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Le donne del vino

Even 20 years ago, it was a rare thing to find women working as winemakers or holding positions of influence in the wine industry but today, there are women behind many of the great wines we love. In honour of International Women’s Day (March 8), we’re turning the spotlight on 21 female producers and principals  who have made a name for themselves in some of Italy’s most notable wineries.

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Alessandra Casini



Elena, Karoline and Julia Walch / ELENA WALCH
 

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LEFT TO RIGHT: Elena, Julia and Karoline Walch.


A former architect, Elena Walch married Werner Walch and joined one of Alto Adige’s most important wine families. Elena had travelled extensively and had seen, and tasted, the advances taking place in wine around the world. This convinced her that handcrafted, artisanal wines were the way to go. Werner did not agree, and so Elena founded her own winery in 1985, releasing her first wines in 1988. Though Werner and Elena share vineyards, she made significant changes in how her vines were farmed, including increasing vine density and decreasing yields, which are practices that have now been widely embraced in the region. Today the winery is run by Elena and her two daughters, Karoline and Julia, representing the fifth generation of the Walch family to produce wine in Alto Adige. The Walch women were early adopters of sustainable winemaking and have become a leading voice in the approach. Their wines, such as the mineral-laced, fruity Pinot Grigio featured here, are among the most sought-after in the region.


Angela and Marianna Velenosi / VELENOSI VINI
 

Angela Velenosi started her company in 1984 armed with nothing but the desire to introduce the world to the unique wines of Piceno. This wine-growing area in the Marche region is situated between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Coast, and the hilly topography provides a rich tapestry of microclimates that encourage nuanced Sangiovese and Montepulciano wines. Angela’s dedication to the region saw her serve as president of the Consortium of Piceno Wines: a group of more than 40 producers determined to preserve and promote the area. She is one of the few women to be named president of a wine consortium. Angela wasn’t from a wine background and had to begin from scratch. Learning as she went, making mistakes, adapting and evolving all the time, relying on hard work and determination, she has established both herself and the region she loves. Angela’s daughter, Marianna, was born in 1993. Raised in the winery, she officially joined the family business in 2019, establishing a foothold for the continued future of this family winery. The elegant, generous mixed fruit, spice and vanilla of the Piceno Superiore 2021 deliciously attest to Angela’s vision.

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Angela (LEFT) and Marianna Velenosi.



Chiara Lungarotti and Teresa Severini / LUNGAROTTI
 

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Teresa Severini (LEFT) and Chiara Lungarotti.


Founded by Giorgio Lungarotti in the early 1960s, Lungarotti has been run by his daughters Chiara Lungarotti and Teresa Severini since his passing in 1999. Teresa holds a degree in oenology from the Agriculture University of Perugia and a specialization from the Institut d’Oenologie de l’Université de Bordeaux and was one of Italy’s first female winemakers. In 1988, she founded the Associazione Nazionale Le Donne del Vino (National Association of Women in Wine) with 20 other female wine professionals. This association works to raise awareness of the leading role many women play in the Italian wine industry and now has more than 1,000 members. Today, she is Lungarotti’s marketing and communications manager. In her role as CEO, Chiara has proven herself a dynamic entrepreneur and has been instrumental in continuing the reputation of Umbria’s most famous wine estate through a keen application of innovative new techniques and technologies. She has set new benchmarks for quality and established a foundation for the winery’s future success and continued growth. The Torre di Giano Bianco di Torgiano Vermentino/Grechetto/Trebbiano 2022 is a refreshing, complex celebration of this esteemed estate.


Anna and Valentina Abbona / MARCHESI DI BAROLO

 

The renowned Marchesi di Barolo dates to the 12th century and has long been held as one of Piedmont’s most important and influential estates. “[Marchesi di Barolo] has defined a unique lineage of quality, elegance and complexity, by interpreting the many nuances of Nebbiolo and the potential of each terroir” (decanter.com). The winery was purchased in the 1920s by the Abbona family and remains in their care, run by the mother-daughter team of Anna and Valentina Abbona. The Abbonas aim to produce wines that faithfully showcase the distinct character of their grapes and terroir. Though Marchesi di Barolo isn’t certified organic, they use many organic processes and techniques (such as cover crops) in their winemaking to ensure this authenticity in their wines. Valentina represents the sixth generation of the family to make wines here, and she is a tireless ambassador for Marchesi di Barolo and for Piedmont itself, travelling up to 200 days a year. The Barbaresco featured here has the complex dark fruit, earth and mineral that has made it a Vintages standout for over a decade.

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Anna (LEFT) and Valentina Abbona.



Federica Boffa / PIO CESARE
 


Founded in 1881, Pio Cesare has long been a standard bearer for Piedmont’s finest wines. The estate is now overseen by Federica Boffa, who took over in 2021 when she was 23. Her father, the iconic Pio Boffa, saw great leadership potential in Federica and began sending her overseas to represent the winery when she was just 18. Federica is the fifth generation of her family to make wines here and the first woman to lead the family’s winemaking operations. She has already made a significant impact, balancing modernity and tradition and setting the stage for the winery’s success by obtaining sustainability certification. She is also exploring high-elevation plantings of Nebbiolo in the Alta Langa region. Federica believes that the project will reveal an exciting terroir while also providing a viable alternative source of grapes as climate change continues to have an impact on other growing areas. The Pio Cesare Barbera d’Alba 2021 showcases this historic winery’s deft ability to express terroir; it reveals bright fruit and fresh character without sacrificing structure and form.


Gaia Gaja / GAJA
 

In 2004, Gaia Gaja began working with her famous father, Angelo Gaja, known to the world as the King of Barbaresco, travelling the globe and helping promote his wines and vision. She has served as the company’s president since 2016. Never one to rest on its laurels, Gaja has recently shifted its attention to exploring white wines, with plantings of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and the Piedmont varieties Erbaluce and Timorasso, among others. The Gaja family believes that Italian white wines are poised to take the world by storm. It’s this spirit of continually striving for what’s next that has always driven Gaja and fuels everything Gaia herself does. This attitude is perhaps best demonstrated by their Ca’Marcanda property, established in 1996. Angelo Gaja, the master of Piedmont’s Nebbiolo, wished to test himself against Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah in Tuscany. In her time at the helm, Gaia has influenced Gaja’s style, shifting the approach to reflect a greater freshness and energy. But the wines remain quintessentially Gaja.



Barbara Widmer / BRANCAIA
 


Barbara Widmer, daughter of Brancaia’s founders Brigitte and Bruno Widmer, has been the winemaker at Brancaia since 1998. Before studying oenology, she went to school to become an architect, but at 22, the call of the winery proved too strong. During Barbara’s tenure as winemaker, Brancaia has extended their reach beyond Chianti to Maremma and increased their range from two wines to nine. Her terroir-driven approach and her rigorous selection process have allowed her to distinguish these different expressions, permitting the grapes to “discern what they want to be … [Expanding our] selection of wines was not a business decision, it was the opportunity presented by the grapes.” Brancaia completed its conversion to organic farming in 2015. The third generation is now becoming involved in the family business. Barbara’s daughter, Nina, assists with Brancaia’s social media, while her son, Nicolas, helps in the winery’s restaurant. The N°2 Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 comes from her Maremma project.


Gabriella Anca Rallo and Josè Rallo / DONNAFUGATA
 

Gabriella Anca Rallo founded Donnafugata with her late husband, Giacomo Rallo, in 1983. Working with both international and indigenous grape varieties, they helped raise the profile of Sicilian wine. Gabriella was a founding member of Le Donne del Vino and in 2018 was awarded the title of Commander of the Italian Republic for her work with Sicilian wine and for promoting the role of women on the island. Her daughter, Josè Rallo, is now the company’s CEO and has worked to make Donnafugata one of Italy’s finest producers, defined by their consistent and outstanding wines. In 2002, Josè received the Bellisario Award for her work promoting the enhancement of female entrepreneurship. Besides her duties at Donnafugata, she’s a member of the board of directors of Assovini Sicilia, the ICE (National Institute for International Commerce) and the FAI (National Trust of Italy). The Anthìlia Bianco 2022 is a tropical, ripe white blend of the local Catarratto and Ansonica with some international grapes, while the Tancredi 2020 is mostly Cabernet. Both wines represent the elevated quality of modern Sicily.

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LEFT TO RIGHT: Giacomo, Josè, Gabriella Anca and Antonio Rallo.



Giovannella and Federica Stianti / CASTELLO DI VOLPAIA
 

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LEFT TO RIGHT: Nicolò Mascheroni Stianti, Federica Mascheroni Stianti and Giovannella Stianti.


Castello di Volpaia dates all the way back to 1172. The vineyards came to Giovannella Stianti as a wedding present from her father 800 years later on November 25, 1972. She and her husband, Carlo Mascheroni, built a new facility on the site in the 1970s, incorporating the nuts and bolts of winemaking seamlessly into the historic buildings of the village. This family-run winery is now one of Chianti Classico’s best-known and most highly regarded producers. The direction and style of their wines have been governed by Giovannella’s determined vision for the company. Her daughter, Federica, is now the global ambassador for the family’s wines. Federica began her career in art conservation, earning a degree in technical art restoration and a master’s degree in restoration and conservation of artistic heritage. The organically grown Prelius Vermentino 2022 comes from Federica’s Maremma estate, Castelprile della Volpaia. The family has been farming this site for 15 years and will soon be releasing red and white reserve wines.


Alessandra Casini / BINDI SERGARDI
 

Bindi Sergardi CEO Alessandra Casini is the third of five children and represents the 23rd generation of the Casini family to fashion wine in the heart of Chianti Classico. According to the family’s unwritten rule, Alessandra spent three years working outside of the family to broaden her understanding and gain experience in the wine business. She served as part of Antinori’s sales and marketing team before returning to the family estate in 2005. She’s a member of the Committee for Female Entrepreneurship and in 2015 joined the board of directors of the Chianti Classico Consortium. Alessandra credits her grandmother Chiara, who was widowed in World War II, with seeing the family winery survive to the 23rd generation. She refused to sell at a time when many other estates were succumbing to Italy’s postwar economic difficulties. Her struggle gave the family time to recover and see the winery become one of Chianti’s leading producers. La Boncia Chianti 2022, from 15-year-old vines, is a lithe, bright celebration of the region and the family.

 



Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini and Alessandra Angelini / BORGO SCOPETO
 

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Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini (LEFT) and Alessandra Angelini.


Borgo Scopeto owner Elisabetta Gnudi Angelini grew up in Rome. She married Paolo Angelini, whose pharmaceutical company was the largest in Italy. Following his premature death, she became a member of the Angelini Board of Directors. Eager to take on a new challenge, she began studying oenology and agriculture at university, purchasing Borgo Scopeto in 1997 and selling her stake in the Angelini pharmaceutical company in 1998. Driven and focused, she renovated the property, replanting vines and modernizing every aspect of the facility. Her daughter, Alessandra Angelini, was born in Rome in 1983. She earned an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from Sapienza University of Rome in December 2006, where she participated in major research projects designing Formula One cars and racing dinghies. She has also designed airplane engines for Rolls-Royce North America. She returned to the family business of wine and hospitality in 2017, mostly working as a brand ambassador and export manager. Borgo Scopeto’s Vigna Misciano Riserva Chianti Classico 2019 perfectly reflects Elisabetta’s dynamic character and enthusiasm.


Donatella Cinelli Colombini and Violante Gardini Cinelli Colombini / DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI
 

A pioneer in every sense, Donatella Cinelli Colombini left her family’s estate in 1998 to begin her own project. Needing a cellar master to oversee the barrel ageing of her Brunello di Montalcino, she contacted the Enology School in Siena, seeking to hire a student. She was told that cellar masters had to be arranged for years in advance, but there were many female cellar masters available, as no major winery wanted to employ them. Donatella didn’t just hire a woman cellar master; she engaged an entire staff of women. Donatella was recently elected president of Le Donne del Vino, whose 1,000+ members include women producers, journalists, sommeliers, restaurant owners and other wine experts. Determined and forward-looking, Donatella, working with her daughter Violante Gardini, has been one of the early adopters of egg-shaped concrete fermenting tanks in Montalcino and is experimenting with several native yeasts. The Donatella Cinelli Colombini Brunello di Montalcino has evolved over the years, the result of careful study and experimentation. The 2018 is open-knit and complex.

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Donatella Cinelli Colombini (LEFT) and Violante Gardini Cinelli Colombini.


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