Travel in a Bottle With LGBTQ-Friendly Vinat Wine
Sarah and Emily Mack’s passion for wine began through a love of travel and seeing how wine-growing countries also have dynamic cultures that bring people together.
One of our favorite things to do when traveling in Europe is to stroll to the nearest corner store and pick up a delicious and affordable bottle of local wine to sip in our suite, in a bathrobe, and toast the trip. We’ve done this in many destinations, from a garret in the Marais, Paris, with a dozen freshly shucked oysters and a baguette bought off the street; to Sitges, Spain after a day at the beach. It never ceases to amaze us how European wines are so easy to drink, inexpensive, and often a little lighter in body, lower in alcohol, and absent of certain preservatives and added sugar than many of the wines we have in the U.S.
Wouldn’t it be nice if high-quality, everyday European table wines with no unwanted additives were curated for you by a female-founded, LGBTQ-friendly business?
Well, sisters Sarah and Emily Mack created Vinat to make wine more approachable and fun—as it should be, just like travel. Hailing from small-town Wisconsin, the sisters recall sipping some great wines during a European sojourn, and wanting to bring the experience back Stateside.
“The idea of Vinat was born on a rainy day after visiting one of our favorite vineyards outside of Barcelona,” says Emily. “Sarah working on her MBA in Spain gave us a great chance to learn more about the wine industry. Through a budding love of wine, we recognized an opportunity to shake up an industry we’re passionate about.”
The name Vinat is a homage to the city and country that had initially inspired the Mack sisters. “Viatge is a Catalan word meaning trip or journey. Catalonia is home to our beloved city of Barcelona,” explains Emily. “Vino is a Spanish word meaning wine. ‘Vinat’ combines ‘Viatge’ and ‘Vino’ and means ‘Wine Journey’.”
The concept behind Vinat is to source and rebrand exclusive European wines with fabulously cheeky labels—and no unwanted additives. In other words, to bring you the kind of wines you might pick up at a little French bistro or Barcelona bar while traveling and happily day-drinking. These are light to medium-bodied, food-friendly, and casually quaffable wines.
For some time now, the wine industry has been male-dominated and arguably elitist, but there is a growing trend to demystify wine for the average consumer and to make it a friendlier and more unifying custom, as it is in Europe. “You don’t have to be an expert or break the bank to enjoy great wine,” says Emily.
As a sister-founded, women-led company, Vinat seeks to use its platform to empower, support, and advocate for other women. They’re constantly seeking new ways to support women and minorities with Vinat, from supporting underrepresented winemakers to sourcing label art from lesser-known artists.
Sarah worked in corporate finance roles before pursuing her MBA at IESE in Barcelona—and she was a travel blogger on the side. Meanwhile, Emily worked in consulting and startups, particularly around new products and disruptive innovation. Inspired by Sarah’s time in Spain, they combined their skills from their day jobs to their love of wine and identified an opportunity to shake up an industry they’re passionate about.
Sarah and Emily taste-test all their wines extensively to ensure they all taste great right out of the bottle and pair well with a wide variety of foods. On the website, you’ll also find unconventional pairing recommendations for all the wines, including binge-able shows for streaming, recommended movies and books, and even Spotify playlists.
We sampled Vinat’s trio of wines: Skinny Dip Prosecco, Out of Office White Blend, and Cha Cha Cha Red Blend. They were all fun, tasty, easy-drinking and went well with everything, especially our homemade paella. The Skinny Dip Prosecco with its tiny elegant bubbles and pleasant, fruity mouthfeel makes the perfect aperitif. The OOO White Blend comes from Slovenia and should please a range of white drinkers—no need for equivocating over Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Just be done with it and serve this! And similarly with the Cha Cha Cha Red Blend: It is light to medium bodied and should please anyone who enjoys a Pinot Noir but without all the cherry notes.
With Thanksgiving upon us, you might be anxiously wondering what wine to bring or to serve on America’s most significant holiday gathering. It can be very confusing to know what wines work with turkey and all the traditional Holiday sides and desserts. There are a lot of flavors to take into account, from smoky to savory to sweet, plus many people have their likes and dislikes when it comes to whites, reds, and bubbles. Lucky for us, Vinat has some easy Thanksgiving wine pairings to simplify the process.
Vinat’s Thanksgiving Wine Pairings
Pro tip #1: When in doubt, pop the Prosecco. Not only does a bottle of bubbles get any celebratory meal off to a good start (who can argue with the French?) Vinat’s Italian sparkling wine is Extra Dry and fruity and should appeal to most palates.
“The thing we love with Prosecco is that the bubbles pair nicely with many foods. A dry Prosecco like Skinny Dip is one wine that you can pair with every course of your Thanksgiving meal,” says Emily.
Appetizer Wine Pairings
- Cheese & Charcuterie Board wine pairing: Skinny Dip Prosecco, Cha Cha Cha Red Blend, and Out of Office White Blend
- Stuffed Mushrooms wine pairing : Cha Cha Cha Red Blend
- Deviled Eggs wine pairing: Skinny Dip Prosecco
Sides Wine Pairings
- Green Bean Casserole wine pairing: Skinny Dip Prosecco
- Sweet Potato Casserole wine pairing: Skinny Dip Prosecco
- Salad wine pairing: Out of Office White Blend
- Green Bean Almondine wine pairing: Out of Office White Blend
- Roasted Root Vegetable wine pairing: Out of Office White Blend
- Stuffing wine pairing: Cha Cha Cha Red Blend
- Mashed Potatoes with Gravy wine pairing: Cha Cha Cha Red Blend
Mains Wine Pairings
- Thanksgiving Turkey wine pairings: Skinny Dip Prosecco, Cha Cha Cha Red Blend, and Out of Office White Blend
Pro Tip #2: Try Vinat’s Prosecco Turkey recipe!
- Glazed Ham: Skinny Dip Prosecco
Thanksgiving Desserts Wine Pairings
- Apple Pie wine pairing: Skinny Dip Prosecco
- Pumpkin Pie wine pairing: Skinny Dip Prosecco
Pro Tip #3: How much is enough wine per person? It depends on the group, how long your Thanksgiving meal will last, and if you serve other beverages like cocktails and beer. “We usually estimate 1/2 to 1 bottle of wine per adult that drinks,” says Emily.
Shop Vinat’s Thanksgiving 6-Pack here. See all the wines here. Follow Vinat’s adventures on Instagram.
