How Sip Better Works Behind The Scenes

So, how does Sip Better work behind the scenes?

Our founder and sommelier, Leslee Miller, spends hours tasting (sometimes 30-40 wines a week) with distributors who focus on small, family-owned, responsibly farmed, additive-free wines. Leslee also travels extensively (she's in New Zealand right now!), seeking out new, international wineries with the same mindset to introduce to U.S. importers and distributors who will represent them. Once a wine meets Sip Better's standards for quality, affordable price point, and our *better-for-all* philosophy, Leslee begins the process of entering it into the Sip Better wine club.

Between writing her own notes on each wine and combining them with the winemakers’ notes, Leslee formulates a description that includes winery information, tasting notes, winemaking attributes, vintage information and more. From there, she tacks on her best tips for enjoying that wine: which glass to serve it in, serving temperature, cellar recommendations and pairing tips! We also produce all of our bottle shots and videography in-house, making each wine file a Sip Better original.

Next, we package and ship our wines off to you in our very own uniquely designed and patented Sip Better boxes so that your wines arrive safely at your doorstep.

That's where you come in! As a member, you'll watch the corresponding videos, taste the wines (of course!) and rate each one from 1 to 5 stars depending on how much you enjoy it.

Finally, Leslee uses your star ratings to hand select (Yes! Individually hand select for you!) your next batch of wines. The selection process can take around 30 to 40 hours depending on the shipment size! No algorithms, no computer programs or A.I., just a good ole fashioned sommelier’s brain and palate. Remember, the wine journal inside of your online member profile is for your eyes only. Leslee can only access your star ratings. So, if you're ever craving something special for your next box or want Leslee to know something very specific about a wine, feel free to email her personally at leslee@sipbetter.com —she’ll tailor your next box even more closely.

Because Leslee hand vets and intimately knows each Sip Better wine, she is able to use your ratings to place new wines into your next shipment based on the break down of each wine, per vintage. There's a reason you trust your favorite sommelier, right?

Your palate should not be reduced to the color of wine you prefer or the last grape you loved. There are so many misconceptions about wine floating around out there (ie: sulfites, sugar, etc.). Because of these false beliefs about wine, consumers often go back to the same wines on the shelf or only hang with one color of wine. But wine is far more complex—we break it down by weight, tannin structure, acid, alcohol, fruit and sugar. Leslee uses all of theses characteristics to inform which wines will suit your tastes. For example: Just because you rated a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 5 stars, that does not mean you will receive another Willamette Valley Pinot Noir every time you receive a shipment.

Remember that every vintage counts: Was the weather hot, cold, rainy or drought-like? These factors, along with a winemaker's style, appellation, and more play into how each wine is going to express itself on your palate. So, if you gave a 5 star rating to a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir in a cold year, Leslee might select a lite-bodied red from Austria or Italy (like Zweigelt or Schiava) for you to try next. As a member, you don't have to rate every single wine you try, but every time you do, it gives Leslee a little more insight into your preferences.

In a nutshell: Wine is complex! Which is why you can trust Leslee to select wines for your individualized palate. She's the pro; she'll do all of the heavy lifting for you so that you can keep on trying on wines from every part of the globe without the confusion.

That's how Sip Better is different! We focus on real wines, made by real people, not by factories. It's wine that's better for you, better for the planet, and better for our wine growing communities.

How Sip Better Works Behind The Scenes

The Sip Better wine club is all about

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