Zhuzh up your cheese and charcuterie board to pair with Château Barbebelle Cuvée Madeleine Rouge and benefit The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund Supporting Research, Education, and Treatment of PANDAS.

Please join Susan and William “Towny” Manfull, founders of The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund, and David Scott Allen, editor of Cocoa & Lavender, at the Urban Wine Club for a fun and informative webinar about an excellent (2017) French red wine from Château Barbebelle in Provence. This Cuvée Madeleine Rouge (2017) – aka “Alex’s wine — was specially made to raise awareness about PANDAS, a neurological disorder triggered by Streptococcus that is also referred to as basal ganglia encephalitis.

This awareness campaign is called À Table! (French for “come to the table!”). The goal is to bring people “to the table” to share wine, food, and conversation about PANDAS and a related neurological disorder called PANS. Our guests at the table will be discussing the recent Health Care legislation passed in Massachusetts and how it will benefit those with PANDAS/PANS.

Proceeds from the sales of the wine will be donated to The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund, which is dedicated to raising awareness as well as supporting education and research that furthers the understanding of PANDAS/PANS, especially in adolescents and young adults. The Cork Stop/Urban Wine Club is the only outlet in the United States selling this wine. (It is available in France at De La Cuisine au 20 in Lourmarin and at Château Barbebelle in Rognes, both in Provence.)

In the kitchen, David will begin by popping some no knead bread into the oven and, while that is baking, he will demonstrate how easy it is to make the bread. Then, he will create a cheese and charcuterie board that will pair with Alex’s wine and show us how to zhuzh it up with things you probably have around the house. The nice thing about a charcuterie board is that it doesn’t need to be complicated or have fancy ingredients. It simply needs to have items that pair well with the wine being served. Together, Susan, Towny, and David will talk about the best cheeses, meats, and accoutrements to go with Alex’s wine – and why.

Towny and Susan (editor of Provence WineZine), who lost their only child to PANDAS, will also talk about why they founded The Alex Manfull Memorial Fund, part of PANDAS Network, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Most importantly, also sitting ‘round the table will be some local citizens who were instrumental in getting the Health Care legislation passed: Sheilah M. Gauch, LICSW, M.Ed., Principal of Dearborn Academy, and Jennifer Vitelli, MBA, Co-Executive Director of The JBC PANS & PANDAS Foundation and Founding Member of New England PANS/PANDAS Association, who (with a team of citizens!) worked tirelessly. As a result, health insurance coverage for PANDAS/PANS treatment is mandated in Massachusetts and a PANDAS/PANS Advisory Council at the Mass. Department of Public Health will be created.

Château Barbebelle Cuvée Madeleine (aka Alex’s wine) may be purchased at the link below (the first shipment sold out in hours!) with FREE SHIPPING! https://urbanwineclub.co/cart/product/cuvee-madeleine-rouge/

Sharing Wine & Food at the Table: a PANDAS / PANS Fundraiser