Thai-American Charity Waltenbaugh grew up in the charming wine country of Oregon in the United States. Her early life among the fruit orchards, historic towns, craft breweries and farms of the Willamette Valley didn’t initially inspire her to get into wine, but the environment certainly defines who she is today a fitness enthusiast, avid cross country runner and lover of the great outdoors. After moving to California, first Los Angeles and then later the Bay Area, Charity started working in restaurants and was persuaded by a certified master sommelier to take the Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s level 2 qualification. Today she puts her skills to good use at Ekamai eatery Cadence by chef Dan Bark, himself a Korean-American intent on showcasing a progressive culinary style. The wines Charity curates for the restaurant encompass comfortingly familiar Old World labels but also New World upstarts packed with explosive flavours and interesting textures.