For centuries, the winemaking business has been a male dominated if not exclusive occupation. Its so refreshing to see that women have begun to enter this field and make a big impact on the industry.
This move has not and is still not easy.. One problem immediately apparent in any sommelier survey is that the proportion of women in the Master Sommelier community remains glaringly small. In the U.S. there are currently 182 Master Sommeliers, of whom just 29 are women. The better news is
this year’s Top 100 People in the U.S. Wine Industry list by the blog IntoWine.com, 24 out of 100 were women.
Two women always comes to mind when I think about wine making.
Barbe-Nicole Clicquot ,
known as the “Grande Dame of Champagne ‘
Susana Balbo. She has been making a name for herself in the wine industry for over 30 years. She was Argentina’s first female 
winemaker and the first woman president of Wines of Argentina, an organization that promotes the country’s wine industry to a global market.
One of her trademarks, is the label on her Crios series of
wines. This family spirit lives and breathes with her Crios wine range.
Crios in Spanish means “offspring” and was created in 2001 as a tribute to her son, José, and daughter, Ana.
Other notable women in wine for their major accomplishments are:
Hannah Weinberger, the first female winemaker in Napa Valley – 1880s
Madeline Triffon, the first female Master Sommelier in USA – 1987
MaryAnn Graff, the first female modern winemaker in California – 1965ish
Sarah Morphew Stephen, the first female Master of Wine – 1970
Here are some recent female winemakers that everyone should take notice to.
Vanya Cullen – Cullen Wines, Margaret River, Australia
Cullen, who farms by biodynamic principles, focuses on Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. For her, a sustainable mindset is paramount, as she considers herself a custodian of “an ancient land.” The Wilyabrup, which means “place of red ochre,” is a subregion of Margaret River that Cullen believes provides “the purest expression of place because the natural environment is so clean.”
Trizanne Barnard – Trizanne Signature Wines, South Africa
In Kommetjie, a quaint village on South Africa’s Cape Peninsula, Barnard makes wine for her namesake label. She sources grapes from two diverse regions, Elim and Swartland, and she strives to honor those origins.
“I respect the area from which I source grapes and try to make a wine that reflects as much,” says Barnard.
Luisa Ponzi – Ponzi Vineyards, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Ponzi gained perspective on Old World methods as she attended school in Beaune, France, and interned with Christophe Roumier, of Domaine Georges Roumier in Burgundy, as well as Luca Currado, winemaker at Vietti in Piedmont. She was exposed to more than just the stringent rules that shape European viticulture.
Sarah Crowe – Yarra Yering, Yarra Valley, Australia
In 2013, after a stint at Bimbadgen, she departed Hunter Valley for Yarra Valley. She’s made Yarra Yering’s wines since, and picked up a 2017 Winemaker of the Year distinction from James Halliday.
Kathy Joseph – Fiddlehead Cellars, Santa Barbara, California
Joseph founded Fiddlehead Cellars in 1989 in Santa Barbara County and, in 1996, purchased the Fiddlestix Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills American Viticultural Area. Her wines express finesse, or “personality with elegance,” as Joseph puts it. Joseph’s focus is on fewer varieties—she grows Grüner Veltliner and Pinot Noir—and refinement of technique.
Helen Masters – Ati Rangi, Martinborough, New Zealand
Her advice for women who seek to be winemakers: “I’d equally give this advice to [all aspiring] winemakers. If you’re passionate about wine, get into it, boots and all. Learn everything you can, go everywhere you can and most importantly, figure out how you want to work. There’s huge diversity in the industry, with businesses large and small. Within that, there’s great opportunity to find the one that suits you.”
Credit: Wine Enthusiast 3/19