Back in September, we launched a series of fascinating interviews with some of the most important women in wine. This was the brainchild of Jancis and Matthew O’Connell of London fine-wine merchant Bordeaux Index who had been discussing the number of strong, smart women stepping in to take over their family’s wine estates around the world.
This of course shouldn’t be anything unusual: wine estates need new blood to continue their legacy, and gender has no bearing on ability to run a business or to make wine. But for decades now, it’s been mainly men who assume the position of power in the winery. Even Laura Catena, who balanced a life as a doctor with running arguably the most important winery in Argentina, remembers being told, ‘Laura, we need a lot of help in marketing. I think you should go and work in marketing.’
So O’Connell and Jancis agreed to launch a series highlighting the women running some of the top wineries in the world today, with interviews conducted by Victoria Mason MW.
We hope this series brings more attention to these women and their wines, and also encourages other women to strive for whatever position in the wine world they’d like to achieve. The interviews also give a unique glimpse into the world today, as these women talk about how they got to where they are and how they are preparing their wineries for the future.
The interviews
Gaia Gaja, Gaja, Piemonte, Italy (19 September 2024)
Dr Katharina Prüm, Weingut Joh Jos Prüm, Mosel, Germany (5 September 2024)
Joséphine Duffau-Lagarrosse, Château Beauséjour, St-Émilion, France (3 October 2024)
Alice Paillard, Champagne Bruno Paillard, France (17 October 2024)
Silvia Flores Cintado, González Byass, Jerez, Spain (31 October 2024)
Charlotte Millemann, Millemann Wines, Burgundy, France (14 November 2024)
Dr Laura Catena, Mendoza, Argentina (28 November 2024)
Full interview texts can be found on the Bordeaux Index blog.
