Wine Grapes, Wine Education, Wine Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Grapes, Wine Education, Wine Jacqueline Mitchell

A Wine That Wakes Up Your Taste Buds

Hear the story of the Ukrainian woman turned winemaker in the Modena province of Italy who was on a mission to make a monovarietal wine from a rare grape that thrives only in high altitudes. She made several attempts and then Sgarbato was born. This Pet Nat sparkling wine made from 100% Uva Tosca,  an ancient grape whose wine was described as "really healthy" by a 17th century Italian agronomist, is like drinking cranberry juice as a sparkling wine. Uva Tosca was abandoned after phylloxera, and thanks to Irene of Frignano, it is making a comeback in Italy's Emilia Romagna region. Read on to learn about this "underdog grape" and to explore the rich cultural heritage in the land where this grape was born.

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Natural Wine, Wine, Wine stories, Wine Grapes Sheila Donohue Natural Wine, Wine, Wine stories, Wine Grapes Sheila Donohue

Wild & Rare At Its Finest

Embark on a journey through the hills of the historic part of the Valdobbiadene wine region, where the enchanting and rare Boschera grape vineyards are hidden amidst an area where the Prosecco grape, glera, takes center stage. In the heart of Italian white wine growing, a story unfolds; one of tradition, sustainability, and the effervescent charm of Pet Nat natural wine. Join us on this odyssey, where craftsmanship and tradition intertwine, giving birth to an Italian sparkling Pet Nat that captivates the senses. Explore the nuances of the rare Boschera grape which makes a wine that not only tantalizes the palate but also reflects a commitment to the land and the timeless beauty of Valdobbiadene.

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Wine Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Jacqueline Mitchell

Wines that are 'Just Right'

Are you planning a party ? Are you going to one?  Needing a gift but not sure what wine to select?

Hosting a  party or finding a great gift for a wine lover just got easier with our tips on finding crowd-pleasing, drinkable wine that caters to diverse tastes, while also finding wines that are unique and stand out.

We have an approach to finding crowd pleaser wines in our latest blog article. We liken it to Goldilocks - remember her? But now we've moved up, from porridge to wine.

Read on for expert tips and find your own Goldilocks wine!

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Wine, Food Stories Jacqueline Mitchell Wine, Food Stories Jacqueline Mitchell

Your Go-To Guide For the Best Wine and Cheese Pairings

Now that you have at your fingertips these 5 Tips for Pairing Cheese and Wine let’s put your knowledge to practice with some of the best cheese and wine pairing suggestions. In this guide we break down wine and cheeses by category including favorite wine and cheese pairings by some Vero producers. Pairing cheese and wine allows for a lot of fun experimentation, making get-togethera more engaging and interactive. Use this guide as a “go-to” when seeking out the best cheese and wine pairing to have at your next party.

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Natural Wine, Wine, Food Stories Jacqueline Mitchell Natural Wine, Wine, Food Stories Jacqueline Mitchell

All About Umami

What is umami flavor? Do you know that it is considered a fifth taste, after sweet, sour, bitter, and salty? In what foods can you find this fifth taste? Can you find umami in wine as well as food? … You may not know that some wines have umami flavors, or that certain wines pair better with umami dishes than others. Discover the flavor of umami and how it interacts with wines in this article.

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Natural Wine, Wine, Wine stories, Women Wine Makers Jacqueline Mitchell Natural Wine, Wine, Wine stories, Women Wine Makers Jacqueline Mitchell

Ukrainian Woman Takes on Native Varieties & Pet Nats at Modena Winery

This is the story of a Ukrainian woman, farm raised who winds up immigrating to Italy and heading up a winery in the mountains surrounding Modena, called Frignano. Upon meeting Irene Balim, we were struck by her commitment and passion towards the unknown native grape varieties in her area and to making traditional and natural styles of sparkling wine, trailblazing in the heart of Lambrusco land. This woman in wine and farm girl at heart has an inspiring story. Read it in her words in this exclusive interview with this woman winemaker.

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Wine Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Jacqueline Mitchell

Wine for Beer Drinkers

Wine and beer lovers need not pick a side! Let us find middle ground in the wine vs beer discussion with something that both can love. Through exploring alternative wines and lambic sour beer, we can find beers that wine lovers can enjoy and pet nat wine that beer fans will fall in love with. In this article we find the common ground between wine and beer, so beer drinkers can find wines that they will enjoy.

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Wine Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Jacqueline Mitchell

Embracing Perfect Imperfections in Wine

When one thinks of natural wines, it is not often that eastern philosophy or the Japanese art of wabi sabi comes to mind. Yet, the true appreciation for wine is in the beauty of imperfection. How a minimal intervention, farm-to-glass, wild and scare wine can create ‘perfect imperfections’ or even flaws in wines thats can be considered the ultimate representation of terroir. But where do you draw the line between an imperfection that goes too far? We explore this in this article.

Let’s discover what wabi sabi, meditation, beauty, and wine all have in common.

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Recipe, Wine, Food Stories Sheila Donohue Recipe, Wine, Food Stories Sheila Donohue

Cin Cin to the Spritz

What’s behind the phenomenon of the Spritz cocktail? How did the Spritz come about, why is it so popular, and how do you make it? It’s a recipe with 2 key ingredients and from there, it’s fair game to improvise, either using different ingredients or different proportions of the same ingredients. Because, you see, the way you have your Spritz is a very personal taste preference, like asking someone how you take your coffee. For those of you making cocktails at home, we have a recipe Spritz Aperol, for you to get started to become a Spritz Master.

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Wine, Food Stories, Holidays Jacqueline Mitchell Wine, Food Stories, Holidays Jacqueline Mitchell

Matchmaking Wine & Food during the Holidays

How are YOU celebrating the Holidays? Whether pairing foods like potato latke or Grandma’s favorite Christmas cookie, this guide to pairing wine and food will help you choose a great Holiday wine for your table no matter what you celebrate. Inside you will find suggestions for not only full bodied red wines, or age worthy white wines, but also sparkling wines from Italy and sweet dessert wines. Pick out great tasting Christmas wines, wines to pair with Hannukah’s fried feasts and New Years Sparklers.

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Wine, Food Stories, Holidays Jacqueline Mitchell Wine, Food Stories, Holidays Jacqueline Mitchell

A Wine Gift Guide for Everybody on Your List

You want to give wine for gift, and you want it to be special, either something they don’t have already, or something that will surprise, and impress them, yet something that they will also like the taste of. That seems like a tall order for what seems like a simple task, especially with the myriad of wine selections out there.

We’ve made it easier for you to gift for wine lovers with our first wine gift guide, that we are introducing just in time for the holiday gifting season.

For the wine lover on your list, be it a friend, colleague, customer, family member, or significant other, use our wine and olive oil gift guide to find a wine in line with their wine taste preferences, whether it’s bold red wines, old world wine, natural wine, orange wines, rose wines, champagne style wines, pet nat wines, even EVOO, use our list to find the best wine for gift giving and build your own wine gift baskets.

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Wine Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Jacqueline Mitchell

The Language of Wine

Do you love wine but then struggle finding the ‘right words’ to describe it? Or are you on your way to becoming a wine expert and need a de-brief on terminology for wine tasting?

What does complex mean? Or what is a primary aroma? What is a smooth wine?

We are on a mission to teach you how to fish… for wine!

Here is a wine glossary of terms you can use during your next wine tasting or wine pairing to work your way to becoming a wine pro. Then put these descriptive wine words into practice by buying the wines which fit each definition. Then have wine tasting home party with your wine loving friends. Sooner rather than later you will master wine speak!

Get started by learning the wine description words inside.

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Wine, Wine stories, Winemaking Jacqueline Mitchell Wine, Wine stories, Winemaking Jacqueline Mitchell

Unfiltered All the Way Around

Let’s get to know Eros Zanon, crafter of Italian pet nat wines from native Italian grapes in the Prosecco wine region ranging from well known Prosecco glera grape to the super rare Boschera. Read this interview of Eros, about his land & vineyards and his vision and project of making naturally sparkling, unfiltered wines following passion and tradition.

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