Meet Our Winemaker
“I was inspired to create Cupcake LightHearted after training for runs and wanting a lower calorie wine option that still tastes delicious. Cupcake LightHearted brings the perfect dose of joy to any occasion.”
— Jessica Tomei, Winemaker
Jessica has spent more than 15 years chasing vines through some of the world’s finest wine growing regions. Her hands-on approach starts in the vineyard, working alongside growers to ensure our grapes reach the perfect ripeness. Her latest creation, Cupcake LightHearted, is lower in alcohol, sugar and calories and bursting with fruit-forward flavors.
Our Winemaking Process
We set out to create the perfect wine. One with FULL flavor, a good balance of alcohol AND lower calories, sugar and carbs. So…how did we do it?
It’s all about the BRIX
Brix is a measure of the amount of sugar that is naturally found in grapes. The longer the grapes ripen on the vine during the growing season, the higher their BRIX levels become.
A delicate balancing act
Fermentation is a natural process where the natural sugars found in grapes are converted into alcohol. If this process is suspended, it achieves a lower alcohol, but does not achieve lower sugar. So how did we at Cupcake LightHearted get to both lower alcohol and lower sugar?
The Cupcake LightHearted Secret
Jessica and her winemaking team harvest the grapes early in the growing season to minimize BRIX levels (remember, it’s all about the BRIX!) which allow for a lower sugar, lower alcohol product after blending.
A wonder in winemaking
Jessica selects perfectly-balanced grapes throughout California and crafts the perfect blend in the cellar to achieve rich, delicious wines, with lower alcohol and calories. Jessica brings out the truest grape expression for each Cupcake LightHearted varietal.
