Almost immediately after she was discovered and moved to Paris at age 19, Veronica Webb walked the runway for Chanel and Azzedine Alaïa and appeared in Elle magazine. After she took time off to raise her family, Webb returned to the catwalk in 2016 to model for Sophie Theallet and Kanye West. The stylish cover girl lives in New York City with husband and jewelry entrepreneur Chris Del Gatto. In between helping with homework for four and cooking for six, she dispenses lifestyle and beauty advice on her website, “Webb on the Fly,” with a glass of red wine always in reach.
What are your earliest memories of drinking wine?
When I was a kid, my grandmother made dandelion wine. I tasted it, but I didn’t grow up around the table European-style, where you’re seven and you have a glass of wine. I remember tasting it when I was a kid, but that was it. I always liked the smell. It’s [in] the big three as far as smells go: bacon, gasoline and wine.
“[W]hen I die, I hope they fill my casket with French fries and red wine.”
When did you discover your love of wine?
My love affair with wine began when I moved to Paris. Suddenly, wine was everywhere. I remember one of my first jobs was shooting for Elle, and they served wine at lunch. I’m from the Midwest; I’ve never seen such a thing. Suddenly, here I am, 19 years old, and I’m at Chanel, and there’s Victoire de Castellane and Gilles Dufour, who at the time were Karl Lagerfeld’s right and left hands, so the best wines that you can ever imagine are coming in for after parties, lunch time and social events. And then Azzedine Alaïa, who is like my dad a huge wine enthusiast—and that’s where I learned about Cheval Blanc. My very good friend [designer] Sophie Theallet was Azzedine’s assistant at the time. Her grandparents have a vineyard near Château Petrus, and she taught me about wine from Bordeaux.
Any favorites?
I love Spanish and Argentine wines. I recently enjoyed Beronia Tempranillo from Rioja, the 2007 Reserva. I also love Catena Malbec. That’s my everyday table wine.
Tell us about some of the wine-based beauty products you cover on Webb on the Fly.
Dior’s L’Or de Vie line is made with sap from vines at Château d’Yquem. It takes six months and 17 purification steps to create, and the L’Or de Vie facial brings so much moisture to your skin, you won’t believe it. I also receive IV vitamin infusions—given by my doctor—that contain resveratrol, which is derived from grapes… There’s a new skin care product called Vintner’s Daughter that I am about to test and review as well.
How do you manage to eat and drink but still stay fit?
I love to cook, and I love to eat. If they had an Olympic event for how to pig out and get away with it, I would be on the podium. However, you also have to tighten your belt, snap your wallet shut and go to the gym. I take on new physical challenges each year. All the things that you do at the gym are pure discipline, but doing something new that is physical makes you do something better than just fitting into your jeans. Last year, I took up figure skating, and I’m looking into archery this year. I think I can get the kids to do that with me.
Anything else our readers should know?
Well…if they bury me when I die, I hope they fill my casket with French fries and red wine.
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Last Updated: May 4, 2023
