Wine Education Sheila Donohue Wine Education Sheila Donohue

The Quest for Balance

While achieving balance is in life is an art, balance in wine and food has a lot of science to it.

It starts with our individual taste buds and the interplay of our sense of taste & smell and the tactile sensation which, with our brain’s help, determines our own take on the flavor and textures of wine and food.

The ultimate pleasure is when it all balances out.

This article is all about how to achieve this “magical” balance and to raise the bar on your own wine and food tasting experiences. Check it out!

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Sparkling Wines, Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell Sparkling Wines, Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell

The Story of a Sparkling Underdog

While Champagne may be an iconic choice for a sparkling wine, there's a hidden gem from Italy that offers the same quality, but off the beaten path. The Alta Langa sparkling wine has an incredible underdog story, almost created to prove a point. It’s a story that is as incredible as the flavors of the wine itself. Read more to see how it all intertwines!

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Wine Industry, Interviews Sheila Donohue Wine Industry, Interviews Sheila Donohue

The Life of a Wine Explorer

Here is Vero Founder, Sheila Donohue, in her happy place: a vineyard at sunset in Italy.

She takes wine exploration seriously, literally scouring the earth for hidden gems of wine and olive oil.

How did she get into wine? What motivated her to start her business?

Learn about Sheila’s mission to take wine down a notch through a down-to-earth, and fun, approach to wine discovery in this article.

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Wine Industry, Travel Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Industry, Travel Jacqueline Mitchell

Explore the Wine Roads Less Travelled

I — I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

We think Robert Frost knew a thing or 2 about how to get more enjoyment from a glass of wine... how is that?

By learning all about what’s behind that glass of wine.

Sure, the grapes, the vineyards, and the people that made it.

Go one step beyond to find out really what influenced the wine grower’s decisions when they were making the wine: the history, culture and people who have lived and visited their area. While they may be remnants of the past, they are also influences that are very much alive which have created traditions that, especially small, family producers, embrace and follow.

Help to make every drop of wine count where every sip becomes an experience unto itself.

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Wine Industry, Producers Sheila Donohue Wine Industry, Producers Sheila Donohue

Remembering an Exemplary Woman in Wine

While many wine professionals come about mid career, Helen Gallo Bryan’s career in wine started early, inspired by her studies in France where she was exposed to “better wine” than a typical college student. Her career in wine was driven by her passion for small production, authentic wines, which allowed her to get to know everything behind that glass of wine. Her gift of connectedness allowed us to share her joy and build community with her and amongst each other. Get to know this incredible wonder woman of wine in this article.

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Pairings, Holidays Jacqueline Mitchell Pairings, Holidays Jacqueline Mitchell

Wine-derful Candy Pairings

Unleash your inner foodie with our guide to the best wine and candy pairings. Discover delicious combinations of sweet and savory flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. From classic chocolate bars to fruity gummy candies, we've got you covered. Whether you're hosting a party or simply indulging in a late-night treat, our expert recommendations will help you elevate your wine and candy experience.

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Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell

The Search for Great Whites

Looking for a white wine that has depth and texture beyond the fruitiness? If that’s you then Italian whites is your next wine destination.

In Italy, there are loads of native varieties to explore, made in all sorts of styles from dry to sweet and still to sparkling. When made by winegrowers hyper focused on quality and authenticity, you get a great white wine with amazing balance and complex flavors to exceed the expectations of the most discerning wine drinker.

Discover the world of Italian white wines in this article.

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Jacqueline Mitchell Jacqueline Mitchell

Taste the Wine Rainbow

What happens when a white grape gets made like a red wine?

What happens when a red grape gets made like a white wine?

Learn all about wine colors in this article, and explore the wine rainbow!

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Jacqueline Mitchell Jacqueline Mitchell

Reclaiming Earth’s Assets By Getting Dirty

Discover the benefits of regenerative viticulture and its transformative impact to minimize climate change and restore earth's precious assets. Sustainable farming practices enhance soil health, protect biodiversity, and produce exceptional wines. And from cover crops to biodynamic principles, explore the techniques sustainable winegrowers are using to shape the future of viticulture and agriculture.

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Wine Education, Winemaking Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Education, Winemaking Jacqueline Mitchell

ABC’s of How to Make Wine

Now that harvest is taking over the wine world in the Northern Hemisphere, it's time to brush up on the ABC's of how to make wine.

While it seems like a simple enough process, after all wine was discovered by accident by women in ancient times who discovered that their grapes lying around started to create this juice which made them giggle and feel happy. 

But the 3 million dollar question is: how do you make a GOOD wine?

Meaning, a wine that has an enticing flavor and intriguing complexity that makes you want to take another sip.

Brush up on the basic building blocks of winemaking in this article.

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Wine Education, Farming Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Education, Farming Jacqueline Mitchell

Training a Vineyard

What shapes a vineyard? What decisions and reasoning brings a wine farmer to cut, trim, and train their vines in a certain way? Each method creates a different vineyard profile, unique to the hand that trims, and also affects the quality and profile of a wine. Let’s explore some of the most popular vineyard trellising systems, and discover what drives a farmer to choose a method of grape vine training.

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Wine Industry Sheila Donohue Wine Industry Sheila Donohue

Value-for-Money Wines: Lessons Learned Working Retail

When shopping for wine, how do you sift through the myriad of choices to find the hidden gems?

To find out, we turned to a wine expert with many years working in a wine store fielding questions from wine lovers with this question in mind.

She came up with 4 tips on how to stretch your dollar further without sacrificing quality, while amping up your wine cellar at the same time. Discover how to find good values in wines in this article.

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Pairings Sheila Donohue Pairings Sheila Donohue

Elevating Fast Food

As a country whose culinary cuisine has revolved around fast food for over a hundred years, is National Junk Food Day something to shun or to celebrate?

If you go back to the roots of fast food, it's street food, which is "the true testimony to the identity of a people.” Behind street food is a wealth of traditions and diversity of flavors and textures which all tie to a place, a people and ultimately are rooted in authenticity.

In this article we elevate the humble fast food by digging into the history of street food and provide ways to enjoy them more with fun and delicious wine and food pairing ideas.

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Farming, Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell Farming, Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell

Wine Biology 101

Do you remember biology lab in school when you first dissected a frog, or other animal? It was fascinating to go under the microscope to see in miniature what made up a living body.

Think of this article as a biology class for grape vines. We dissect the vine and the grape into its parts so to help us better understand not only where wine comes from but also what aspects of its anatomy impacts terroir, vintage variation, and ultimately the style and taste of the wine.

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Farming, Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell Farming, Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell

Down to the Roots of the Vineyard

Who is not awed by a vineyard. It brings us to a bucolic state, capturing our eye and our emotions which then transport our minds to a happy place.

Ever wonder what goes into creating a vineyard? While grape varietal and winemaking techniques are often at the forefront of wine exploration, the rootstock, the hidden foundation of the vine, plays an important role. In this article we explore the fascinating world of grafting and rootstocks and discover how they influence a vineyard's health, resilience, and ultimately, the very identity of the wines they produce.

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Wine Education, Winemaking Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Education, Winemaking Jacqueline Mitchell

It’s the Sugar, Baby

Can a wine with a significant amount of sugar taste dry? Can a wine with a lower amount of sugar taste sweet? You bet!

Many wine professionals say that American wine drinkers “talk dry but drink sweet.” What is behind this phenomena? How do winemakers use sugar as a lever in making both dry wines and sweet wines?

Learn about the art & science behind sugar in wine in this article.

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Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell

Breaking Down Sugar and Wine

Americans’ quest for health and wellness has wine as the target. It’s making sugar in wine a “problem,” which gets in the way of wine lovers achieving their health goals. But, being made from fermented fruit, “poor wine” can’t help from sugar fruit in it. It’s like telling your dog it can’t bark! Is sugar in wine really this evil villain? We break sugar and wine down in this article. Let’s learn all about sugars and wine.

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Pairings, Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell Pairings, Wine Education Jacqueline Mitchell

Elevate Your Favorite Pastime

Getting ready to fire up the grill? While beer may be your usual go-to beverage when planning a barbeque, why not switch it up to wine?

Wine, especially red wines, offer incredible depth and complexity that can beautifully complement grilled meat. Plus, there are some many types, each one that will pair better with different grilled meats.

Here we share 3 key tips to arm you with techniques for finding wines to pair with your next barbecue.

We also have some great food and wine pairings, along with recipes, to try yourself and to create a memorable and delicious barbecue.

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Wine Cocktails Sheila Donohue Wine Cocktails Sheila Donohue

Farm to Glass Wine Cocktails

Start with an aromatic red sweet sparkling wine beaming with flowers and strawberries (think a red Moscato), pick an assortment of fruits and herbs from your garden and local farmers’ market, then get your hands on a really good dry Prosecco and sparkling water, then what do you get? A delicious, low alcohol wine cocktail, fine-tuned to please any palate. Learn more in this article.

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

The Joy of Discovering a ‘New’ Wine Grape

For a wine enthusiast, stumbling upon a wine made by a grape you never had before is like finding a treasure in a treasure hunt. It’s the “hook” that catches, and delights, wine explorers, from wine loving consumers to wine professionals.

Branch out from the same old same old: get onto the unbeaten path and experience the thrill of trying a wine grape you never had. Plus we’re here to tell you the rich, and real, stories behind them. Start your treasure hunt with this article.

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