Welcome to She Is, the first in a series of blog posts featuring women in business. I'm taking time to talk with the creatives, doers, and dreamers that I admire the most to learn about their work, thoughts on life, favorite places, and, of course, their jewelry.
I'm kicking things off with Leslie of La Dolce Vigna, a wine focused travel company. She's an art-curator-turned-sommelier, and I've had the pleasure of joining her on two amazing trips (Oaxaca and Puglia) in 2024 and 2025.
Lori: Thanks for talking with me today, here in Matera, where we are currently traveling. You really inspire me with how you've brought your passions into your work and it's evident that you love what you do, so I thought you'd be a great first feature.
AND, anytime I post content from these trips I’ve taken with you, people are like, “How do I get in on this?!”
So tell me a little bit about La Dolce Vigna, your business, how you got started, and what it's about.
Leslie: It's a curated travel experience where I concentrate on using the lens of wine to really do a deep dive into a certain region. I started in Italy, because that's where I got my sommelier certificate, and fell in love with wine, and the diversity of the grape varieties here. And so it was a passion I decided to explore.
La Dolce Vigna actually happened pretty organically, because it used my experience in the art world, which you know, involves beautiful, esthetic experiences. And then you add the wine and food elements, and my trips become beautifully curated experiences that tell about the food, the wine, the history, and the culture of a region.
Lori: Going from the art world to the travel/wine world, do you feel like having that art background makes you see the world differently?
Leslie: I absolutely do. When I worked in the art world, it was mostly in a curatorial kind of arts management way. And so with curating, it's telling a story. You're contextualizing artwork, you're presenting potentially different artists together to tell a story. And so for me, a travel tour felt very much like that and it was easy. Plus there's an element of beauty and the quality of an experience and the authenticity of an experience, which is really important to me, and so that is putting those all together.
Lori: How many trips have you curated since starting La Dolce Vigna?
Leslie: I was thinking about that, and I have no idea! I should have a tally, but I've been doing it for 11 years, I would think it's about 50. Yeah, it must be, because for the last three years, I've done at least 12 trips.
Lori: That's a huge number to have reached! What would you say your favorite part of your job is? And what is your favorite destination of the ones that you offer?
Leslie: My favorite part of my job is seeing how people appreciate everything when they travel. There's always some part of their trip where they were like, wow, whether it’s a landscape or a particular dish. And when I hear things like, “Oh, we would have never found this on our own.” Because, yeah, that's the point, I want to create a really beautiful itinerary and bring people to places that they wouldn't necessarily find by themselves.
In terms of favorite region, it's really hard to pick. It's true, I do love Southern Italy. And because of the people that I've connected with in these regions. Puglia, Basilicata have a sweet spot in my heart.
Lori: Having spent the past week here, I can see why!
Leslie: I mean, it has the nodino (small knots of mozzarella cheese) you know! But it's really difficult, because as soon as I say that, then I'm like, Oh, but I was just in the Veneto, and I really liked that memory, it really is stunning, yeah…
Lori: If you can't pick one favorite, I don't blame you. But I’ll try another way: what is your current favorite wine?
Leslie: I mean, partly because we're in this region right now, but Giovanni Aiello’s sparkling verdeca is my favorite wine for this trip.
And more generally, I've been enjoying seeing different regions in Italy make Metodo Classico. So, the traditional method of making sparkling wine, the same process used in the Champagne region of France to make Champagne, but using different grape varieties. Up until not that long ago, pretty much everyone making champagne method wines were still using the champagne grape varieties, which are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which are not native to Italy. So it's been fun seeing different parts of Italy produce champagne wines from different grape varieties.
Lori: What would you say is the best way for someone to start exploring wines if they know nothing about them?
Leslie: I would suggest finding the small wine store in your neighborhood and then just go have a conversation with them. Especially if you've read about a wine or you've seen it on social media or an article and something intrigued you.
Or maybe you have a trip coming up to a country that makes wine, go to your local wine shop and see if they have anything from that region, and see if you like it. And then, you know, you can ask for something with a similar profile when you return, if you find something you like.
A lot of it is just paying attention to what you do like. So when you do find something that you enjoy, whether it's at a restaurant or a friend's house, just make a note of it.
Lori: I like that. Just go for it! Switching subjects: right now you're living in Miami, but how much of your year do you spend on the go?
Leslie: I would say I am gone about half the year.
Lori: What is that like for you?
Leslie: Well, I do some fun travel too in between! I have some gaps, some recharge times, so it's just my routine. And then in every place where I go, I kind of have my little home bases, whether they're places I've stayed in before, or I'm with friends. So I have like anchors even while I'm traveling, little homes away from home. And then what's funny about Miami, though, is that it's kind of started to feel like when I'm home, I'm on vacation, you know?
Lori: If you had to describe your own personal style, what would it be, and do you feel like it has been changed at all by traveling?
Leslie: I feel like I'm in a moment where I’m almost settling into something like, I have an idea of what my style is, but it's not there yet. So a little bit of hodgepodge, part five-year-old, part elegant traveler, plus a little vintage flair in there, plus it needs to be easy for packing.
But what I've noticed is that I have different wardrobes for the different places I travel. So in Italy, I go a bit more classic, like easy elegance, but then, of course, I always have a couple fun little pieces. I do love color.
Lori: If you could travel anywhere tomorrow for fun and not for work, where would you go?
Leslie: I would go to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, Spain. I’m going to try to go this fall, but yes, it's been on my list forever.
Lori: The best thing you bought yourself lately?
Leslie: Chocolate from Modica. And a really nice sea salt. I always like to bring back food or foodie items.
Lori: When it comes to jewelry, are you team silver or gold?
Leslie: Recently, I've been wearing gold.
Lori: What is in your everyday jewelry rotation?
Leslie: I usually wear a little gold hoop. In general, earrings that I can wear with everything and I don't have to think about it. And then I have been wearing rings a little bit more lately. I have this little gold chain that I just never take off, and then I have a couple necklaces that work with different necklines.
Lori: Do you have any sentimental or family heirloom pieces?
Leslie: So my mom gave me a gift that my dad gave to her in her early 30s or so. It's just a set, a matching bracelet and necklace. It's like a flat, gold, intricate, chain. And the chain is beautiful. I always admired it when my mom wore it when I was younger.
Lori : Finally, every woman in business for herself that I know of always seems to have a future plan or dream that's bigger than what she's working on at the moment. Do you think that's true for you?
Leslie: Yeah, you know, I started working with a life coach, she's actually more of an artist coach, but anyway, what I've realized with the help of her, is that, because I kind of envisioned wanting to expand more but I had this realization that it wasn't really about expanding. I think really the goal is to continue. I love doing trips, I love organizing, and being with the groups and everything.
I think what I would like is to have a bit more of a creative element to the end and output for the trips. So things like, you know, textiles, or maps, possibly a curated shop. I do like the idea of art as life, or life as art, where you are just enjoying every day. And so everything that I'm thinking of right now does involve a bit more creativity coming in, but always wine, food, travel related.
Lori: Consider me inspired!
You can find out more, including upcoming tour offerings, at La Dolce Vigna or follow Leslie on Instagram @ladolcevigna