Allie Merrick, wine personality of My Wine Words and NW Wine Corrrespondent, is taking her love for wine on the rails for Trainsipping, a six-day, cross-country, train tour across the heartland. Equipped with 60 bottles of wine (carefully packed with the help of Jet Bag as the official travel partner) and a webcam-enabled laptop, Merrick will sip and share on her nonstop solo journey from Chicago to San Francisco.Known for her candid commentary and lyrical language, as poet, singer and speaker, Merrick will provide tasting notes and views from across seven states as she introduces and educates her audiences on everything from ice wines to Pinots to Rieslings with examples provided by over 50 wineries.
“I wanted to combine my passions – wine, words and wayfaring – to introduce people to the experience and enjoyment wine,” says Merrick. “Wine appreciation is a lifelong journey, and this is a way for me to invite others to share my journey.”
Merrick will chronicle her journey with videos, photos and tasting notes throughout the day, supplementing Railside Reports with commentary on Facebook and Twitter.
Merrick is a performance poet, speaker, wine advocate, marketer, web designer and vocal recording artist. Her marketing firm, Engagemeant, helps connect vineyards and wineries with customers via new media channels and tools.
“Not only does Trainsipping provide a unique educational vehicle, but it allows me to translate winemakers’ visions into a real experience that is relatable and consumable by budding oenophiles who choose to follow me on my expedition,” says Merrick.
Merrick’s journey will culminate with a My Wine Words episode filmed in San Francisco with wine connoisseur Thomas Watson of The Pink Boat. The Pink Boat is Watson’s world record attempt to raise $1 million dollars for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation via a solo around-the-world sailboat voyage.
For more information, visit www.trainsipping.com.
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For media inquiries, contact Allie Merrick at 616.617.1174 or alliemerrick@gmail.com.