M.S. Walker - Women in Wine

WOMEN IN WINE

KEY & TABLE OF CONTENTS

M.S. WALKER 05. Argentina 09. Australia 12. Austria 14. Chile 17. France 21. Germany 24. Italy 28. Portugal 31. USA

BOSTON WINE COMPANY 53. Australia 58. Chile 60. Germany 63. Italy 69. Portugal

72. USA

IN MEMORIAM 77. Becky Wasserman

NATURAL WINE BIO

BIODYNAMIC a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture

ORG

ORGANIC wine made with grapes framed organically

BIO

PARTIALLY BIODYNAMIC

ORG

PARTIALLY ORGANIC

SUS VG

SUSTAINABLE making wine leaving as little negative imapact VEGAN wine made without animal products

STK BC

STK Austrian Regional Group championing sustainability BCORP group for high social and environmental ethics

Argentina

Catena Zapata LAURA CATENA MANAGING DIRECTOR & CATENA INSTITUTE OF WINE FOUNDER

In 1902, Nicolás Catena, an Italian immigrant, planted his first vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina. The winery has remained under family control — now in its fourth generation — and is one of the few familyowned wine companies in Argentina that remains in Argentine hands.

Owned today by Nicolás Catena and his daughter Laura, Catena Zapata is known as the pioneer of fine wine from Argentina, and Nicolás is recognized as the vintner who revolutionized wine quality in Argentina.

Catena wines, first launched in 1992, set a new standard for quality in South America. The wines immediately proved the quality potential of Argentina and garnered the first outstanding reviews for Argentine wines from worldwide media.

Estate Owner: Nicolás Catena Winemaker: Alejandro Vigil Founded In: 1902 Located In: Mendoza, Argentina

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“THE FACE” OF ARGENTINE WINE

Dr. Laura Catena is a fourth-generation Argentine vintner, physician and author. 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.

She is currently managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata and works closely with Alejandro Vigil and Luis Reginato to make the vineyard selections and blends for the family’s wines.

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. Her life obsession is to learn more about high altitude viticulture, the vineyard soil microbiome and wine age ability.

Domaine Nico LAURA CATENA MANAGING DIRECTOR & CATENA INSTITUTE OF WINE FOUNDER

Domaine Nico is the world’s first extreme highaltitude “parcela” Pinot Noir. It is an unusual location for the New World with limestone soil of alluvial origin and cool climate and a labor of love for the Catena family.

The vineyard is named after Laura’s daughter, Nicola, whose name pays homage to Nicolás Catena, Laura’s great-grandfather and founder of the Catena winery in 1902.

With Domaine Nico, Laura borrows from France in the names of the wine parcels and in the concept of individual terroirs, but also plays with the words to give the wines a modern twist that’s reflective of their style.

Born in Mendoza, Argentina, Laura graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and has a Medical Doctor degree from Stanford University. Laura combines a strong science background with a passion for her family winery. She is currently managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata and her own Luca Wines in Mendoza, as well as a practicing Emergency Medicine physician in San Francisco.

Laura has been called the “face” of Argentine wine. She has traveled the globe to lecture about Argentine wines and viticulture and has been an invited speaker at the American Society of Wine Educators, Decanter Fine Wine Encounter, The Smithsonian and the Vancouver Playhouse among others.

In 2010 Laura Catena released her book Vino Argentino, An Insider’s Guide to the Wines and Wine Country of Argentina (Chronicle Books), the first book about Argentine wine by a U.S. publisher.

Estate Owner: Laura Catena Winemaker: Roy Urvieta Founded In: 1902 Located In: Uco Valley, Argentina

“PARCELA” PINOT NOIR

7 | Women in Wine

El Enemigo ADRIANNA CATENA HISTORIAN

El Enemigo translates as the enemy. Nodding to the fact that at the end of any journey, most remember only one battle — the one fought within (the original enemy). This is the battle that defines us.

The wines of El Enemigo are a tribute to those internal battles that make us who we are, brought to fruition by a winemaker, Alejandro Vigil, and a historian, Adrianna Catena who share a love of wine and reach back in time to capture the era when European immigrants first settled in Argentina.

“IRREVERENCE” TOWARD THE STATUS QUO

Estate Owner: Alejandro Vigil & Adrianna Catena Winemaker: Alejandro Vigil Founded In: 2007 Located In: Mendoza, Argentina Adrianna Catena is the daughter of Nicolás Catena. She is a graduate student in Early Modern Spanish history at the University of Oxford, UK. Her dream is to continue the family legacy of winemaking, while pursuing a passion for history and writing from a cottage surrounded by vineyards in the Argentine Andes.

Alejandro, a soils engineer, has been chief winemaker at Catena Zapata since 2002. On a walk, Alejandro and Adrianna decided to make a wine together, a wine that would represent their deep respect for history and tradition, and their complete irreverence towards the status quo.

Australia

Jansz Tasmania JENNIFER DOYLE VITICULTURIST

The name Jansz pays homage to Tasmania’s namesake, the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman who first sighted the island in 1642. In fact, when it was established in 1975, the Jansz vineyard was originally named after Tasman’s ship, the Heemskerk.

In 1986, the esteemed Champagne house - Louis Roederer partnered with the owners of Heemskerk Wines to produce Tasmania’s first premium vintage sparkling wine. They saw the similarities between the climate here and the famous wine region of their homeland. In 1997, the Hill-Smith family purchased the vineyard and began the journey that has seen Jansz Tasmania become the most highly regarded sparkling wine house in Australia.

After studying rural science at university, Jennifer worked as a viticulturist for eight years in Western Australia, before returning east to the Orange wine region and then, around a decade ago, quit the mainland for Tasmania.

Estate Owner: Hill-Smith Family Winemaker: Jennifer Doyle Founded In: 1975 Located In: Tasmania, Australia

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A “GENTLE” APPROACH IS BEST

Jen prefers a gentle approach to viticulture that takes advantage of the pristine environment. In 2017, she was named Australian Women in Wine Viticulturist of the Year.

“I love the natural world and I love watching the interaction of scientific processes but at a micro level,” she says. “Understanding the way the environment interacts, the ecology of the vineyard, the good insects, the birds… And by making an environment which is welcoming to them, they assist us in controlling diseases without having to use chemicals to do so.”

Pewsey Vale LOUISA ROSE WINEMAKER

The Pewsey Vale Vineyard was established at Eden Valley in 1847 producing some of Australia’s first cool climate wines. The early Pewsey Vale Vineyard Rieslings were exported to England where they won numerous awards in the prestigious wine shows of the era.

Today Pewsey Vale Vineyard is a highly esteemed, specialist, single site estate vineyard with provenance.

Louisa Rose, multi-award winning winemaker, wine judge and a cool climate enthusiast, has been making Pewsey Vale Vineyard wines since 1996 and is a firm believer in the philosophy ‘wine is made in the vineyard’. She started at Yalumba as a cellar hand back in 1992 and over 25 years has gained invaluable knowledge and guidance prior to taking over the mantle herself in 2006.

“Often winemakers have to blend across different vineyards to make complete and balanced wines, but this is not the case with Pewsey Vale. The relationship between the Riesling and the unique, undulating site along with single varietal dedication, provides depth, diversity and dimension.”

Estate Owner: Hill-Smith Family Winemaker: Louisa Rose Founded In: 1847 Located In: Eden Valley, Australia

“WINE IS MADE” IN THE VINEYARD

11 | Women in Wine VG

Austria

Lackner Tinnacher KATHARINA LACKNER TINNACHER OWNER/WINEMAKER

The quality of a wine is not only determined by careful processing. It is also a matter of the combination of site, soil and climate as well as the variety grown there. The wines reflect the centuries-old experience in combining these factors to the optimum extent.

Katharina knows her sites, and knows what she can demand from each of them. The six singlevineyard sites in terms of climate are ideally located at altitudes between 360 and 500 meters above sea level.

“KNOWS” WHAT IS IN DEMAND

Estate Owner: Katharina Lackner Tinnacher Winemaker: Katharina Lackner Tinnacher Founded In: 1770 Located In: Gamlitz, Austria

Meet Katharina Lackner Tinnacher, one of the brightest young stars in the Austrian winemaking world. Katharina did not just grow up in a winery; she inherited 240 years of winemaking tradition and bears the burden with elegance and grace. She is the only woman among ten STK winemakers.

The well-founded specialist knowledge of the biologist Katharina Tinnacher about the interaction between vine, soil and microclimate as well as the viticulture experience of father Fritz Tinnacher complement each other perfectly and create finely structured wines with deep fruit and a lot of authenticity.

STK

13 | Women in Wine ORG

Chile

Cono Sur CAROL KOCH WINEMAKER

Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1993 with a vision of producing premium, expressive and innovative wines that convey the spirit of the new world. The company distinguishes itself by three main features: the creative use of technology, orientation towards quality and respect for the environment.

Cono Sur´s name refers to the company´s geographic position, representing wines proudly made in South America´s southern cone, on whose western edge lies Chile and its gifted wine valleys.

Carol joined Cono Sur in 2012. She oversees the cellar and the aging of the wines, including over 8000 barrels, their maintenance and new purchases.

Estate Owner: Robert de Monchy Winemaker: Carol Koch Founded In: 1993 Located In: Santiago, Chile

“SPIRIT” OF THE NEW WORLD 15 | Women in Wine

Cousiño-Macul ROSARIO PALMA CORRALES WINEMAKER

Founded in 1856, Cousiño-Macul is the only 19th century winery in Chile that remains in the hands of the original founding family. All Cousiño-Macul reserve wines are estate grown, vinted and bottled.

After seven generations and over 150 years, CousiñoMacul’s mission rings clear — to produce worldclass wines that are unmistakably Chilean, carrying the distinctive character of the Maipo Valley.

“CLASSY” WINE WITH CHARACTER

Agronomist Winemaker from the University of Chile, in 2005 Rosario joined the Cousiño Macul team until 2010.

After spending two years in Europe, she rejoined the winery to lead various projects, to finally assume the oenological leadership in 2018. Maintaining the spirit of quality and innovation is currently responsible for the excellence that characterizes the production of our wines and its continuous improvement.

Estate Owner: The Cousiño Family Winemaker: Rosario Palma Corrales Founded In: 1856 Located In: Macul, Chile

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France

Jean-Noel Gagnard CAROLINE L’ESTIMÉ OWNER/WINEMAKER

In 1989, after returning from business school in Paris, Caroline L’Estimé took over the winemaking and vineyard direction from her father, Jean-Noël Gagnard.

The style at this Chardonnay focused Domaine is one of subtlety led with gentle sweet golden earth tones.

Often found in Caroline’s range of whites are beautiful wild mushrooms scents of chanterelles and porcinis, brown butter, dried herbs and always some kind of citrus tones, often like a Meyer lemon or the unique purity of an Amalfi Coast lemon grown on steep limestone terraces overlooking the Mediterranean.

Estate Owner: Caroline L’Estimé Winemaker: Caroline L’Estimé Founded In: 1989 Located In: Chassagne-Montrachet, France

“GOLDEN” EARTH TONES

It’s hard to know exactly why her style is unique in this way—in fact I can’t find one that I would say is a mirror image—and even to ask her why her wines are the way they are brings her to a full smile, often bursts of laughter, followed by little explanation except that it’s just the way she does it.

Since 1989, Jean-Noël’s daughter, Caroline Lestimé took over day-to-day running of the Domaine. Caroline had studied business in Paris, and for the first year she divided her attentions between managing the commercial aspects of the estate while attending the Beaune Lycée Viticole to learn about viticulture, and Dijon University to learn about oenology.

One of her early changes was to increase the number of white wine cuvées since her father’s time by introducing a terroir-based policy of separating-out the different vineyards where wines were previously amalgamated under, for instance, a bigger Morgeots cuvée.

The Domaine now commercializes 9 hectares of vines; one grand cru, 9 white and 2 red Chassagne-Montrachet 1ers and a Santenay 1er Clos Tavannes red.

BIO ORG Women in Wine | 18

Maison Leroy

DOMAINE D’AUVENAY, DOMAINE LEROY LALOU BIZE-LEROY OWNER

The story of the Leroy family’s dominance in the wine world began more than a century ago, in 1868, when François Leroy founded Maison Leroy in AuxeyDuresses, a small village near Meursault. When Lalou’s father, Henri, joined the family business in 1919, the firm was already established as one of the greatest in Burgundy.

Lalou joined her father in 1955, taking over the house in 1971. Maison Leroy is the heart of the Leroy empire, a négociant house through which Lalou purchases and distributes wines from most appellations in Burgundy.

Lalou Bize-Leroy joined the family business, Maison Leroy, in 1955. She became President-Director General in 1971. With great devotion and a lot of work, through constant tasting, she undertook to understand the essential characteristics of each “terroir” from each vineyard of Burgundy.

For Maison Leroy, still today, she searches unceasingly to purchase the best wines, and for her the best is always yet to come. No name enlivens and ignites a discussion of Burgundy as quickly as Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy. She is unrelenting in every way, from her personality to how she runs her business to the quality of the wine in the bottle.

The Leroy family’s 50% ownership of Domaine Romanée- Conti gave Lalou ample ability to amass the deepest and most revered cellar in Burgundy during the past six decades. Today, Lalou is the force behind three domaines: Maison Leroy, Domaine Leroy and Domaine d’Auvenay.

With her legendary palate and relentless standards, she unearths some of the most thrilling wines of each vintage, then ages or finishes the wines herself, only releasing them to the market when she knows they are at their peak.

“THE HEART” OF THIS EMPIRE

Estate Owner: Lalou Bize-Leroy Founded In: 1868 Located In: Burgundy, France

19 | Women in Wine BIO

Germany

Ansgar Clüsserath Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann OWNER/WINEMAKER

Weingut Ansgar Clüsserath in Trittenheim on the Mosel has been owned and operated by the family since its founding in 1670. Ansgar Clüsserath’s daughter Eva, oversees winemaking. Eva is married to 2014 Gault Millau Winemaker of the Year, Philipp Wittmann. Like Rheinhessen superstar Wittmann, Eva is a member of Germany’s new generation of winegrowers committed to traditional, ecologically sound viticultural practices as well as forwardlooking methods. Some 97% of the vineyards are planted to Riesling.

Eva Clüsserath-Wittmann is an expert in more than just her home region, The Mosel. She also knows the Pflaz and Rheinhessen, both bastions of Riesling cultivation, like the back of her hand. The former reflects her prior work for the VDP. Pfalz; the latter her husband Phillipp Witttmann, who produces Rieslings to great success in Westhofen.

Yet ultimately it is Eva, a graduate of Geisenheim, who acts as a conductor of the fine tones here, producing wines that are never showy or excessive.

Her wine is straight, taut, almost Saar-like. Without question she is considered among the finest working on the Mosel, and each bottle bears the entirely distinct signature of Eva Clüsserath.

Estate Owner: Eva Clusserath Winemaker: Eva Clusserath Founded In: 1670 Located In: Mosel, Germany

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“CONDUCTOR” OF FINE WINE

Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch SOPHIA THANISCH OWNER

The Thanisch estate is currently in the hands of Sophia Thanisch, who is holding up the wine growing tradition in the 11th family generation.

The focus is solely on Riesling from vineyards in Bernkastel, Mosel. Some of the vines are still original ungrafted rootstocks, which explains their great rapture at the wine lists in famous restaurants over the world.

The viticultural tradition of the Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch - Erben Thanisch estate can be traced back to 1636.

It was named after the widow, Katharina Thanisch, who established the grand tradition and reputation of the property, which has been under female leadership ever since.

Weingut Wwe. Dr. Hugo Thanisch, Erben Thanisch, led by Sofia Thanisch, has a long tradition. It is documented that the wine estate dates back to 1636 and includes eleven generations.

Sofia Thanisch is the estate’s current director, who is one very classy lady and part owner of the world renowned “Doctor” vineyard that has the distinction of being valued as the highest unit price per acre of any agricultural land in Germany.

Estate Owner: Sophia Thanisch Winemaker: Olaf Kaufmann Founded In: 1636 Located In: Mosel, Germany

“DOCTOR” VINEYARD LEADERSHIP 23 | Women in Wine ORG

Italy

Corte Sant’Alda MARINELLA CAMERANI OWNER/WINEMAKER

Corte Sant’ Alda is fast becoming one of the topflight producers of Valpolicella and Amarone. It is owned by Marinella Camerani and is named after her daughter, Alda. Marinella has 15 hectares of certified organic vineyards located in the foothills of the Lessini Mountains, near the town of Mezzane, about 30km north-east of Verona.

The winery is situated in an old farm building in the centre of the vineyards. The wines are all made from the classic Valpolicella blend of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara - the vines average about 25 years of age and the grapes are all hand-harvested.

During production, respect for nature and the attention to the balance of the ecosystem are combined with innovation and experimentation as well as casks of different woods, in cement tanks of all shapes, the desire to improve and exceed all expectations also included the use of fiberglass tanks and amphorae.

Portrayed with various certifications, the wines of Corte Sant’Alda are characterized by extraordinary refinement and stylistic accuracy.

Marinella Camerani is a woman ahead of her time. In the mid-1980s when she took over the family vineyard holdings and decided to begin farming and producing organically her Venetian industry counterparts were flabbergasted.

Still today the Venetian old guard shuns this idea of organic production leaving Marinella and a handful of others as the only Biodynamic certified farms producing DOCG wines in the Veneto. She planted her first vineyard with Guyot training system, the Macie vineyard at 4,500 plants per hectare.

Today the winery tends 13 distinctive vineyard plots, all Biodynamic certified with vine densities ranging from 4,500 – 9,200 plants per hectare.

Estate Owner: Marinella Camerani Winemaker: Marinella Camerani Founded In: 1985 Located In: Venato, Italy

“CLASSIC” CORVINA WINES

BIO VG

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E.Pira CHIARA BOSCHIS WINEMAKER

Chiara now has eleven hectares of vines under cultivation in the communes of Barolo, Serralunga and Monforte d’Alba. She retains the honor of the first female winemaker in the Langhe, and though she came from a family of Barolisti, she braved incredible obstacles in the 1990s to earn that title.

She is, by necessity, of unquestionable confidence, determination, patience and charm. She ran the estate essentially by herself for twenty years, but after the sale of Borgogno in 2008, her brother Giorgio became a free agent.

Estate Owner: Chiara Boschis Winemaker: Chiara Boschis Founded In: late 1800’s Located In: Barolo, Italy In 2010, he, his wife Daniella and their three daughters joined Chiara at E. Pira, which provided not only a welcome division of labor, but also a next generation of female successors: Beatrice, Elena and Vittoria Boschis, Giorgio and Daniella’s daughters, are already enjoying their experiences at the “new” family winery!

Chiara was born into wine; her ancestors founded the Giacomo Borgogno estate in Barolo in 1761 and her family stewarded that winery until its sale in 2008.

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“FIRST FEMALE” WINEMAKER IN THE LANGHE

She and her brothers Giorgio and Cesare grew up working in the family business, but the expectations at the time were that the boys would one day run the family winery, while the daughter would be married off—but Chiara had other plans for herself!

She left home to study business and economics in Turin, and after graduation went to work for a consulting firm. But she knew her destiny was back home in Barolo. Chiara now has eleven hectares of vines under cultivation in the communes of Barolo, Serralunga and Monforte d’Alba. She retains the honor of the first female winemaker in the Langhe.

Tiberio CHRISTINA TIBERIO WINEMAKER

The story of Azienda Agricola Tiberio rings more like a new world tale than one from the old world of the ancient lands beneath the Majella and Gran Sasso mountains in Abruzzo. At 350 meters, twenty-three miles inland from the seaside city of Pescara near the hillside town of Cugnoli, Riccardo Tiberio found an old plot of Trebbiano Abruzzese vines roughly 60 years old so impressive that he decided to change his and his family’s destiny. He knew that Trebbiano Abruzzese vines were a rarity.

He made the plunge in 2000, purchasing the 8-hectare old vine plot of Trebbiano Abruzzese with 31 hectares of land suitable for his single estate wines. Guided by decades of personal experience Riccardo planted a selection of indigenous varieties matched to the different soil characteristics in the vineyard.

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Trebbiano Abruzzese, and Aglianico, were planted along with Pecorino and Moscato di Castiglione clones from ancient vines in the area.

In 2008, Riccardo Tiberio handed over the reins of the winery to his children, daughter Cristiana is the winemaker and son Antonio is the agronomist.

Cristiana is a chemistry graduate and teaches college level winemaking chemistry and sommelier classes. She has an impressive list of training stints including Jacques Selosse in Champagne, Nicolas Joly at Coulee de Serrant, Egon Muller in the Mosel, and various producers in Chablis.

She has even been “down under” to Australia’s Clare Valley. In 2011 she took over all the winemaking duties at Tiberio and is now solely responsible for the wines made at the estate.

Estate Owner: Riccardo Tiberio Winemaker: Christina Tiberio Founded In: 2000 Located In: Abruzzo, Italy

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27 | Women in Wine

Portugal

Casa Ermelinda Freitas LEONOR FREITAS OWNER/WINEMAKER

Casa Ermelinda Freitas was established in 1920 by Leonilde Freitas, continued by his granddaughter, Germana Freitas, and later by his greatgranddaughter, Ermelinda Freitas, to whom Casa Ermelinda Freitas owes its name.

With the premature death of her husband, Manuel João de Freitas, Ermelinda Freitas continued to manage the company with her only daughter, Leonor Freitas, who took command and consolidated the tradition of having women running the company.

Leonor Freitas, daughter of Ermelinda Freitas, represents the 4th generation in this family of winemaking tradition and continues the theme of strong female leadership, something that has always been intrinsically linked to the brand and the family history.

“LOVE MADE ME” A SUCCESS

Since Leonor started managing the winery, in the late 90’s, Casa Ermelinda Freitas wines have been distinguished with several trophies in the wine sector in Portugal. Leonor inherited her grandmother’s love for the land.

In fact, all her ancestors left a mark on her, to emphasize the value of honesty, cultivate the art of welcoming, and always have a feeling of sharing and affection for the workers — they are treated like family. It is for all these reasons that Leonor believes that “what made Casa Ermelinda a success was love.”

Estate Owner: Leonor Frietas Winemaker: Leonor Frietas Founded In: 1920 Located In: Fernando Pó, Portugal

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Dona Maria SANDRA GONÇALVES WINEMAKER

Júlio Tassara de Bastos is one of the leading winemakers in Portugal’s Alentejo region, and his family property, located near Estremoz, is Quinta de Carmo. While wine has been made for a long time here, it’s only since the late 1980s that its wines have achieved international acclaim, under the direction of Júlio.

In 1992, he sold 50% of Quinta do Carmo to Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite). At this stage the winery and office operations were transferred to the Carvalhas estate, where a new winery was built. But Julio later ended up selling his stake in the winery and returning to his own operation.

While he still owned Quinta do Carmo itself (the house), he was no longer able to use the name so he started a new operation, Dona Maria.

Júlio currently has 53 hectares of vineyards, an area that he plans to expand further in the future.

One of his focuses is to work with the same special old clone of Alicante Bouschet that was at the heart of the classic Quinta do Carmo Garrafeiras.

Estate Owner: Julio Bastos Winemaker: Sandra Gonçalves Founded In: 1998 Located In: Estremoz, Portugal Sandra Gonçalves, born in Lisbon and attended the University of Trásos-Montes and Alto Douro, in Vila Real, the institution from which came the generation of winemakers who have been changing the panorama of wines in Portugal.

Sandra did an internship at Quinta do Vallado in Douro, and had her 1st job at the emblematic Quinta do Vale de D. Maria, owned by producer Cristiano Van Zeller under the direction of winemaker Sandra Tavares da Silva. Sandra is now the current oenologist at Dona Maria.

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“PANORAMA” OF WINES

USA

Adelsheim Vineyard GINA HENNAN WINEMAKER

Luck, fate, and a single-minded determination to make world-class wine in Oregon led David and Ginny Adelsheim to purchase their first 19 acres just outside Newberg, Oregon in 1971. Drawn to the uniqueness of the land and its proximity to Portland, it was here they decided to stake their claim, plant their first rows of Pinot Noir along Quarter Mile Lane and establish what would become the Chehalem Mountains’ first-ever winery in 1978—Adelsheim.

Estate Owner: David Adelsheim Winemaker: Gina Hennan Founded In: 1971 Located In: Newburg, Oregon

“WINE GRAPES” EXPRESS THEMSELVES

Since 1971, the Adelsheim’s have obsessively pursued benchmark wines that celebrate the unique bounty of their estate vineyards. As a founding winery of the Willamette Valley and Chehalem Mountains’ first winery, Adelsheim has played an instrumental role in nearly every aspect of the Oregon wine story. As leaders, we believe it is their duty to be steadfast stewards of this abundant land and to rally their community in support of equity and education. Adelsheim is a LIVE certified sustainable winery and a seven-time Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery.

Gina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Reed College and an AAS in Winemaking from Chemeketa.

Before transitioning to a career in winemaking, she worked as a semiconductor engineer for seven years in both Oregon and Dublin, Ireland.

Desiring a career that no longer involved cubicles, she returned to Oregon in early 2006 to establish roots in the wine industry. “Wine grapes can express the location they’re grown in provided the place has something to say, and we believe our small corner of the Willamette Valley has a lot to say.”

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Arrowood KRISTINA SHIDELER WINEMAKER

Arrowood is 100% Sonoma. Since 1986, Arrowood has been producing high-character wines from sustainably and organically farmed vineyards west of the Mayacamas Ridge.

The winery is in the historic Sonoma Valley, a small sub-appellation in the heart of the county.

Often described as a warm pocket in a cool region, this rolling AVA is particularly well suited to Cabernet Sauvignon, the signature wine. Arrowwood also produces limited quantities of other noble varieties from some of Sonoma’s acclaimed vineyards.

Born in San Diego and raised in Missouri, Kristina attended University of Missouri where she double majored in Biochemistry and Agricultural Economics. In 2007, she interned with a Missouri winemaker, working her way from the vineyards and bottling line to the cellar.

Following harvest stints in New Zealand, Kristina enrolled at the University of California Davis Viticulture and Enology Masters of Science program in 2009, specializing in viticulture coursework. Her subsequent experiences at Bodega Caelum in Mendoza, Argentina as well as Vérité and Stonestreet in Sonoma County, California, cemented her desire to produce artisan Bordeaux wines reflecting the terroir of truly remarkable vineyard sites.

Kristina joined Arrowood Winery in 2015 as winemaker. She works closely with the cellar and vineyard team to make wines of extraordinary balance, complexity, and beauty.

Estate Owner: Richard Arrowhead Winemaker: Kristina Shideler Founded In: 1986 Located In: Glen Ellen, California

“HIGH-CHARACTER” NOBLE VARIETIES

ORG

33 | Women in Wine SUS

Cambria JILL RUSSELL WINEMAKER

The men and women of Cambria have over 200 years of experience cultivating this land and crafting our inspiring wines. With her spirit and passions, Cambria winemaker Jill Russell has been collaborating with the team, learning the nuances of the land and honing her ability as a vine whisperer to showcase wines from the Cambria Estate that speak to the Santa Maria Valley terroir. Matt Mahoney, Vineyard Manager and Patrick Huguenard, Vineyard Director are natives of this valley where they farmed the soil on family ranches from a young age. Now, along with the rest of the Cambria family, they oversee the care of the precious benchland and tend to the rows of grapes stretching across the plateau, warmed by the lingering afternoon sun.

Jill Russell’s love of wine began in high school.

Now, unlike for some of us, that didn’t comprise strawpedoing litre bottles of Lambrusco behind the bus stop.

Estate Owner: Barbara Banke Winemaker: Jill Russell Founded In: 1986 Located In: Santa Maria, California

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“LEARN”

BY DOING

But rather, it came about from a part-time job at a winery in Livermore, California. It was while she was working as a server here that she fell in love with the beauty of vineyards: “It was always fun watching all the behind the scenes work it took to make wine – from vineyard practices to all the work in the cellar. It felt magical.”

So magical that she wanted to make a career of it.

California Polytechnic had just begun offering Wine and Viticulture as its own major. The university’s motto – ‘learn by doing’ – had surely never sounded so appetizing.

Fast forward 15 years, and Jill is now one of the US wine industry’s leading lights. As head winemaker at Cambria Estate Winery, Jill DelaRiva Russell eagerly fills her days crafting premium wines from 100% estate-grown grapes from one of the most iconic vineyards in Santa Barbara Wine Country.

Chateau Ste. Michelle KATIE NELSON VICE PRESIDENT OF WINEMAKING

Built on the 1912 estate owned by Seattle lumber baron Frederick Stimson, the winery’s roots date back to the Repeal of Prohibition. In 1967, a new line of premium vinifera wines was introduced called Ste. Michelle Vintners.

Four years later, Ste. Michelle Vintners built a French style winery Chateau in Woodinville, and changed its name to Chateau Ste. Michelle. Since then, we have combined Old World winemaking traditions with New World innovation. In fact, Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of the few premium wineries in the world with two state-of-the-art wineries, one for red and one for white.

The whites are made at the Chateau in Woodinville, WA, while the reds are made at our Canoe Ridge Estate winery in Eastern Washington. In 1999, Katie moved to Washington where she began her career as an Enologist at Ste. Michelle Wines Estates.

She left briefly in 2015 only to return in 2018 as Senior Director of Winemaking for Innovation and Head Winemaker of Columbia Crest and H3. She now serves as the Vice President of Winemaking for Chateau Ste. Michelle.

Regarding her personal winemaking philosophy, Katie says it’s evolved over the years.

Katie holds a bachelor’s in chemistry and preenology focus from Sonoma State University and earned her WSET Level III certificate in 2016. She lives in Prosser with her husband Flint, who is also a winemaker, and their two children.

Estate Owner: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Winemaker: Katie Nelson Founded In: 1954 Located In: Woodinville, Washington

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Conn Creek ELIZABETH DELOUISE-GANT WINEMAKER

Conn Creek’s enduring commitment to Bordeauxstyled red wines started in 1973 when it was founded

by Bill and Kathy Collins. Conn Creek was among a small group leading a renaissance of the Napa Valley and played an important part in establishing Napa Valley’s reputation as a fine wine growing region.

In 1979, the Collins family built what is now Conn Creek Winery in the Rutherford appellation. This energy-efficient facility was perhaps the first “green” winery building in Napa Valley and includes 12”-thick walls made of Styrofoam, steel mesh, gunite and a total of 20,000 corks. Today, nearly 40 years after its founding, Conn Creek is still focused on what Napa Valley does best: Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals.

Elizabeth DeLouise-Gant joined Conn Creek as Head Winemaker in 2017. Prior to joining Conn Creek, Elizabeth was the Assistant Winemaker for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Previous roles include working a harvest with Tamber Bey Vineyards in Calistoga, and Assistant Winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyard where she was responsible for overseeing production operations for the Georges de Latour Private Reserve Winery.

Estate Owner: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Winemaker: Elizabeth DeLouise-Gant Founded In: 1973 Located In: St. Helena, California

“BALANCE” OF ART AND SCIENCE

She was raised in Napa Valley and gained her first taste of the wine industry helping in her parents’ vineyard. Her passion for wine led her to apply her biology background to the science of winemaking.

She completed the Winemaking Certificate Program at U.C. Davis.

“A lot of people say this but it’s really true: winemaking is the perfect balance of science and art,” Elizabeth says.

“I really enjoy seeing the correlation of what happens in the cellar, lab, and of course the final blend.”

In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 children.

Cooper Mountain BARBARA GROSS OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

It all began with a simple vision: growing grapes in a landscape that inspires. Dr. Robert Gross and his wife Corrine felt so strongly about this vision that they committed completely, despite thriving careers in medicine and social work and a growing family.

The beauty of the Coastal Range to the West and the deep connection to the soil they worked on each day instilled a farmer’s appreciation for the Willamette Valley and the labor it takes to grow their fruit.

First, they were strictly growers, selling their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from the Old Vines Vineyard, as it came to be called. Then in 1987, the family produced a Pinot Noir as their first label from the estate vineyard. Now Cooper Mountain Vineyards produces 7 varietals under 3 labels.

From the beginning, Cooper Mountain embraced holistic farming practices and became a leader in the winemaking industry for organic and biodynamic production. The notion of restoring the land that produces the crops made perfect sense. We take and we give back.

In 1995 Cooper Mountain was certified organic

by Oregon Tilth and in 1999 earned biodynamic certification by Demeter, the largest international certification organization.

From an early age Barbara Gross walked the rows of Pinot Noir on the family estate. Post university she joined the family business and never looked back. Currently she serves at the helm as Operations Director of Cooper Mountain and holds multiple board seats in the valley. She’s die-hard committed to a future for winemaking in the Willamette Valley.

Estate Owner: Corrine and Robert Gross Winemaker: Gilles de Domingo Founded In: 1987 Located In: Beaverton, Oregon

“TAKE” AND GIVE BACK

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Erath LEAH ADINT WINEMAKER

Erath wines are an expression of the land that the winery has cultivated for more than 40 years, longer than any other winery in the Dundee Hills of Oregon.

The red, iron-rich Jory soils, combined with gentle breezes and warming sunshine of a marine climate, have bestowed upon Dundee a terroir of note. It has given rise to the handcrafting phenomenon, and the art of Pinot.

Disciplined in approach yet progressive in artistry, winemaking team Gary Horner & Leah Adint, strive to reveal classic Oregon Pinot: light, delicate and fruit-forward.

For Leah Adint, the love of winemaking has taken her around the world, giving her unique experiences that she brings to her role as Winemaker at Erath Winery.

Through Leah’s career, she has worked in viticulture and winemaking positions in California, Australia, France, Switzerland, Washington and now Oregon.

Estate Owner: Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Winemaker: Leah Adint and Gary Horner Founded In: 1967 Located In: Dundee Hills, Oregon

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“UNIQUE” & WORLDLY EXPERIENCES

After living in Australia for five years, Leah decided it was time to return to the U.S. and joined Chateau Ste. Michelle as a travelling winemaker in July of 2015.

As part of the Erath winemaking team, Adint is excited about the sense of community Oregon has. “They have such a strong relationship to the land, to each other, to sustainability, to finding the gentler way of growing grapes and making wine.

It will be great to explore each microclimate, seeing the landscape change throughout the seasons, and finding new favorite wines to bring home.”

Favia ANNIE FAVIA & JESSICA TARPY-SHAHEEN VITICULTURIST & WINEMAKER

Husband and wife duo Andy Erickson and Annie Favia are two of Napa Valley’s brightest stars—little wonder, given their backgrounds: Andy’s first winemaking job was at Newton, working with Chardonnay-producing legend John Kongsgaard, and then as Bob Levy’s assistant at Harlan, while Bond was being built. Later, he became the winemaker at Screaming Eagle, Ovid, Arietta, Dalla Valle, and, most recently, for Mayacamas.

Together in 2003, Andy and Annie launched Favia, with the goal of growing grapes and crafting wines in their own unique style. Some 15 vintages later, seeking a permanent home for their family and winery, they moved to a historic parcel in Coombsville formerly owned by the Carbone family, who are among Napa Valley’s first Italian settlers.

Today, Favia wines are produced in the original one-room ground floor stone cellar, which was constructed in 1886 and was the first winery in the area. Raised on a small bustling farm in Connecticut, Annie’s early exposure to agrarian lifestyle shaped her love of agriculture and nature.

Her mother, an avid gardener and father, a sausage and winemaking-“garagiste” set a precedent of a household of nature for their six children. Studying abroad in France during college reinforced her passion for wine.

“ELEMENTS”DRAW FAMILY TOGETHER

Jessica Tarpy-Shaheen began her wine career at Newton Vineyards under the tutelage of John Kongsgaard. Having returned to school for a postbaccalaureate in Viticulture, Annie then began working as viticulturist for David Abreu Vineyard Management. Over her tenure for the next ten plus years, she worked to direct vineyard establishment and development for several of Napa Valley’s more highly regarded vineyards sites. In 2009, she turned her full focus toward Favia Wines and the subsequent restoration of the winery.

The sense of family, gathering around the dinner table, and the elements that draw everyone together remained central to Jessica throughout her education. While studying and working in Italy, Jessica’s interests attained more focus. Her encounters with various Italian winemakers made a great impression on her.

While living in LA, she worked with wine institutions to learn practical applications for wine’s enjoyment: the largest wine shop in LA The Wine House, an amazing neighborhood Italian restaurant Toscana, and later, a frank, hands-on enology education at Fresno State, replete with access to their winery and an incredibly patient and talented John Giannini. Jessica joined Favia Erickson Winegrowers in 2008.

Estate Owner: Annie Favia-Erickson Winemaker: Jessica Tarpy Shaheen Founded In: 2003 Located In: Napa, California 39 | Women in Wine

Freeman Winery AIKKO FREEMAN WINEMAKER

Freeman Vineyard & Winery was founded by Ken and Akiko Freeman in 2001, but the seed was planted 16 years earlier. While the couple was initially brought together by a hurricane, they were also bound by a shared passion for refined, cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

From the first vintage, the Freeman style went against convention. While others pushed the limits of ripeness, Akiko and consulting winemaker Ed Kurtzman sought balance and refinement. Today, the winery is defined by those same pursuits, with Akiko at the helm as winemaker. Freeman is recognized internationally as one of California’s most acclaimed small producers.

Estate Owner: Ken and Akiko Freeman Winemaker: Akiko Freeman Founded In: 2001 Located In: Sebastopol. California A native to Tokyo, Akiko attributes her love of wine to her grandfather, whose influence imbued her with a lifelong passion for the enigmatic beauty of great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. After earning her master’s degree in Italian Renaissance art history from Stanford in the mid-1990s, Akiko traveled throughout Europe and as far as South Africa to explore the great winemaking regions of the world.

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“GIFTED” PALATE GUIDE

Returning to California in 1997, she worked with Ken to realize their longtime dream of establishing a small, family-run winery dedicated to crafting expressive, cool-climate California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Today Akiko’s gifted palate guides every Freeman wine, every vintage. When she and Ken founded Freeman Vineyard & Winery in 2001, she immersed herself in the world of viticulture and winemaking and apprenticed herself to renowned winemaker Ed Kurtzman. Akiko now oversees every aspect of Freeman’s winemaking program, from the organic farming of the estate vineyards and the selection of grower partners to fermentations, racking, lot evaluations and blending.

Galerie Wines GIANNA KELLY WINEMAKER

Galerie is a collection of wines devoted to showcasing two of California’s most prized wine-growing regions — Napa Valley and Knights Valley. Galerie offers a study in contrasts amid these appellations, celebrating the distinctive qualities of each through the canvas of Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling.

Gianna Kelly grew up in Sonoma County, where she was introduced to wine at an early age—sitting on her father’s knee as he made wine list selections for their family restaurant. She graduated from Santa Clara University with a degree in Chemistry, then initially pursued a career in research that started at the IBM Almaden Research Center.

She quickly found that polymers weren’t as alluring as vineyards, and redirected her chemistry skills to the wine industry as a chemist for Enologix in her hometown of Sonoma.

A post as enologist for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars followed, where she fell in love with Bordeaux varieties and honed her winemaking skills by working with Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc.

In 2019 she became head winemaker for Galerie wines, known for distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc wines from Napa Valley and Knights Valley.

Gianna is no stranger to balance; in addition to nurturing Galerie wines, she’s also raising three small children at home in Sonoma. She loves cooking and entertaining, and her favorite wines combine high quality with an approachability that’s easy to share with others.

“SAUVIGNON” RED &WHITE BLENDS

Estate Owner: Jackson Family Wines Winemaker: Gianna Kelly Founded In: 2011 Located In: Napa Valley, California

41 | Women in Wine SUS

Green &Red TOBIN HEMINWAY CO-OWNER

Green & Red Vineyards’ story begins in 1969 when founder Jay Heminway discovered what would soon become the Green & Red estate in Chiles Canyon on the eastern edge of Napa Valley.

In 1977, Jay and Pam Heminway produced their first public vintage using a simple basket press and bottling by hand with the help of Jay’s daughter Tobin.

Green & Red vineyards’ reputation for excellent fruit has gained the attention of like-minded growers such as Robert Biale of Biale Vineyards and Tegan Passalaqua of Turley Vineyards who work together to bottle Zinfandel from the estate. And we would be remiss if we did not mention the great honor of supplying the house wine to Green & Red’s longtime friends at Chez Panisse, where they offer up a Zinfandel specially bottled for the restaurant by Green & Red.

Estate Owner: Tobin and Pam Heminway Winemaker: Aaron Whitlatch Founded In: 1977 Located In: St. Helena, California

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A “SIMPLE” BASKET PRESS

In 2019, Jay Heminway passed away leaving Green & Red in the hands of his daughter, Tobin Heminway, and her husband Ray Hanningan alongside Aaron Whitlatch, former assistant winemaker at Mayacamas Vineyards.

Tobin Heminway, Jay’s daughter, grew up between the vines at Green & Red. Prior to taking over the vineyard operations, Tobin lived in New York where she produced and edited films with a degree from NYU. Eventually she transitioned to operating Nest Decor, a successful interior design firm in New York and Rhode Island. Jay and Tobin had long planned for Tobin to take charge at Green & Red. Tobin remained active at the winery over the many years, working annual harvests and tending the bottling line.

Hope Family Wines STASI SEAY & SAMANTHA TAYLOR HEAD OF VINEYARDS & ASST. WINEMAKER

The Hope family has been farming in Paso Robles for more than 30 years. When they arrived in this barely discovered region, they planted apples and grapes. Little did they know that the rolling, oakstudded terrain of Paso Robles would one day become a viticultural terroir of significance and one of the top winegrowing regions for quality red wine within the Central Coast. Today, the Hopes cultivate mature vineyards of the varieties best suited to their area including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Mourvedre and Grenache. Vine density has increased and each vine is asked to produce very little fruit. The terroir of this domain expresses itself in its unique regional character. Hope Family Wines consists of five individual brands: Liberty School, Treana, Quest, Austin Hope, Troublemaker.

Stasi Seay’s extensive experience in the wine business has been a life-long journey that began on the Central Coast. She grew up in the Paso Robles region and pursued her formal education locally at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Her professional career includes Senior Grower Relations Manager for Diageo/Treasury Wine Estates and most recently owning a vineyard consulting business where she guided wineries throughout the Central Coast on improving vineyard management and quality craftsmanship.

All of which have contributed to an exceptional career in vineyard management. Over the past 25 years, Seay has served on PRWCA, Vineyard Team, Unified Symposium, CALF, and she is an alumna of the California Agricultural Leadership Program all of which have developed her incredible knowledge of the wine industry from grape to glass.

Samantha C. Taylor is assistant winemaker for Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles the producers of Austin Hope, Treana, Liberty School, Quest & Troublemaker wines. A native of the Lodi wine country, who also grew up in her family’s Italian restaurant, Taylor is a Wine Business graduate of Cal Poly’s Wine & Viticulture program, whose winemaking career began the day she received her rejection letter to an MBA program.

Impassioned to not move back home with Mom and Dad, she chose instead to drag hoses and shovel tanks nearly 13 vintages ago. Now an integral part of the winemaking team along with winemakers Austin Hope and JC Diefenderfer, Samantha oversees the daily operations of winemaking and has developed a dynamic and efficient winemaking team that produces award winning wines that truly set the standard for luxury Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon.

“QUALITY” CRAFTMANSHIP Women in Wine | 43

Estate Owner: Austiin Hope Winemaker: Samantha Taylor Founded In: 1996 Located In: Paso Robles, California 43 | Women in Wine

Long Meadow Ranch ASHLEY HEISEY & LISANNE LEASK VICE PRESIDENT OF WINEMAKING & WINEMAKER

In the late 1800’s, the majestic Long Meadow Ranch property thrived with vineyards, apple orchards, olive groves, hay and a goat milk dairy until farming fell dormant during Prohibition. Over the following years, the property became swallowed by the encroaching forest until the Halls bought the property in 1989.

“REFLECTIONS” OF WINE

The Hall family carefully breathed life back into the land, nurturing it back to its glory, and then some, by cutting back the abandoned olive trees and replanting the vineyards and apple orchards as you see them growing today. Home to the Mayacamas Estate, the rugged 650-acre landscape nestled in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains also gave way to a long, sweeping meadow, thus the name Long Meadow Ranch was born.

Ashley Heisey has decades of winemaking experience under her belt, both in the U.S. and abroad. With a Masters in Enology from University of California, Davis, Heisey leads our team of estate winemakers to craft wines that are the truest reflections of their terroir. Her time at Far Niente, Opus One, Robert Mondavi Winery and Schramsberg, as well as stints in Rheingau and Bordeaux coupled with her winemaking philosophy, make her the perfect fit for Long Meadow Ranch. She lives in Yountville with her husband and sons.

Estate Owner: Ted Hall Winemaker: Ashley Heisey, Lisanne Leask Founded In: 1989 Located In: St. Helena, California

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As Winemaker responsible for the Farmstead wines, Lisanne Leask creates wines with culinary pairings in mind. Her winemaking is informed by her lifelong passions for cooking and gardening, and the innovative Long Meadow Ranch approach to farming and cuisine.

Lisanne received her degree in Viticulture & Enology from the University of California, Davis, and honed her winemaking skills in the Napa Valley at Stags’ Leap Winery, Schramsberg, Miner Family Winery, and Rutherford Hill Winery.

She also gained international experience at Grove Mill in New Zealand and Antinori’s Tenuta Tignanello in Italy. Lisanne lives in Napa with her husband, dog, cat, and five chickens.

Matanzas Creek MARCIA TORRES FORNO WINEMAKER

Matanzas Creek is in the remote, but breathtakingly beautiful Bennett Valley region of Sonoma County.

Since its launch in 1977, the winery has built its reputation on Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot – two varieties that thrive in Sonoma’s temperate climate.

Matanzas Creek also produces limited quantities of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Bordeaux-style reds. All the winery’s fruit comes from sustainably farmed, estate vineyards scattered throughout the mild interior and cool coastal AVAs of the county. In addition to its wines, Matanzas Creek is also famous for its spectacular lavender gardens.

Marcia Torres Forno became Matanzas Creek’s winemaker in 2010. Since her arrival, Marcia has dramatically influenced the style, character and quality of the wines produced at this renowned estate. After launching her career in her native Chile, Marcia moved to the Napa Valley to join the staff of Cardinale.

The experience at one of Napa Valley’s most renowned cult wineries provided a foundation that would serve her well at Matanzas Creek. As with most 21st century winemakers, Marcia is deeply involved with the planting, farming and harvesting of her vineyards. In the winery, she has developed a responsive winemaking program that combines traditional and modern methods.

Estate Owner: Jackson Family Wines Winemaker: Marcia Torres Forno Founded In: 1977 Located In: Santa Rosa, California

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Penner-Ash LYNN PENNER-ASH & KATE AYRES FOUNDING WINEMAKER & WINEMAKER

In 1998, Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash founded PennerAsh Wine Cellars in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of Oregon’s famed Willamette Valley. The founding duo, Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash were inspired to plant the southeast facing hillside in part due to its proximity to Shea Vineyard, one of Oregon’s most prized sites.

Bringing to life their shared vision, through years of hard work unyielding commitment, the pair built a reputation for lush, layered Pinot Noir, and community leadership throughout the valley.

Lynn Penner-Ash’s interest in winemaking grew out of an early passion for the sciences, leading her to study botany, viticulture and enology at the University of California, Davis. Following graduation, Lynn worked at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Domaine Chandon, and Chateau St. Jean. In 1988, she and her husband Ron moved to Oregon, intrigued by the emerging scene. Lynn joined Rex Hill Vineyards as one of the first female winemakers in the region, where she remained through 2002.

Meanwhile, in 1998, Lynn and Ron started PennerAsh Wine Cellars, carefully crafting small amounts of Pinot Noir and Syrah. In 2005, they began focusing full time on building Penner-Ash Wine Cellars.

Estate Owner: Jackson Family Wines Winemaker: Lynn Penner-Ash & Kate Ayres Founded In: 1988 Located In: Newburg, Oregon

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“SHARED” DUO

An early champion of the region’s promise, Lynn has always remained actively involved in the Willamette Valley community. She has not only held leadership positions for Oregon Pinot Camp, ¡Salud! The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction, and the International Pinot Noir Celebration, but continues to act as a valued mentor to fellow winemakers and friends in the valley.

When she isn’t at the winery, you can find Lynn out on the water paddle boarding or in her kitchen baking bread. Growing up on the north coast of Oregon, Kate’s younger years were spent fishing, crabbing, and gathering mushrooms. Her interest in science and love of animals led her to the University of California, Davis where she majored in viticulture and enology. Between the years of 2009 and 2011, Kate worked harvests in New Zealand, Portugal, and Australia, with a brief stint at home in Oregon at Bethel Heights.

In 2011, Kate took on the role of Associate Winemaker at Hess Collection Winery, where she remained until 2016 when the Pinot Noir of the Pacific Northwest called her back north. At Penner-Ash Wine Cellars Kate quickly rose to her current role of Winemaker in the spring of 2018. Kate enjoys her time outside the winery exploring the wilderness of her youth with her son, Nico, husband, and fellow winemaker Hans, and black Labrador, Kima.

Smith Story Wine ALLISON SMITH & KATY WILSON PRESIDENT/CO-FOUNDER & CONSULTING WINEMAKER Smith Story Wine Cellars is the tale of true love. In May of 2013, Eric and Ali eloped on the Big Island of Hawaii to say I Do; also, where the name Smith Story Wine Cellars was conceived. Bay Area born Eric and Fort Worth, Texas native Alison met while both working for K&L Wine Merchants in Northern California over a decade ago. A friendship flourished while discovering wines from faraway lands, and visits to the Anderson Valley along with dear friends and their beloved dogs Henley and Lakota. “Drink what you love, love what you drink,” Eric often said to Alison while trying new wines over the years together. Today they bring a combined 40+ years of wine industry experience to manage Smith Story Wine Cellars.

Alison Smith Story puts a heap of stock in the power of community. After a decade of running her Austin, Texas boutique sales and marketing firm for wineries and importers she was convinced there was room for a new winery doing things old school by frankly telling their true story and making incredibly delicious wine. Smith Story is the first winery to be fully crowdfunded. The network of comrades and “found family” these efforts have woven has been a strong one indeed. For her work, Alison has been named one of Sonoma Magazine’s “5 Inspiring Wine Women”.

Ali has most recently spoken as a leader of women in wine... at the Fortune Magazine Most Powerful Women’s Conference, Unified Wine Symposium “Outsourcing Success” and the Wonder Women of Wine in Austin, Texas.

Agricultural Business was a natural choice as a major for Katy Wilson, but once at Cal Poly she discovered that wine was where she was meant to be. After a few years of being a nomad, she landed on the Sonoma Coast at Flowers Winery, making distinguished Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

There, Katy worked her way up from harvest enologist to assistant winemaker. She fell in love with the Sonoma Coast during this time, and truly developed a passion for making Pinot Noir. But ever wanting a challenge, Katy decided to diversify and moved on to work for Kamen Estate Wines in 2009 as the associate winemaker.

She joined forces with Banshee Wines from 2012–2018 to consult and help craft their vineyarddesignate Pinot Noirs. She joined Anaba Vineyards and Winery in 2014 as co-winemaker and became its winemaker in 2020. She is also a consulting winemaker for Reeve Wines and Smith Story Wine Cellars and was the co-winemaker for Claypool Cellars from 2012 to 2020.

“WONDER WOMAN” OF WINE

Estate Owner: Allison Smith & Eric Smith Winemaker: Katy Wilson & Ross Cobb Founded In: 2013 Located In: Philo, California 47 | Women in Wine ORG

Spring Valley Vineyard KATE RAYMOND ASST. WINEMAKER

The land that the Corkrum, Derby, and Elvin families farm today is rich with history dating back to the mid 1800’s, when current vineyard owner Shari Corkrum Derby’s grandfather Uriah Corkrum began farming in the area.

Uriah experienced success farming in the 1880’s but unfortunately lost everything in the first great depression of 1893. He persevered and acquired the land now known as Spring Valley in 1910.

In 1993, Shari and Dean Derby planted the first grapes at Spring Valley. The first vintage of Estate grown and bottled Spring Valley Vineyard wines were produced with the 1999 vintage. The Derbys’ son Devin Corkrum Derby served as winemaker until his untimely death in 2004. Devin’s assistant and friend Serge Laville took over as winemaker and continues the legacy of Spring Valley Vineyard.

Estate Owner: Shari Corkrum Winemaker: Serge LaVille Founded In: 1993 Located In: Walla Walla, Washington

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“NEVER LEAVE” THE VINEYARD

Kate is the granddaughter of Spring Valley vineyard owners Dean and Shari Corkrum. “Growing up at Spring Valley, I spent summers hoeing the rows with my grandfather and racking wine with my Uncle Devin,” the winery’s founding winemaker, recalls Raymond. “When the end of summer came, I never wanted to leave. I knew this is where I would spend my life.”

In addition to hosting visitors in Walla Walla, Raymond represents Spring Valley around the country at wine tastings and educational events, often working with Winemaker Serge Laville to share Spring Valley’s story and wines with new audiences. Raymond and her husband are parents to two young boys, Uriah and Malachi.

Trathen Hall ARABELLA HALL OWNER

Trathen Hall Wines sources fruit from organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley. They hope to transport the essence of the symbiotic and lively ecosystems of these vineyards into the bottle with attentive and playful care of the fruit.

Trathen Hall’s role as winemakers in the transformation of grapes to wine is to be vigilant overseers and dedicated caregivers and to abstain from unnecessary manipulation and control of the process.

Arabella was an Oriental Studies major at Columbia University’s Barnard College in NYC and went on to complete her Masters in Asian Art and Archaeology from the University of London.

While studying and living in Japan she apprenticed for a year at Ichishima Shuzo in Niigata, learning the art of sake making. A seed had been planted, but the path of a career in winemaking did not unfold at that time.

It was later while traveling with Blair that the desire to make wine together took hold and the subsequent work in vineyards and wineries around the globe nurtured that seed to become the little family tree of Trathen Hall Wines.

Having amassed years of making wine for others, Arabella seized the opportunity that presented itself in 2009 to purchase an acre of Pinot Noir fruit and launched the Trathen Hall brand.

Estate Owner: Blair Trathen & Arabella Hall Winemaker: Blair Trathen Founded In: 2009 Located In: Gaston, Oregon

“A SEED” WAS PLANTED

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Verdad/Lindquist LOUISA LINDQUIST CO-OWNER/WINEMAKER

Louisa Sawyer Lindquist has been producing small production, artisanal wines since 2000. Verdad wines are made from great Central Coast vineyards with a focus on biodynamic, organic, and Sips Certified Sustainable farming.

Lindquist Family Wines focus on quality, character, and balance. Since 1982, Bob Lindquist has specialized in Rhône-style wines from Bien Nacido Vineyard in Santa Maria, that is farmed sustainable, the Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard in the Edna Valley, farmed biodynamically, and the Ibarra-Young Vineyard in Los Olivos, farmed organically.

Estate Owner: Bob and Louisa Lindquist Winemaker: Louisa Lindquist Founded In: 1982 Located In: Arroyo Grande, California The idea for Verdad Wine Cellars started when Louisa first visited Napa Valley in 1987. She was working for a Long Island Winery and was exploring the wineries of Napa. She was taken by the Spanish history in California and began to wonder why there were no wines to be found that were made from Spanish wine varietals. A couple of years later she became enamored with Spanish wines while working at a prominent wine shop on Long Island.

She was able to taste and learn about these wines on a new level and became a huge fan.

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“ENAMORED” WITH SPANISH GRAPES

She became particularly enamored with Albariño wines from Rias Biaxas with their vibrant fresh flavors, and the bold and complex Tempranillobased wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. In 1990 she moved to San Francisco to work with a wine importer and distributor. In 1994 she began dating -– and later married – Bob Lindquist, a well-known California winemaker who inspired and encouraged Louisa to follow her dream of making wine from Spanish grape varieties. From this Verdad was born.

Winderlea EMILY TERRELL WINEMAKER

Winderlea is a boutique winery specializing in the limited production of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Oregon. Crafting elegant, sensuous and age worthy wines for those who view the pairing of wine and food essential to their lifestyle and well-being is what Winderlea is all about.

The focus is on making small lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that show the best characteristics of each vineyard. Hand crafted with minimal intervention and the modest use of new French oak barrels; Winderlea’s food friendly wines are classic in style.

Many winemakers fall in love with the craft during their travel years, and Emily was no exception. She chased new friends, flavors and dreams across the world’s cellars and vineyards, including two 5-month stints in Marlborough and Central Otago, New Zealand, and a very formative harvest in the Northern Rhone Valley that set the tone for a career in winemaking.

Emily moved to Oregon in the summer of 2012 after a hot and dusty drive across Washington state. “I pulled up to a humble but cheery Carlton farmhouse that had a chicken smoking on the patio and a carboy of cider percolating in the kitchen.

I felt that I had arrived; that I was home.” Her first days at the winery the following summer reiterated this sense of community and belonging, and she has been thrilled to grow with the Winderlea/Brittan group and its culture of excellence ever since.

Estate Owner: Bill Sweat & Donna Morris Winemaker: Emily Terrell Founded In: 2006 Located In: Dundee, Oregon

“IN LOVE” WITH THE CRAFT

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Australia

Henschke PRUE HENSCHKE

“THIS DYNASTY” NEVER RESTS

OWNER/VITCULTURIST

Henschke is one of Australia’s leading winemakers and grape growers. Henschke is recognized for its rich heritage, innovative spirit, and commitment to handcrafting exceptional wines for 150 years.

The Henschke family’s grape growing, and winemaking tradition spans six generations, from outstanding sustainable vineyards in Eden Valley, Barossa Valley, and the Adelaide Hills. The smallmedium wine business has an annual crush of 700 tonne and employs around 50 staff.

Prue Henschke manages the 105 hectares of vineyard, spanning from Eden Valley to Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills wine region.

In 1987, Prue took on her current role as viticulturist for Henschke. Prue Henschke has been one of the most influential figures in the evolution of Australian wine. Prue is the viticulturist and a director of the over 140-year-old Henschke family winery in the beautiful Eden Valley region. Henschke is one of the most historic and renowned names in Australia wine, but this is one wine dynasty that is not resting on its laurels.

Prue manages over 100 hectares of vineyard extending across the rolling hills between Eden Valley and Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills. She has been a pioneer in restructuring the vineyards, overseeing the introduction of new trellis types and an improvement in soil management using composts and mulches, which has led to the adoption of organic and biodynamic practices.

Estate Owner: Stephen and Prue Henschke Winemaker: Stephen Henschke, Johann Henschke Founded In: 1868 Located In: Eden Valley, Barossa Valley & Adelaide Hill

BIO Women in Wine | 54

Howard Park AMY BURCH & JANICE MCDONALD OWNER & CHIEF WINEMAKER

Howard Park is one of Western Australia’s pioneering family-owned wineries, specializing in the state’s premier grape-growing regions of Margaret River and the Great Southern.

Encompassing a 30+ year history and overseen by two generations of the Burch family, Howard Park is a multi-regional endeavor which has included the selection, acquisition and development of four exceptional estate vineyards across both regions as well as a winery and tasting room in Margaret River.

Amy’s passion for all things Howard Park is immediately evident when you visit the wineries of Burch Family Wines in Margaret River and Denmark. Amy’s vision and enthusiasm have been the foundation on which she built Howard Park with her husband Jeff. Amy’s first involvement originated in the marketing of Howard Park, MadFish and Marchand & Burch. Her networking and marketing skills combined with her attention to detail ensures that the Howard Park experience is always exactly as it is intended.

Born in Singapore, Amy’s Chinese heritage influences her wine tasting experience to incorporate the appreciation of multitude of flavors offered in Asian foods, and this marries perfectly with the experiences and enjoyment of drinking wine.

McDonald studied wine at the Riverina College in Wagga, before exposing herself to the regions and wine styles of Australia by working vintages. A stint as assistant winemaker at Vasse Felix in 1985 was followed by a brewing position at Matilda Bay Brewing Co, but she returned to wine as senior winemaker at Devil’s Lair winery in Margaret River in 1992. She joined her partner, Stuart Pym as he founded Stelle Bella in 2000, but moved to Howard Park as chief winemaker in 2011.

Estate Owner: Jeff and Amy Burch Winemaker: Alejandro Vigil Founded In: 1986 Located In: Western Australia

“ARTISTRY” BROUGHT TO WINE

55 | Women in Wine

Madfish JANICE MCDONALD WINEMAKER

Madfish Bay is located in the remote southern corner of Western Australia. The bay’s tranquility is broken when two tides meet. According to local folklore, the fish, confused by this natural phenomenon, can be observed leaping in the air as if in a state of complete madness.

“LIVING” THE DREAM

The MadFish wine range and label, first released in 1992, was named as an homage to this unique geographical occurrence. The superb climate of South-West Australia has always been conducive to the cultivation of healthy wine grapes with attractive and vibrant fruit flavors.

More than 25 years later the fresh and satisfying wines released under the MadFish label have attracted a large and loyal following across Australia and the world.

Estate Owner: Jeff and Amy Burch Winemaker: Alejandro Vigil Founded In: 1986 Located In: Western Australia

Women in Wine | 56

Janice McDonald, is, in her own words, “living her dream” as a winemaker. She brings an artistry to her wines, which is celebrated through the multiple labels she works for—MadFish, Howard Park and Marchand & Burch.

She’s won multiple awards for her combination of innovation and tradition, earning her a position in the top stratosphere of the Australian wine world.

Her background in chemistry and creative arts are likely the secret to her success, making her wine complex and approachable.

Vasse Felix VIRGINIA WILLCOCK CHIEF WINEMAKER

Vasse Felix is Margaret River’s founding wine estate and was established in 1967 by regional pioneer Dr Tom Cullity. Pristine isolation, twin oceans and ancient soils make Margaret River a wine paradise - the ideal environment for growing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

The wines are grown in Vasse Felix’s four vineyards situated throughout Margaret River, then estatemade and bottled within the state-of-the-art Vasse Felix winemaking facility.

Vasse Felix wines are recognized benchmarks in Margaret River and Australia, and the Estate is one of the country’s top winery destinations.

In 2006 Virginia joined Vasse Felix, a heavyweight in Australian wine and Margaret River’s founding wine estate.

As Chief Winemaker, Virginia has transformed Vasse Felix’s winemaking style into a more handsoff approach that results in premium wines that couldn’t have been made anywhere else.

Today Virginia is an authority on Margaret River winemaking, having completed almost 30 grape harvests in the region.

She’s won several winemaking awards and is a sought-after regional wine show judge.

Estate Owner: Paul Holmes a Court Winemaker: Virginia Willcock Founded In: 1967 Located In: Margaret River, Australia

“HANDS OFF” APPROACH WORKS 57 | Women in Wine

Chile

Lapostolle & Clos Apalta ALEXANDRA MARINER LAPOSTOLLE & ANDREA LEÓN FOUNDER & WINEMAKER

Lapostolle was founded in 1994 by Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle and husband Cyril de Bournet upon their discovery of a unique Clos in the Apalta Valley sheltering 100 year-old pre-phylloxera vines.

They quickly realized its potential for producing world-class wines.

The Marnier-Lapostolle family has been recognized for fine wines and liqueurs since the early 19th century. In establishing her family’s legacy in the New World, Alexandra brought generations of French winemaking tradition and expertise to the rugged landscape of the Colchagua Valley.

Today Charles de Bournet, seventh generation, leads the winery in its newest chapter of innovation, punctuated by the official recognition of the Apalta DO in 2018. Together with Andrea León, Technical Director & Winemaker, they continue to craft wines that honor the winery motto: French in essence, Chilean by birth.

While the Marnier Lapostolle family are known for producing spirits and liqueurs, they have also been involved in winemaking for generations.

“FRENCH IN ESSENCE” CHILEAN BY BIRTH Women in Wine | 59

Meet Grand Marnier heiress Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle. Not only does she run the family business, Alexandra expanded her family’s empire to Chile. She founded Casa Lapostolle in 1994 and works the wine market while her son Charles holds down the fort at Lapostolle. Under the dedicated vision of Alexandra and Cyril, Lapostolle Wines has been a pioneer in the wine industry in Chile and today its wines continue to elevate the region through the production of premium wines, with a strong emphasis on sustainability.

Andrea León is the winemaker at Lapostolle winery in Apalta in the Colchagua Valley of Chile. Andrea’s journey into winemaking can be traced back to her childhood where she had an immense love for the outdoors, which eventually led her to studying agricultural engineering before going on to study oenology. Her way with nature, educational background and passion for the art of wine combine into a beautiful style of winemaking, which focuses on crafting the wine with nature and terroir. Beyond being a highly regarded producer, Andrea also has a thorough understanding on consumer behavior and their relationship with the wine market- making her a real industry allrounder.

Estate Owner: Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle & Cyril de Bournet Winemaker: Andrea León Founded In: 1994 Located In: Colchagua Valley, Chile 59 | Women in Wine

Germany

JJ Prum KATHARINA PRUM WINEMAKER OWNER

Joh. Jos. Prüm needs no introduction to Riesling lovers, having already become a Mosel icon during the nearly five decades during which its namesake’s son Sebastien was in charge. Katharina Prüm has been active alongside her father, Manfred, since early in the new millennium, and the two of them perpetuate a house style that has itself become a Mosel archetype.

The aromas of youthful Prüm wines make it obvious that fermentation here is entirely spontaneous. These are uncompromising, benchmark Mosel wines.

“LEGENDARY” RIESLING WINE

Katharina is the main winemaker at her family’s legendary estate, Joh.Jos.Prüm; centered in the village of Wehlen in the Mittelmosel.

Her family has farmed in Bernkastel-Wehlen for over 400 years and the family winery was founded in 1911.

It is one of the most legendary wine estates in the world, owns some of Germany’s top vineyard sites and makes renowned, long aging wines from the Riesling grape.

Estate Owner: Katharina Prum Winemaker: Katharina Prum Founded In: 1911 Located In: Mosel, Germany

61 | Women in Wine

Mayer Näkel MEIKE AND DÖRTE NÄKEL WINEMAKING (SISTERS)

The name of the wine estate goes back to the marriage of Paula Meyer and Willibald Näkel in 1950. They cultivated an area of just 1.5 hectares yet were able to make a name for themselves because Willibald’s production of dry red wines represented thoroughly pioneering work at the time.

During the post-War years – and for some decades afterwards – German wine was simply always sweet.

This also applied, most significantly, to red wine, which may seem hard to understand today, but it matched the tastes of the time. What’s more, it helped to mask often inadequate ripeness.

Willibald had the idea of going against the grain by producing dry wines. In 1982, his son Werner took over the estate as a self-taught newcomer – he had previously worked as a high-school teacher of physical education and math – and took his grandfather’s ideas to the next level.

Together with their mother Claudia, Werner gradually expanded the wine estate to its current size. He ensured very early on that his two daughters Meike and Dörte – could follow in his mighty footsteps.

Meike and Dörte completed training as vintners, then went on to study for a degree in wine cultivation in Geisenheim before gradually taking over the operation of the wine estate. Now their father gives them entirely free rein – but is always there with advice and assistance when needed.

The sisters are now proceeding with making the magnificent terroir of our steep slopes by the Ahr tangible in our mineral-laden and fruity wines.

This requires a great deal of care in the vineyard as well as reduced yields, which are harvested by hand and carefully selected.

This is only possible with the help of a truly committed team. The work in the cellar then focuses exclusively on preserving this high level of quality through a gentle working method.

“AGAINST THE GRAIN” MAKING DRY WINES Women in Wine | 62

Estate Owner: Werner Näkel Winemaker: Meike and Dörte Näkel Founded In: 1950 Located In: Ahr, Germany

Italy

Altesino ELISABETTA GNUDI ANGELINI OWNER

Set amongst the northeastern hills of Montalcino the imposing structure of the 15th century Palazzo Altesi overlooks the estate. Built by the Tuscan family Tricerchi, whose marble crest can still be seen set over the old oak entrance door, since 2002 Altesino has been owned by the Gnudi Angelini family.

The company is a venture of the various and important structural innovations that have involved the Brunello di Montalcino for forty years. As a forerunner in the pursuit of excellence, with the introduction of the “Cru” concept (Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli) concept in 1975, Altesino was the first winery to use barriques in 1979. In 1977, the first Grappa di Fattoria was created and produced by Altesino, thanks to the help of the master distiller Gioacchino Nannoni.

Elizabeth started her career as a film and theatre producer, travelling for ten years around the world alongside the actor and producer Luca Barbareschi.

Then, she worked in the pharmaceutical sector, in her husband Paolo Angelini’s company.

She became a widow at a very young age with two young children, she rolled up her sleeves deciding, at the age of forty, to invest in wine: a passion that has turned into business.

Estate Owner: Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini Winemaker: Simone Giunti, Alessandro Ciacci Founded In: 1970 Located In: Toscana, Italy

Women in Wine | 64

“A PASSION” TO INVEST IN WINE

Fascinated by the countryside and its universe of solid values, she preferred Tuscany over Piedmont.

The wineries and the medieval village of Chianti, which Gnudi has turned into a luxury dwelling, are the result of a series of efforts and bets that make her one of the women who most contributed to change the image of Italian wine.

Her labels made history and enhanced the concept of cru in Montalcino: Montalcino of Altesino is always present among the Top 100 Wine List in the world according to the Bible of Wine.

Arigiolas VALENTINA ARGIOLAS OWNER

Argiolas is the foremost wine estate on the island of Sardinia producing archetypal wines from native varietals. Antonio Argiolas, who died in 2009 at the age of 102, inherited seven acres of vines from his father in 1938 and was the first on the island to convert to modern viticulture to pursue quality over quantity.

His sons, Franco and Giuseppe, replanted the vineyards in the 1980s with the goal of reducing yields and focusing exclusively on Sardinian grapes. Joined by enologist Mariano Murru, the Argiolas family is today recognized as Sardinia’s leading wine producer.

Pioneers in innovative winemaking and the revival of native Sardinian grapes, Valentina Argiolas is part of the third generation to run the benchmark Sardinian winery Argiolas. She represents a new generation of the Arigolas family in Italy, young and female.

Like many women who work in wine marketing, Valentina also sees that women bring a special quality to the world of wine.

“Women are very attentive to all of the details of the product from the image to the packaging to client welfare when they visit the winery,” she notes.

Estate Owner: Franco and Giuseppe Argiolas Winemaker: Mariano Murru Founded In: 1938 Located In: Sardegna, Italy

“WOMEN BRING” A SPECIAL QUALITY 65 | Women in Wine

Suavia

VALENTINA, MERI, ALESSANDRA TESSARI OWNER/WINEMAKER

Winemaking is a family affair for Giovanni and Rosetta Tessari and their four daughters, Arianna, Meri, Valentina (winemaker) and Alessandra.

The lovely Tessari siblings speak of their vineyards in the same way they speak of their Grandfather Giuseppe and Nonna Serafina, who taught them to care for every vine, every plot and every grape on the property since they were children.

“PASSION” AND HARD WORK

Nonno Giuseppe built the Tessari home in 1887, high on the Fittà hills that overlook the Classico heartland, facing the hills of Soave and Monteforte d’Alpone.

A century later, in 1982, his son Giovanni and wife Rosetta chose to estate-bottle Tessari wine. They built a state-of-the-art winery and labeled the range Suavia “as a tribute to the tradition and culture of their terroir.” Today, Suavia is one of the appellation’s benchmark wineries.

Suavia is owned and run by the three Tessari sisters, who have taken over from their parents to run the show. With plenty of passion and hard work, Meri, Valentina and Alessandra have taken the winery to the next level.

The wines produced at Suavia are aromatic, lively and fresh with a fabulous concentration of flavor.

They began an adventure focused on the quality and uniqueness of the white grapes Trebbiano and Garganega.

Estate Owner: Valentina, Meri & Alessandra Tessari Winemaker: Valentina Tessari Founded In: 1982 Located In: Veneto, Italy

Women in Wine | 66

Tua Rita RITA TUA CO-OWNER

Rita Tua and her husband, Virgilio Bisti, bought approximately 37.5 acres of land in 1984 and planted it with Cabernet and Merlot. The winery released its first vintage in 1992, and soon began receiving praise and accolades from wine enthusiasts worldwide for its rich, full-bodied wines.

In just five short years, its 100% Merlot had achieved cult-like status, receiving outstanding ratings from the world’s most prestigious wine critics and publications. Critic Robert M. Parker Jr. said the 1999 Redigaffi was “as close to perfection as a wine can get.” The following year, he gave the 2000 Redigaffi a perfect 100 score.

The winery’s Bordeaux blend, Giusti di Notri, also garners near-universal praise. Little wonder that Tua Rita’s wines are considered among the most difficult to find in Italy. The estate’s name derives from the inversion of Rita Tua’s first and last name.

In 1984 Rita and Virgilio realized their lifelong dream purchasing the property that became Tua Rita. The landscape and buildings on this property were a mere setting for living in contact with nature whilst farming their beloved land. Their overwhelming passion for wine changed their plans.

The original two hectares of vineyards have been cultivated meticulously since the beginning, this rigorous and passionate care collocated Tua Rita among the most successful producers labeled as “vins de garage”. In less than a decade they had extended the property up to nine hectares, then twenty; nowadays the totality of the planted vines includes thirty hectares.

Growth has been driven by Rita and Virgilio’s enduring enthusiasm and an ever-deepening awareness of the potential of this estate in the area, between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Colline Metallifere, known as Val di Cornia.

“VINS DE GARAGE” PRODUCER

Estate Owner: Rita Tua Winemaker: Luca d’Attoma Founded In: 1984 Located In: Sicilia, Italy

67 | Women in Wine

Zenato NADIA ZENATO OWNER

Founded in 1960 by Sergio and Carla Zenato, the Zenato winery was originally based on the production of quality wines from an indigenous varietal, Trebbiano di Lugana. Over time, the winery has been passed to Sergio and Carla’s children, who have maintained and expanded upon this vision.

Zenato has also explored another important area of Italian wine production — Valpolicella. It is here that they have dedicated endless efforts to the improvement and success of Amarone production, a wine of noble attributes and prestige. Zenato has entered international markets and received the highest accolades from the wine industry’s leading experts, praise that reflects the way in which the company operates.

When Nadia Zenato and her brother Alberto were growing up, there wasn’t much room for doubt about the career paths they would take. “The vineyard was our playground,’ says Nadia. ‘Since I was a child, I have smelled the perfume of the wine, so it was natural to carry on the work started by our parents.”

Nadia Zenato, together with her brother Alberto and mother Carla, heads a winery of 95 hectares.

Estate Owner: The Zenato Family Winemaker: Alberto and Nadia Zenato Founded In: 1960 Located In: Veneto, Italy

Women in Wine | 68

“PERFUME” OF WINE

Portugal

Quinta de Chocapalha SANDRA TAVERES DA SILVA WINEMAKER

Originally acquired in the 1980’s, the 110 acres of nearly abandoned vineyards discovered on the estate dated back to the 16th century; the family immediately embarked on an investment program to replant and regraft the vines with the thriving varietals of the area, both indigenous and international.

In 2000, the new plantings had reached optimal maturity when Sandra Tavares, the youngest daughter, made her first debut as a winemaker, passionate and eager to produce wine with only the best grapes found on the estate.

“Wine is like sharing, it is for our future, for our children.” Sandra Tavares da Silva, named as Portugal’s “Wine Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2013, appears to be in constant motion.

She is the winemaker for Wine & Soul, which she owns with her husband, Jorge Serôdio Borges, and for Quinta de Chocapalha, her family’s winery near Alenquer, which is north of Lisbon. In addition, until recently she was the winemaker and then consulting winemaker for the award-winning Quinta Vale D. Maria.

When asked what is needed to be a successful winemaker, Sandra smiled and said, “my father’s personality — focused and persistent.” To this, she added passion, being knowledgeable about what is a good product, willingness to work hard, vision, and attention to detail.

Estate Owner: Alice and Paulo Tavares da Silva Winemaker: Sandra Tavares da Silva Founded In: 1855 Located In: Lisboa, Portugal

“WINE IS FOR” OUR FUTURE KIDS Women in Wine | 70

Wine and Soul SANDRA TAVERES DA SILVA OWNER/WINEMAKER

Located in the heart of the Douro Valley, Portugal’s best-known wine region, Wine & Soul spans several picturesque vineyards.

This innovative yet rustic winery was founded nearly 10 years ago by Jorge Serôdio Borges and his wife Sandra Tavares da Silva, both of whom wished to channel their extensive experience into a winery that would showcase the traditional varieties and terroir of the Douro Valley on an international level.

Sandra Tavares da Silva is a highly talented oenologist and winemaker respected by her peers and considered by many to define the New Douro generation. A skilled interpreter of local terroir with a strong work ethic and always maintaining confident discipline.

“CREATE” WINES WITH IDENTITY

When Sandra started as a winemaker in the late 1990s, she was one of the very few women in the field. It was not easy for her at the beginning. She said that she clearly had to prove herself — “let’s see what this girl can make?”

In 2001, Sandra and and Jorge created Wien and Soul, a winery that showcases the traditional varietals of the Douro Valley. She speaks with great passion about the meaning behind the name of their winery — “warm and personal wines that symbolize our life.”

Their goal is to “create wines with their own identity where vineyards have a decisive role.” Each wine of Wine & Soul is associated with a single vineyard, and its identity is maintained year after year.

Estate Owner: Sandra Tavares da Silva & Jorge Serodio Borges Winemaker: Sandra Tavares da Silva & Jorge Serodio Borges Founded In: 2001 Located In: Douro, Portugal

SUS

71 | Women in Wine ORG

USA

Ancient Peaks AMANDA WITTSTROM-HIGGINS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Ancient Peaks is a family-owned winery showcasing estate varietals from Margarita Vineyard. The winery represents the shared vision of three longtime local winegrowing and ranching families- The Filipponis, Rossis and Wittstroms.

Rob Rossi acquired Santa Margarita Ranch in 1999.

His friends Doug Filpponi and Karl Wittstrom soon join him as partners in ownership of the ranch. The obvious potential of the vineyard ultimately inspired the three families to become vintners as well as wine growers.

The name Ancient Peaks was chosen to honor the Santa Lucia Mountains that border Margarita Vineyard which define the lands’ complex geology, climate, and ultimately shaping the character of the wines.

Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins is a Paso Robles native who belongs to the second-generation of the Ancient Peaks ownership families. In 2019, she was on the cover Wine Enthusiasts “40 Under 40” issue featuring trailblazers who are redefining the industry as we know it.

As Executive Vice President, Amanda is responsible for overseeing the wineries operating performance, strategic planning and employee relations. In 2017, she co-founded Wine Speak Paso Robles, one of California’s premiere industry trade events.

A year later she founded Dream Big Darling, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring next-generation leaders in the wine and spirits industry.

Estate Owner: Karl Wittstrom, Doug Filpponi, Rob Rossi Winemaker: Mike Sinor & Stewart Cameron Founded In: 2006 Located In: Santa Margarita, California

“TRAILBLAZER” REDEFINING THE INDUSTRY 73 | Women in Wine SUS

Ghost Block Wine KRISTI KOFORD WINEMAKER

The story of Ghost Block began in 1902 when Joseph Pelissa came to Napa Valley from Liguria, Italy and purchased his first 35 acres of land with a single gold coin in 1903. His son Andry later took over, building successful dairy and trucking businesses and eventually acquiring 1000 acres in Oakville and Yountville where he planted wine grapes and other crops. Andy was instrumental in establishing Napa Valley’s Agricultural Preserve Zone.

Today, the Pelissa grape-growing operation continues to be family-owned and run, overseen by 4thand 5thgeneration family members who live on and farm the land. Since planting their first grapes, the family has supplied fruit to some of the most prestigious wineries in Napa Valley, and its entire 635 acres of grapes have been 100% certified organic since 1991.

Kristi Koford was born in Berkeley but spent most of her earlier years following her father around the world as he pursued an international career in zoology. She originally wanted to “continue in his footsteps becoming the next Jane Goodall.” Yet in 1971, she found herself in Lodi cultivating mushrooms and working extensively in the area’s vineyards.

Estate Owner: Andy Hoxsey Winemaker: Kristi Koford Founded In: 2004 Located In: Oakville, California

ORG Women in Wine | 74

HER “TRUE” CALLING WAS REVEALED

She realized her true calling in 1974 and moved from the vineyard to the winery, joining Robert Mondavi where she eventually became senior microbiologist working alongside Tim Mondavi and legendary winemaker Zelma Long.

In 2001, she joined Napa Wine Company, where she is celebrating her 20th anniversary. She is director of winemaking and responsible for all production including their proprietary brands – Ghost Block, Elizabeth Rose and Oakville Winery – along with their impressive portfolio of custom crush clients.

Heron LAELY HERON OWNER/WINEMAKER

Heron Wines, founded by winemaker Laely Heron, believes that delicious wines should be an unalienable right. Heron goes where the best grapes are grown in order to maximize the natural characteristics of the varietal. They don’t own any vineyards. This allows them to spend their money where it matters (on exceptional grapes and barrels, not mortgages).

By establishing both short and long-term contracts with our growers, Heron has the benefits of consistency and flexibility. Whenever possible, Heron works with vineyards that are certified or managed organically, biodynamically and sustainably. They firmly believe in the “less is more” philosophy. As winemakers, their job is to allow the best qualities of the fruit to shine through and predominate over manipulation.

Our goal is to make wines of character and soul rather than sameness, and not according to a formula or projected return on investment.

Laely Heron’s philosophy and wines are direct reflections of her adventurous spirit. Her unconventional childhood– living in mining towns on four continents–fostered her love of travel and adventure.

Laely’s desire is to explore and to experience the cultures, foods, and wines of the world.

Wanderlust and curiosity have led her on many paths including studying wine making in Bordeaux, opening a restaurant and importing wine into Denmark, and Master of Wine studies.

With this love of wine and an entrepreneurial spirit, she started Heron Wines in 1994 with little more than a credit card, a “business plan” sketched out on a napkin, and an idea to make great wine.

Even today, Laely continues her global exploration to make the most distinctive and delicious wines from the best places on earth.

Estate Owner: Laely Heron Winemaker: Laely Heron Founded In: 1995 Located In: San Francisco, California

“WINES WITH” CHARACTER AND SOUL 75 | Women in Wine

“THE QUEEN” OF BURGUNDY IMPORTS

In Memoriam BECKY WASSERMAN

WINE EXPORTER/FOUNDER OF LE SERBET AND BECKY WASSERMAN & CO. Becky Wasserman had an outsized impact on the wine industry, and Burgundy in particular.

Known for her caring, motherly touch, championship of lesser-known Burgundian domaines and unflinching integrity, Wasserman popularized the authentic tastes and terroir of Burgundy. In 1968, Americanborn Wasserman moved to the small Burgundy village of Bouilland, near Beaune.

Her foray into wine began as a barrel broker for the François Frères Cooperage in Burgundy in 1976.

She realized that she wanted to work more with wine itself, so she established her own import company, Le Serbet, named for one of the fields in Bouilland. (It is now Becky Wasserman & Co.) One of the most enduring stories about Wasserman’s early days at Le Serbet illustrates her commitment to her community. One of her distributors went bankrupt but she wanted to ensure that she made good on her obligation to pay her growers, so she mortgaged her house. That display of integrity cemented her reputation in the industry.

An innovator and entrepreneur, Becky Wasserman championed small growers from around France, but particularly Burgundy, where she lived beginning in 1968. She was a major advocate and supporter for many young vignerons, but also importers, distributors, retailers, wine writers and wine lovers around the world. If not for the efforts of this American woman and her company, Le Serbet, many of France’s greatest wineries might have remained unknown in the United States.

She received Decanter’s Hall of Fame award in 2019 in recognition of her tireless work distributing the wines of Burgundy throughout the US, UK, Scandinavia, and Russia.

Becky Wasserman passed away on August 20th, at age 84. Wasserman is survived by her two sons, Peter and Paul Wasserman, and her husband, Russell Hone.

“Becky’s connection, understanding, and passion for the wine growers and vineyards of Burgundy are

second to none. Becky single handedly convinced a young generation of Burgundian winemakers in the 80’s to open their cellars to each other and start sharing ideas that truly raised the bar on all wines in the region. Her story of her arrival in Burgundy in the 60’s and how she parlayed relationships into a leading specialty wine business that has flourished for over four decades epic.” - Doug Shaw, M.S. Walker

77 | Women in Wine

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