6 top drops to toast women
These wines by female winemakers stand out for their purity of fruit
With #BreakTheBias the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day (March 8), we’re raising a glass to women at the top of their wine game – and influencing the choices we make.
As well as having great palates (one study actually showed women may be better at tasting wine than men), the lure of the vine is encouraging more and more women into vineyards and working at every level… from the cellar to harvest, or oenology, women are gaining ground in a field infamously dominated by men.
And while working the land can be punishing, from tending the vines to managing an estate come rain or shine, who wouldn’t want to be at one with nature, with a glass in hand and satisfaction of having made the wine yourself?
In honour of International Women’s Day, these leading ladies are paving the way for future female winemakers…
1. Faldeos Nevados Malbec 2020, Mendoza, Argentina (£9.50, The Wine Society)
There’s lots to love about this entry level malbec from worldclass winemaker Susana Balbo – she’s a three-times president of Wines of Argentina and cited as the queen of malbec. Made specifically for The Wine Society, it’s gloriously rich and ripe and immediately engaging with a perfumed bouquet of violets and black cherries. Purpleblack fruits abound, it’s velvety smooth with a luxurious, long finish.
2. La Chiamata 2020, Trebbiano D’Abruzzo, Italy (£10.99, Laithwaites)
A tip-top trebbiano, winemaker Ludovica Crugnale packs a lot of fruity freshness into this medal-winning white which won silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021, as well as the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2021. Utterly delicious with a sunny citrus, pear and stone fruit character, as well as a beautiful fresh acidity backing the pristine fruit.
3. M&S Notte Rossa Primitivo Di Manduria 2020, Italy (£11, Marks & Spencer, in-store)
In a word: Delicious. Caterina Bellanova’s brilliant primitivo proves how rich and generous these reds can be, and just as impressive as some of the flagship wines coming out of Cantine San Marzano (the producer behind the label). It spends six months in French and American oak and the dark cherry, plum, chocolate and lick of vanilla meld seamlessly together. Silky smooth, sun-kissed and plush.
4. Leyda Reserva Pinot Noir 2020, Valle De Leyda, Chile (£12, Tesco)
The answer to a weeknight wine from an A-list producer, wine critic James Suckling awarded 91 points to Viviana Navarrete, chief winemaker at Chile’s Viña Leyda, for this expressive pinot noir showing beams of ripe strawberry fruit. Known for her cool-climate, fragrant pinot noir, the elegant palate opens to strawberry and cherry flavours with herbal and soft mineral notes on the lingering finish.
5. Robert Oatley Signature Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Margaret River, Australia (£12 reduced from £16, Ocado)
A perennial favourite to fire up the taste buds, this multimedal-winning wine always impresses with its wonderfully intense brambly fruit, discreet leafy note, hint of eucalyptus, elegant structure, depth, concentration and ripe tannins. Immensely drinkable, everything glides along beautifully in the hands of Debbie Lauritz, chief winemaker at Robert Oatley, one of Australia’s most outstanding wineries.
6. The Adnams Selection Provence Rosé 2020, France
(£11.49, Adnams)
If you’re a huge fan of Provençal rosé but lament the price point, this bottling from winemaker Emmanuelle Baude won’t leave you feeling bereft – and you can almost sense the lavender fields with every delectable sip. The palest blush with exquisite aromas of dried flowers, Baude has a reputation for being passionate about her vineyard and it really shows in this organic rosé, marked by succulent red fruits, fresh and round with a wonderful purity and charming, silky texture.