Welcome to Her Cellar: A Wine Science Blog by Dr. Sherry Seston
Welcome to Her Cellar, a wine science blog that reveals the science behind what you obsess over in the glass. I’m Dr. Sherry Seston, a winemaker with a Ph.D. in Environmental Microbiology and Chemistry, and the founder of Veritas Estate Winery in the Lake Michigan Shore AVA. This blog explores the many aspects of wine and winemaking including enology, viticulture, yeast cultures, sensory analysis and the everyday trials of a women in wine!
If you were to step into my cellar on any given day, you might find me calibrating a pH meter, analyzing sugar levels, or elbow-deep in a bin of fermenting Cabernet Sauvignon. I created Her Cellar because, while wine is often romanticized in the glass, the magic truly happens at the intersection of chemistry, microbiology, and late night decisions during the grind of harvest.
Why "Her Cellar"?
The wine industry is evolving, but the image of the "winemaker" is still frequently viewed through a traditional, male-dominated lens. This blog is a space to shift that perspective. It’s a look at the industry from my vantage point—one where high-level enology meets the grit required to manage a harvest and run a business. It is also an outlet for my need to remain immersed in science and education. Although I am now a full-time winemaker and business owner, I still think of myself as a scientist. I started culturing bacteria and sequencing DNA at the age of 19 and I will always identify as a scientist. I also spent 13 years in higher education and I love to teach people about the science of the world around them. I do make time to teach a class or two each year at Lake Michigan College in the Wine and Viticulture program and I am also a certified wine educator with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust at the Diploma Level (aka DipWSET).
What to Expect
In this space, we won’t just talk about tasting notes and terroir. We’re going to dig deeper. You can expect:
* The Science of the Sip: Deep dives into fermentation choices, phenolic extraction, and the chemistry of aging.
* Cellar Realism: The unglamorous, exhausting, and exhilarating reality of running a wine business.
* Global Wine Education: Discussions of winemaking techniques and styles from around the globe.
Whether you are a fellow winemaker, a student of enology, or just someone who wants to know why you love one wine and hate another, I’m glad you’re here.
Let’s get to work. There’s science to be done.
— Dr. Sherry Seston