Madeline describes herself as “a musician and graphic designer gone wine geek.” She developed an interest in wine while she was an art school student.  After graduation she worked as an electronica producer and graphic designer in Los Angeles, but her enthusiasm for wine continued to grow, and she decided to pursue her passion as a career. In 2011 she co-founded Wine Folly with her two best friends.

 

The driving idea behind Wine Folly is that people want to know more about wine but they don’t know where to start. Madeline and her colleagues share their knowledge about wine in a snobbery-free style that encourages and inspires novice drinkers. Seattle-based winefolly.com currently publishes about 3 articles and videos a week on topics such as the basics of wine and food pairing; the different types of wine glasses; and how to keep a bottle of bubbly from exploding when you’re opening it. Madeline’s enthusiastic and approachable style helped make her book Wine Folly:  The Essential Guide to Wine a New York Times bestseller.

 

Though her informal style makes you feel you’re chatting with a friend, Madeline’s credentials are impeccable:  she holds Court of Master Sommeliers Certification (Level 2) and has completed Court of Master Sommeliers Masterclasses in Australia and in Alto Adige, Italy. She has also travelled extensively to wine regions in the US, Australia, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and South Africa. Named Top Wine Writer by quora.com (2012) and Wine Blogger of the Year by the IWSC (2013-14), Madeline works as a Consulting Wine Expert for numerous restaurants in both Seattle and Reno, Nevada.