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12 Inspiring Women in Wine: Celebrate International Women's Day!
We asked 12 amazing women in wine 1 of 3 questions. Find out what these inspiring women said!
IWD x GPD. That’s right, International Women’s Day is just around the corner. This IWD 2022, our team at Good Pair Days will be celebrating, and you are all invited! #BreakTheBias – is the theme this year. Aimed at confronting deliberate and unconscious gender biases in our workplaces, schools and communities. Sure, we may be a little bias focussing on wine here – but Good Pair Days wouldn’t exist without ‘em. Have a read as we champion our determined winemakers, grape-growing viticulturalists, wine-buying sommeliers, talented colleagues, and wine friends. Cheers!
What's something you've learnt this year about being a woman (in wine) Any words of wisdom?
This past year, with Women & Revolution, Joans of Marc and Batonnage in California - it's put a spotlight on how many incredibly talented and determined women there are hiding in all nooks and crannies of this industry. Hiding in plain sight! There isn't one pathway to success, and there certainly isn't an endpoint - but I'm finding the more I support other women on their journey, the more I empower myself too.
Learn more about Erin Pooley's wine life here
Taste one of Erin's wines here
Are there any other women in wine that you admire or are inspired by?
Chiara Boschis (Barolo) Chiara didn’t have an easy path, despite having a family owned winery. Her (ex) boyfriend showed her how to make wine, and now her two brothers work with her, and today, it is all about Chiara’s winemaking decisions. Usually in a winegrowing family dynamic, it happens the other way around. Belinda Crawford (Crawford River) Why I respect Belinda? She does everything from the vineyard to the winery, respecting the land and her heritage – she’s always been there just getting it done. Kate Goodman – Kate was from a time when the industry was very ‘male’ dominated, and she was in the trenches back in the day, paving the way for us all. Everything that was traditionally a guy’s earnings, she now commands.
Learn more about Sierra Reed's wine life here
Taste one of Sierra's wines here
What's something you've learnt this year about being a woman (in wine) Any words of wisdom?
I've learned the value and grown a deeper appreciation of peerhood and fellowship with other women in wine. It has always felt like there was too few of us, and connection has been difficult as a woman in Viticulture, but dots have been joining more with others lately through various groups and movements. It is inordinately enriching.
Learn more about Tessa Brown's wine life here
Taste one of Tessa's wines here
Who are some of the most influential women in your life?
My initial career events and fashion meant I was fortunate enough to be working in a female dominated industry for many years. I had many mentors and leaders that were powerful, confident successful women at the top of their game, They motivated, inspired band encouraged me to be my best and confident in my abilities - which is how you get in the room in the first place. These days it’s the immediate women in my life that are most influential. My Aunt inspires me with her humanity and kindness, my mum with her patience and resilience, and my daughter with her generosity. However, then there are the ones that are on the front line calling out at what can be overwhelming injustices in the world, and championing equality and inclusivity for us all such as - Grace Tame, Greta Thunberg, Yasmin Poole, Melanie Perkins, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez to name a few.
Learn more about Eliza Coulls's wine life here
Taste one of Eliza's wines here
Are there any other women in wine that you admire or are inspired by?
"Plenty! Of course, Caroline Morey inspires me through her wine. I’d love to make wines (especially Chardonnay) with as much finesse as her. Caroline is from a long lineage of vignerons in Burgundy, and her husband also happens to be a Chardonnay superstar (Pierre Yves Colin Morey)."
Learn more about Phoebe Grant's wine life here
Taste one of Phoebe's wines here
Who are some of the most influential women in your life?
(Winemakers) Kathleen Quealy, she has had quite an influence on my career trajectory and Sue Bell has provided a lot of inspiration since starting Billy Button. Closer to home Eleana Anderson (Mayford) and Tessa Brown (VS&B) have been great sounding boards and shoulders to cry on during the journey.
Learn more about Jo Marsh's wine life here
Taste one of Jo's wines here
What's something you've learnt this year about being a woman (in wine) Any words of wisdom?
Find a few people that you can turn to for advice! Whether it's winemaking tips, business advice, or some perspective on work-life balance, having a few people with a different perspective makes the journey easier.
Learn more about Laura Carter's wine life here
Taste one of Laura's wines here
Are there any other women in wine that you admire or are inspired by?
So many. In Australia there are so many amazing women who have paved the way for others like myself. Pam Dunsford with what she did - the first woman to be accepted to study Oenology at Roseworthy (Adelaide Uni) I admire Vanya Cullen (Cullen Wines), Louisa Rose (Yalumba) and fortunately, they are not only people I greatly admire, but they are now my friends.
Learn more about Sam Connew's wine life here
Taste one of Sam's wines here
Can you share with us something you've learnt this year about being a woman (in wine) Any words of wisdom?
Well, my thing with being a woman, is, you absolutely need flexibility and work life balance. This has been a huge focus in our business and in providing that for our staff. You need dynamic workplaces and you have got to support parents, of all genders. Showing this respect for family to your team should not be unconventional, and this establishes trust and allows people to get the job done.
Learn more about Callie Jemmeson's wine life here
Taste one of Callie's wines here
@cloakdaggerwines @pacha_mama_wines @calliejem
As the ‘senior somm’ here at GPD, what is it about the label ‘New Disco’ that excites you?
This was a women’s project from the get-go! Laura Carter from Unico Zelo and I teamed up together — she made the low-fi wine, and I designed the New Disco brand and label! Working with such a talented, entrepreneurial and intentional woman like Laura made it so much fun, and was a reminder of how far women have come in the world of wine. We are creators and innovators! Pioneering new paths, cultivating new creations. There's no slowing down any woman who wants to make a mark in the world of wine now. Who runs the world? Girls! ... oh and I do love the boys who we get to run along with too :)
Taste the 'New Disco' range here: Red 2020, Fiano 2021 and Rosé 2021
Explore the world of wine with Alex through the Wine Guides and Wine 101 videos ! OR, take your wine knowledge to the next level and sign up for the FREE Good Pair Days Wine 101 E-Course.
As resident ‘wine superstar’, why did you choose this wine for IWD?
One of my first ‘wine’ gigs, was pruning vines in the Cullen vineyard... way back in the early 2000’s. The biodynamic preparations seemed preposterous, yet, my curiosity was piqued - and it was only until I tasted a 1995 Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (prior to this wine being dubbed Diana Madeline) that it clicked. One of only a handful of Australian wines that truly conveys a strong sense of terroir. Every year of this wine is different, but every year it carries the same inherent vineyard character. Vanya Cullen truly captures the spirit of her land.
Learn more about Cullen Wines here
Taste the Cullen 'Diana Madeline' 2019 here
As our favourite new addition to the GPD wine team, why do you love this wine and choose it to celebrate IWD? Tell us about the producer!
"The Nikkal Pinot Noir is everything I love about Pinot - and I really LOVE Pinot! Soft and fleshy, brimming with juicy Yarra red berry fruits yet still savoury, it has a delicious sex-on-the-forest-floor thing going on that is a hallmark of really good Pinot Noir!
Kate Goodman is one of the busiest winemakers in the industry: 2018 Winemaker of the Year at the Australian Women in Wine Awards, and with nearly thirty years’ experience and vintages in France, Spain and the USA under her belt, she has made her stamp across the Australian wine industry. Wineries in regions including Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, the Grampians and the Yarra Valley have benefitted from Kate’s knowledge and expertise over the years, and continue to do so to this day.
From Kate’s own label, Goodman Wines, comes Nikkal, named for the Phoenician goddess of fruits and harvest, which is a celebration of the fruitful generosity of the Yarra Valley vineyards she calls home. Brava Kate!"
Learn more about Kate Goodman's wine life here
Taste the 'Nikkal Pinot Noir 2018' here
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