Ten Wines Made by Women
March is Women’s History Month and March 8th marks International Women’s Day. When it comes to buying wine, women lead the pack representing 59% of regular wine purchasers in the US and 7 out of every 10 bottles of wine purchased at British and German supermarkets are done so by women. Yet, when it comes to winemaking and winery ownership, the numbers tell a much different story. Women comprise a minority percentage of winemakers around the world. In California, approximately 20 percent of winemakers are female and just 4 percent of the state’s 3,7000+ wineries are owned by women. Theses numbers are certainly discouraging but hope is on the horizon. Recent statistics indicate that more women than ever are graduating with winemaking degrees and a new generation of women are leading the charge to ensure the future of winemaking is female. I’ve compiled a list of ten inspiring and dynamic female winemakers who are breaking barriers and changing the game in her own special way.
Alice Paillard ~ Bruno Paillard, Champagne, France
While Champagne remains a male-dominated region, its history is punctuated with strong female figures, including the Veuve (Widow) Clicquot, Louise Pommery and Lilly Bollinger. Alice Paillard joined Champagne’s small but mighty legion of women in 2007 when she joined her father, Bruno Paillard, as co-manager of the family estate. Alice is also a member of La Transmission, a 10-strong all-female initiative hoping to inspire the next generation of female cellar masters and CEOs in Champagne. “Having a space that encourages open discussion where you can share your ideas with like-minded people in the industry is priceless,” says Alice.
Bruno Paillard Premiere Cuvee, Champagne, France NV $50
The flagship of Bruno Paillard’s house style. Blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier from 30 different crus. Lively with lemon curd and citrus notes, finishing with a hint of buttered brioche.
Virginia Willcock ~ Vasse Felix, Margaret River
I first met Virginia at a women in wine conference last year in New York and I was immediately drawn to her vivacious and energetic spirit. She is one of the most awarded female winemakers in Australia, having won numerous awards including, ‘Winemaker of the Year’ by The West Australian Good Wine Guide 2013, and ‘Winemaker of the Year’ in the 2017 Australian Women in Wine Awards. As chief winemaker for Vasse Felix, she is a tireless ambassador and advocate for the wines of the Margaret River, a breathtaking region located on the west coast of Australia. Virginia travels the world preaching the gospel of Australia’s vast array of microclimates and wine styles and is eager to dispel the misconception that all Australian wines are the same, regardless of where they come from. Her winemaking style reflects her philosophy that wines should express a unique sense of place, “Every wine that we make should bring you to the Margaret River one way or another, whether it’s the forest or the beach, or where you walking or being, the wine should express a little bit of that.” I’m certainly okay with taking a sip of the Margaret River - it’s seriously that gorgeous.
Vasse Felix, Cabernet Sauvignon Filius, Margaret River, Australia 2017 $27
Black currant fruit notes with hints of fresh thyme and tarragon. Fleshier, more forward drinking style for immediate enjoyment. It’s a delicious wine to enjoy with heartier fare or a meat and cheese board.
Viviana Navarrete ~ Viña Leyda, Chile
In 2007, attracted to the coastal terroir of the Leyda Valley, Viviana became chief winemaker at Viña Leyda. Her mission? To make the best cool-climate wines in Chile. I had an opportunity to visit Viña Leyda a few years ago and was immediately taken by the vineyard’s close proximity to the ocean. On the morning of our visit, the air was thick and damp and Viviana explained how good this was for growing cooler-climate grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, areas where I believe she excels with her winemaking mastery. When asked if women make better wines, Viviana offers a very diplomatic answer, “It's not that women’s noses are better, or they have more sensibility, many people say that; but I think it's that we offer a different kind of winemaking. Oftentimes journalists or customers try our wines and say they sense that they are made by a woman. I don't know if I am able to show that, but what I want to show to the consumers is a reflection of the terroir in the wines. I want the consumers to close their eyes when they try a Leyda wine and say, "Oh, this is cold climate, this is very mineral.” I can feel the salinity of the cold-climate area that you are feeling right now. That's my main target. If I can make it better because I'm a woman, that's terrific.”
Leyda, Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley, Chile $14
Fresh, fragrant and floral with notes of tangy Bing cherries, purple violets and crushed raspberries.
Ntsiki Biyela ~ Aslina Wines, South Africa
Growing up on South Africa’s Eastern Cape, wine was not a part of Ntsiki Biyea’s life. She had never even tasted wine but that didn’t stop her from pursuing a scholarship to study winemaking at the University of Stellenbosch. Upon graduating in 2003, Ntsiki would become South Africa’s first Black female winemaker when she landed a job as a junior winemaker at a Stellekaya Winery in Stellenbosch the following year. In 2017, she launched her own brand, Aslina Wines (named after her late grandmother who was, and remains, her inspiration). Today, she is known internationally as a highly-regarded winemaker and was named among the Most Innovative Women in Food & Drink, by a joint effort of Food & Wine Magazine with Fortune Magazine. Ntsiki also sits on the board of directors for the Pinotage Youth Development Academy, which provides wine-industry training and development for young South Africans. Her future goals are to help others achieve their dreams and to promote the image of South African wines, “My goals are now more about helping others fulfill their dreams while I’m continuing to build [my own brand.] I’ve been in the industry a long time. There is change, we always want it [change] to happen [all] at once. People [of diversity] are now slowly coming in. Worker conditions have changed, too – a recent documentary targeted one winery. If anyone had asked [other workers] at other wineries, they would have had different experiences. If you’re a person who studies Old World vs. New World wines, South Africa has always been on its own – the best of both worlds.”
Aslina Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa $18
Light, crisp and refreshing with notes of grapefruit zest, gooseberries and passion fruit. Extended time on the lees, gives this wine additional texture and mouthfeel.
Tahmiene Momtazi ~ Maysara Winery, McMinnville, Oregon
Tahmiene has been the winemaker for Maysara since 2007, a biodynamic winery owned and operated by her family since the 90’s. Her parents, Moe and Flora Momtazi, had fled from Iran in 1982, escaping on a motorcycle, with Flora riding on the back, pregnant with Tahmiene. After winding their way through a series of other countries, the family was granted political asylum in the United States. Moe found an engineering job in Texas and eventually established his own companies. With a longing to reconnect to the land and nature, the family purchased a 532 acre abandoned wheat farm in McMinnville with the intention of turning it into an organically-grown vineyard. Tahmiene graduated from Oregon State University receiving a degree in Food Science and Technology in Fermentation Science. She has worked at several local wineries in Oregon before she headed to New Zealand to work at Kim Crawford. Maysara is a family-run operation and the story of the American dream. They recently released a wine named ‘Immigrant’ where a third of the sales go towards refugee and immigrant aid programs. “This wine is dedicated to all immigrants,” reads the description on the Maysara website, “including our own family members who risked their lives to escape and make it to America for the values of freedom and opportunity that this country stands for.”
Maysara 3 Degrees, Pinot Noir, McMinnville, Oregon 2017 $20
3 Degrees is made by the Momtazi sisters with the intention of providing a great-tasting Pinot Noir at an affordable price.
Theresa Pichler ~ Rudi Pichler, Wachau, Austria
At the age of 25, Theresa Pichler, is aware of the legacy she is inheriting at her family winery in the nearby Wachau region, where steep sloping vineyards rise up from the Danube. Theresa grew up in the winery and was always in touch with vineyards, vines, wines and customers. Her father, Rudi Pichler, is among the elite growers of the Wachau producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. Theresa has long been inspired by her father’s passion for the wine business and credits him for her decision to pursue a career in wine. Her responsibilities include hosting tastings, vineyard management, serving as assistant winemaker and gaining experience to help prepare her to eventually take over the winery that has been in the family since 1731.
Rudi Pichler, Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, Wachau, Austria 2017 $25
Medium-bodied and fresh in style with notes of white pepper, mandarin orange peel, savory green herbs and refreshing lime zest acidity. =
Arianna Occhipinti ~ Agricola Occhipinti, Sicily, Italy
Arianna Occhipinti says that her love for wine was sparked when at the age of 16 she went with her uncle (Giusto Occhipinti of COS) to Vinitaly, the large wine show in Verona. It prompted her to study oenology at university in Milan. There, she was distressed to find the emphasis on chemistry and laboratory work, at odds with the more natural winemaking she had learned from her uncle. In her early 20s, she began making wines in her home area of Vittoria, Sicily. She decided her style would be one of finesse and elegance and perfume over power. Her first vintage (2004) was released in 2006 when she was just 24. She is now considered to be one of Italy’s leading winemakers and is a cult figure in the biodynamic and natural wine movement. “We do not inherit the land from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children,” one of Arianna’s favorite quotes by Saint-Exupery, this particular philosophy has guided her as a winemaker.
SP68 Rosso IGT Terre Siciliane, Italy 2018 $27
70% Frappato and 30% Nero d'Avola. Nero d’Avola provides dark fruit while Frappato imparts the lift and floral freshness that make this virtually impossible to drink slowly. The title “SP68” refers to the Strada Provinciale 68, a state route that passes by her small property.
Vanessa Wong ~ Peay Vineyards, Sonoma Coast
Vaness Wong grew up in San Francisco, the daughter of immigrant Chinese parents who drank tea, not wine, with meals. It wasn't until Wong was 14 that someone offered her a sip of wine. She says she remembers looking at the bottle and thinking, "This wine has a name." The name was Chardonnay. This early exposure to the world of wine and its distinctive yet universal appeal sparked her fascination with winemaking and led her to pursue a degree in viticulture and enology at UC Davis much to the chagrin of her parents who thought she was taking pre-med classes. Prior to starting Peay in 2001, with her husband Nick Peay and his brother Andy, she worked at Peter Michael Winery as winemaker and assistant winemaker from 1996-2000. She also has spent time working in France at Château Lafite-Rothschild in Pauillac and Domaine Jean Gros in Vosne-Romanée as well as in California at Hirsch Winery and Franciscan. Peay Vineyards is located in the Sonoma Coast appellation, way above the fog line at a high elevation. The cooler climate and coastal influence allows for the cultivation of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that are doppelgangers for their Burgundian counterparts. You won’t find overripe fruit bombs here and anyone who says they don’t like Chardonnay clearly hasn’t tried one made by Vanessa Wong.
Peay Vineyards Estate Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2017 $60
Notes of almonds, sage, toasted hazelnuts and crisp pears balanced with bracing acidity and a tight mineral finish. Can easily age like fine white Burgundy.
María José Lopez de Heredia ~ Lopez de Heredia, Rioja, Spain
Rioja’s María José López de Heredia presides over one of the most prestigious estates in the region renowned for its traditional reds and long-aged whites made in an oxidative style. She was born in Haro, La Rioja in 1968. She studied Law and Theology in the University of Deusto, Bilbao, however, her main ambition was to following the family winery of which she is the fourth generation. In 2000 she became General Manager of her family company and is proud to maintain the traditional winemaking methods of her predecessors, a style that has not changed in 141 years. "We continue to cultivate the vineyards and indeed make our wines following the techniques and philosophies laid down over 140 years ago," says Maria José Lopez de Heredia. "This has been no accident – we have taken the conscious and voluntary decision not to use modern technology in our winemaking." They are the epitome of traditional Rioja.
R Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo, Rioja, Spain 2010 $26
Hints of leather and cherries, spices and smoke. Ideal pairing for with cured meat, cheese and other types of snacks or tapas.
Dr. Laura Catena ~ Catena, Luca and La Posta Wineries, Argentina
Dr. Laura Catena is one of the most inspiring women I’ve ever met. She is a fourth generation Argentine vintner, physician and author. Laura was born in Mendoza and spent her childhood with her grandfather Domingo at the family's winery. Laura graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1988 and has a Medical Doctor degree from Stanford University. In 1995 Laura joined her father Nicolás Catena Zapata at the family winery and founded the Catena Institute of Wine with the vision of making Argentine wines that could stand with the best of the world. Dr. Laura Catena has been called "the face of Argentine wine" for her active role in studying and promoting the Mendoza wine region and Argentine Malbec. Laura's life obsession is to learn more about high altitude viticulture, the vineyard soil microbiome and wine ageability. I always learn something new when I am with her. She is a dynamo!
Catena Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina 2017 $18
Floral notes violets, dark fruits and touches of vanilla and spice. The palate offers sweet black cherry fruit, a generous texture and marked mineral notes as well as layers of chocolate and spicy black pepper.