Most Intriguing NAPA VALLEY'S
2021
W
omen and winemaking in Napa Valley began with a storied past when in 1882, Hannah Weinberger unexpectedly became proprietor and winemaker of J.C. Weinberger Winery after a disgruntled employee murdered her husband. The business prospered under her management, and she went on to gain notoriety when she entered her wine in the prestigious 1889 Paris Exposition wine competition and won the silver medal. She was lauded as the first woman in California to do so, an act that resulted in a dynamic shift in the perception of women as winemakers in the early days of the burgeoning wine industry. Since that eventful date, up until the early 1960s, women became more involved in winemaking but taking on leadership roles mostly evolved out of necessity, usually after the death of a spouse. But in 1965, when Mary Ann Graf became the first female to receive an enology degree from UC Davis, she earned her place as the first woman winemaker of the modern era. During the next couple of decades, an esteemed list of women winemaking pioneers followed, such as Zelma Long, Barbara Lindblom, Merry Edwards, Sandra Belcher, Alison-Doran Green, Cathy Corison and Heidi Barrett, just to name a few.
Interestingly, while many women vintners transitioned to their careers beginning in the lab, even with the same education and credentials as their male counterparts, the cellar work was always considered a “man’s job,” creating a gap for women to become proficient at their craft. It wasn’t until a century later, in the 1980s, that women started to break those barriers and take on more leadership roles as head winemakers, winery owners, and even producing their own labels. Over time, as their talents were more appreciated by the wine industry and embraced by wine consumers, they were given opportunities to leverage their craft to consult and create premium caliber wines for other wineries. In our Intriguing People issue this year, we’re proud to present some of Napa Valley’s currentday distinguished women winemakers. The list includes some of Napa’s early pioneers and some exciting newcomers. While women have made significant progress in this field since Hannah Weinberger carved out her place in history almost 140 years ago, they still only represent a small percentage of California’s winemakers. As a result, every single one of them is still considered a trailblazer in the industry.
INTRIGUING WOMEN WINEMAKER PROFILES BY FRAN MILLER
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