top of page
IMG_5933_edited.jpg

All You Need to Know

Resources

Resources and Tips: Resources and Tips
Illustrated Map

Make Information visually available

Maps, charts, tasting notes are great visual tools to use when working with Deaf consumers. Not only it will help them, everyone will gain more knowledge about wines and the vinification process with the visual aids.

Destemming the Grapes by Michael Hellman
01:08

Destemming the Grapes by Michael Hellman

Once the fruit comes to the winery after being harvested from the vineyards, they begin the process of winemaking immediately. The grapes are loaded into a destemmer, which is equipment that separates the berries from the stems. Then, the grapes are crushed- meaning the berries burst open, allowing the grape juice, which is called the “must” in winemaking, to flow. The must will then spend time with the skins of the grapes during fermentation. The skins give the red wine it’s color, tannins, and many aromas and flavors in a process called extraction. Harvest is a busy and exciting time in wine, what do you think so far?
Pump Over by Michael Hellman
00:45

Pump Over by Michael Hellman

Michael showed us how the grapes are destemmed and then crushed. The grape skins are broken, so now we have grape juice (called “must”) and the skins together during fermentation. Fermentation is the process in which this juice becomes wine 🍷 ! Yeast feed on the sugars in the must, creating byproducts: 🔥 Heat 🫧 Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 🥃 Alcohol Because of the CO2, the grape skins bubble to the top of the tank or vessel, and they get packed together in a thick layer of skins called the cap. This traps heat and CO2, and keeps the skins separate from the rest of the juice, which we don’t want. We want them all to mix together! Why? One reason is because the grape skins impart color to red wine, as well as flavors, aromas, textures and tannins. So Michael has to keep the cap wet, which is why he does pump overs. Think of it like steeping tea- you have to keep the tea leaves submerged in the water to get more flavor, color, and yes, even tannin.
Michael Hellmen, Deaf Wine Maker
00:56

Michael Hellmen, Deaf Wine Maker

Michael is paving the way. He has worked his way up to becoming head winemaker at Texas Custom Wine Works, and we are thrilled to connect with him! He is incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, entrepreneurial, and we know you’re going to learn something new. We will be featuring several videos of Michael as he shows us the behind the scenes of his 2022 harvest. So be sure to follow along and show your support of this impressive guy and his skills. We talk a lot about the great potential of hiring d/Deaf folks in the wine industry, but the impact is always greater when we SHOW not TELL. Also, we want to be a resource for Deaf wine professionals to network and connect with each other, which is desperately needed in this industry. Big thanks to Michael for helping us kick this off, as we know there is much more to come from Deaf wine professionals!
Visual Materials
00:24

Visual Materials

Here are some time about making communication more transparent. You do not need to master in ASL to communicate with Deaf clients!
Guess the Shape of the Bottles
00:47

Guess the Shape of the Bottles

To demonstrate one of the most unique and important linguistic components of American Sign Language, called classifiers, we are dropping some wine bottle trivia. Remember, ASL is all about showing, not telling - you can learn more about ASL classifiers from Deaf teachers. Ready to play? Match the four classifier videos with the wine typical for that bottle shape! These bottle shapes are often named after the traditional wine they match with. But especially nowadays, there are always exceptions to the rules!
Observe, Smell, Taste!
00:16

Observe, Smell, Taste!

The wine industry has a specific set of vocabulary used for assessing wine, but did you know that in ASL, we sign the concepts, not necessarily the words? This is one of the special challenges when taking wine certification classes, but we at Uncorked Access believe using conceptually accurate ASL signs is the best way to learn. We can also communicate while our mouths are full of wine, so maybe sign language is the most efficient way to go for all of us!
Resources and Tips: Video Resources

Our Network

Impressive Deaf Professionals in Wine and Hospitality Industry

Since day one, we have been networking with individuals and businesses in the wine and hospitality industry. We believe that they provide reliable professional services and are assets to this profession. Show some support and check them out!

logo.jpg

Michael Hellman
Deaf Head Winemaker and Entrepreneur

Texas is the fastest growing wine producing state, but the industry is primarily composed of smaller family-operated wineries with limited access to advanced winemaking technology. VinoPolish is currently seeking funding to acquire equipment to provide the latest winemaking technology affordably and conveniently to Texas wineries. By utilizing our mobile services, wineries can improve wine quality and operational efficiency. Our vision is to level the technological playing field between small, local wineries and their larger competitors.

1615500891004.jpg

Michelle Morris
Wine Marketing & Educator

By day, Michelle is a Communications Director for the National Deaf Center. By "night," she is a part-time sales associate for DCanter, a wine boutique in Washington, DC, and a budding industry professional. In January of 2023, Michelle completed her WSET level 2 exam and is preparing to study for her Level 3. In the future, she hopes to apprentice with a wine label to learn about the various parts of the industry. She is passionate about DEIA and wishes to use her knowledge and experience to increase the accessibility to and representation of people with disabilities and BIPOC  in the industry.

AnneKL.jpeg

Anne Kearney Logan
PhD of Viticulture and Enology

Deaf since birth, Anne is a viticulturist and fruit crop specialist by training, having recently passed her PhD in Viticulture and Enology at Cornell University.


She is also a wine educator and a farmer, having worked as an assistant farmer at an organic farm. This summer, she plans to start a virtual educational series on the science behind grape (and other fruit types) growing and winemaking in ASL. She also plans to develop in-person tasting events to expose the Deaf/HOH/signing community to hidden gems of wine growing regions such as those in New England and the Finger Lakes. 

Unknown.jpeg

Tara Beltramari
Assistant Winemaker

Tara is currently an Assistant Winemaker at Casa Larga in Fairport, NY. She was born and raised in Saint Helena California, in the Napa Valley wine region. Winemaking is in her blood.


She is a profoundly Deaf person who uses bilateral cochlear implants. She is proudly aiming to be be part of the wine industry and hopes to become a head winemaker someday or run a winery in the future. 

Unknown.png

Hands On Travel

Hands On Travel is currently the industry leader in providing small group tours for deaf people and people who use sign language. They started the business in 2002 with the goals of providing accessible travel through direct communication, offering unique experiences, and becoming temporary locals in the places we visit. The company is led by seasoned travelers with years of experience traveling and living abroad and they want to educate their travelers about empowering local deaf ecosystems and steering away from the mass tourism industry. Part of the experiences Hands On Travel provides include wine tastings and appreciation of food and wine pairings during our dinners together.

IMG_0215.heic

David Uzzell
Hospitality Management

David Uzzell has ten years' experience in hospitality as a chef and restaurant manager. In the past he has worked at notable and Michelin-starred restaurants in Washington DC and Sweden, including Marcel's by Robert Wiedmaier, the White House, Reverie, two-Michelin Star Fäviken, José Andrés' flagship restaurant, minibar. He also helped to open and became the manager of Mozzeria in Washington DC. Over the years, as David built up his palate, he paid keen attention to the limitless potential for wine pairings, recognizing how the nuance of a particular vintage would harmonize with the various flavors of a dish. He looks forward to sharing this knowledge with Uncorked Access.


David now resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota and has established the Virtual ASL Academy, a platform that connects Deaf clients with tutors in various subjects, providing test preparation services, helping clients receive certification and licenses, as well as helping high school students navigate the transition to college or the workforce.


When he is not cooking or helping Deaf learners, David is particularly fond of Champagne Taittinger, a glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape or surprising people with a bottle of tsolikouri.

Resources and Tips: Clients
bottom of page