“During Women’s History Month, we celebrate the courageous women who have helped our Nation build a fairer, more just society,” asserts President Joe Biden in his 2024 Women’s History Month proclamation. “Throughout history, the vision and achievements of powerful women have strengthened our Nation and opened the doors of opportunity wider for all of us.  Though their stories too often go untold, all of us stand on the shoulders of these sung and unsung trailblazers.” In conclusion, he proclaims that he calls “upon all Americans to observe this month and to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024, with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”

Here on Wine Predator, this March we will once again focus on women in wine, stories told and untold,  sung and unsung, contemporary and historic, here in the United States, and from Argentina, Chile, France, Italy, and Portugal!

Worldwide Wine Women To Watch and Celebrate

Here on Wine Predator, we plan on featuring the following women in wine mostly this March, but also possibly in April during Earth Month and May during Oregon Wine Month. So stay tuned! And subscribe!

• From Argentina, Laura Catena of Catena Zapata Winery which was named #1 on the World’s Best Vineyards Top 50 List

• From Argentina, Anne Bousquet of Domaine Bousquet, an organic and biodynamic trailblazer; read more about Anne Bousquet here
• From Chile, Emily Faulconer, technical director at biodynamic Viñedos Familia Chadwick
• From France, Madame Pommery of Champagne Pommery, one of several widows who made a difference in the champagne industry; read about more famous women in Champagne here

• From Tuscany, Italy, Antonella Manuli winemaker and proprietor of “beyond biodynamic” La Maliosa; read about my visit there last June, and she will be visiting California during Women’s History Month–stay tuned for details!

• From Abruzzo, Italy, Stefania Pepe Vini Bio & Dinamici Azienda Agricola, one of the first women to work biodynamically

• From Abruzzo, Italy Masciarelli’s Marina Cvetić, who did marketing after marrying Gianni Masciarelli in 1989, and took over when her husband suddenly died in 2008

• From Piedmont, Italy, Chiara Soldati, winemaker and proprietor of La Scolca  in Piedmont, and one of the 25 Cavalieri del Lavoro named by the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella in 2022

• From Alentejo, Portugal, Sandra Sárria winemaker at Fitapreta, who sings with her spouse as well as makes wine!

• From Oregon, Brooks Winery’s Claire Jarreau, Associate Winemaker and member of the Brooks Wine team for ten years moves into the role of Head Winemaker.

• From Ventura, CA in the United States, Sheila Donohue owner of import company VeroVino which focuses on small production, sustainable wines, and who is opening up a retail shop and event space on Ventura’s Westside across from Bell Arts Factory; support her by attending a community meeting Weds. March 6; more details to come but for now, check this article out about Sheila and dreaming impossible dreams.
• From Ventura, CA in the United States, woman owned and winemaker Wildflower Winery

• Plus, we have four wine in bag options made by women which we purchased at LA’s Vinovore, a woman owned wine shop

• In addition to these women in wine which we plan to feature in March, we will be toasting Absinthia Vermut and her organic Absinthia on Absinthe Day March 5; Sue came up with some brilliant cocktails!

• From last year, women in wine working sustainably from Bordeaux and in Alsace.

Keep an eye out for special events in your area! Here’s a few I know about–

From March 7-10, a series of events will feature women winemakers from Santa Barbara County where 10% of the winemakers are women (and this is a high percentage!)  Many of these are smaller and lesser known winery, and a number of them are organic and/or biodynamic, with some of them included in Slow Wine Guide.

Find the lineup of events here. Participating winemakers and wineries include:

• Karen Steinwachs, Seagrape Wine Company;
• Lane Tanner, Lumen Wines;
• Kathy Joseph, Fiddlehead Cellars;
• Alison Thomson, Lepiane Wines;
• Helen Falcone, Falcone Family Vineyards;
• Gretchen Voelcker, Piazza Family Wines and Luna Hart Wines;
• Laura Hughes, Loubud Wines;
• Dana Volk, Dana V. Wines and Happy Mommy Wines;
• Jessica Gasca, Story of Soil;
• Wynne Solomon, Peake Ranch Winery;
• Samra Morris, Alma Rosa Winery;
• Alice Anderson, âmevive;
• Megan McGrath Gates, Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards and Toccata;
• Kristin Bryden, Zaca Mesa Winery; we interviewed her and wrote about her Rhone wines here
• Amy Christine, Holus Bolus and The Joy Fantastic;
• Claire Wilson, Provignage;
• Sunny Doench Stricker, Future Perfect Wine;
• Allyson Bycraft, Babcock Winery & Vineyards;
• Anna deLaski, Solminer Wine Co.;
• Clarissa Nagy, Riverbench Vineyard and Winery;
• Amber Hogan, Amber Rose Wines;
• Kristin Harris Luis, Cote of Paint Wine;
• Brittany Rice, Sunstone Winery; we wrote about her solo project here 
• Brit Zotovich, Dreamcôte Wine Co.;
• Sonja Magdevski, Casa Dumetz Wines, Clementine Carter, The Feminist Party;
• Angela Osborne, A Tribute to Grace Wine Company;
• Magan Eng, Kunin Wines;
• Jill DelaRiva Russell, Cambria Winery;
• Adrienne Rule, Rideau Vineyard;
• Alisa Jacobson, Turning Tide Wines; and,
• Christi Heck, Lavender Oak Vineyard.