Empowering Wine Lovers’ Health Choices and Tasting Adventures
For years, sommelier Leslee Miller observed that clients and friends were seeking healthier wine options, but they were perplexed by wine’s most recent buzz words (vegan, natural, green, clean + organic); frustrated at the lack of retailers that offer healthy, affordable and delicious wines; and confused about or disappointed by bulk-labeled wine clubs.
They genuinely wanted to drink well, learn more about their palates and wine, and support the farmers behind the actual labels. But they struggled to find a brand that was a champion for these interests.
And so, Leslee created Sip Better: Better for All Wine. Better for you, better for the planet, better for wine growing communities.
Sip Better: Feel Good, Do Good and Drink Smart
Sip Better is a national wine club dedicated to Better-for-You wine. Sip Better supports only family owned, small, international wine growers, who are committed to farming via sustainable,...
Photo: Ross Sneddon via Unsplash
It's October. The holiday season is around the corner, trees are erupting in fiery colors, and words like crisp and cozy and hunker down are on everyone's lips. It's pretty much the best time of the year, right? And it's also the best time of year for gathering.
From rowdy neighborhood bonfires to fancy Thanksgiving feasts, there are many reasons to get together in the Fall. And accordingly, there will be occasions where you're surrounded by just your core group of friends, and others where the party is much more nuanced and mixed. So, how will you ensure that your sister-in-law's love of all things bubbly jives with your Dad's insistence on "anything under fifteen bucks"?
Easy! Add our shop page to your bookmarks and take a deep breath. Maybe put on a little jazz. It's going to be ok.
Choosing beverages geared toward your (or anyone's!) specific tastes is exactly what our sommelier, Leslee, does. Our Let it Rip! tasting kit is a great place to start if you simply want someone to set...
Photo: North Loop Neighborhood Association
[ Press from the North Loop Neighborhood Association published September 29, 2022 ]
New Bottle Shop Will Help You Go Beyond Pinot And Chardonnay
She’s already a well-known sommelier, TV spokesperson, educator and owner of a wine club with 600+ members from coast to coast. And now Leslee Miller is taking on one more project to help us learn more about the wine we drink. She’s opened the Sip Better bottle shop in the North Loop.
It’s a bit tucked away at the side of a building on 3rd Street North near 7th Avenue. But after you work your way through a winding hallway to her new shop, you’ll find wines from around the world, helpfully categorized from light to full-bodied.
“There are 10,000 grape varietals in the world and most Americans are still only drinking three,” Miller said.
She has a passion for small family-owned international wine growers, committed to farming via sustainable, organic and biodynamic practices. Most of the wines in her shop are at the $15 or $16 price point. And...
Photo: Leslee Miller
You could say that Viña Mayu's destiny was written in the stars.
Mauro Olivier grew up working in vineyards during summer breaks from school. So when the time came to start his own winery, he decided to make the most of the clear, arid conditions in Chile's Elqui Valley. In this desert valley, the days are hot and dry and the nights are fresh and cool. It is known for its crystal clear atmosphere, perfect for viewing the stars and the majesty of the solar system at night. The valley actually holds the worlds' majority of observatories. In fact, the Elqui Valley is considered an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. So, in 2005, Olivier staked a winery in this magical region, calling it Mayu, the Incan word for "river of stars" (the Milky Way!).
Olivier tapped his cousin, Italian-born Giorgio Flessati (pictured above), to be Mayu's winemaker, and the two set out to make unique and delicious wines that take advantage of the Elqui Valley's extreme nature. With over 320 days of sunshine...
Photo: Leslee Miller
One joy in the time of Corona Virus? Virtual wine classes!
Sip Better's sommelier, Leslee Miller, has been putting her wine education chops to work from the comfort of her own home. Through her consulting business, Amusée, Leslee has begun hosting live themed wine classes via Zoom, and the latest one turned into one big wine and cheese pairing party! Wine lovers from around the country tuned in on Saturday April 18th to discuss how to create a killer cheese and meat spread (see that beauty up above?), which wines to pair with which snacks, and more. I was there too! And here are three of my takeaways:
VARIETY IS KEY
Make sure your cheese(and meat) board reflects the spice of life: variety! Choose at least one cow's milk cheese (like Gruyère), one goat's milk (such as fresh chèvre), and one sheep's milk cheese (like Manchego). Not only do these different milks offer many pairing combinations and flavor profiles to explore, they also ensure that most of your dining mates will find...
