
Favorite grape variety?
My heart will always belong to Cinsault, but I hold a soft spot for Counoise, old vine Carignan, Grenache, and Teroldego.
Favorite region?
My first true international wine experience was in the Rhone Valley, so I’m always beholden to that region, especially the outstanding wines from the northern Rhone Valley. But my most cherished place on earth is the Bechtold Vineyard in Lodi, home to the world’s oldest Cinsault vines (140+ years).
Forgotten Grapes Wine Club
Founded in 2011, the Forgotten Grapes Wine Club is the only non-obligation wine club in the country dedicated to showcasing and promoting the lesser-known and uncommon varieties, regions, and producers of wine to their over 3000 club members. Every month, the Forgotten Grapes Wine Club shines the spotlight on a small, boutique winery, offering their members a four-bottle bundle of selections from the featured winery delivered to their door for a set price. Club members are then treated to a virtual tasting with the winemaker on the second Thursday of the month. As a non-obligation wine club, members are never required to take a club shipment; they only request the bundles they are interested in or can pass to the next month or beyond. For more information or to add your name to our club member list, visit www.forgottengrapes.com