That said, International Women’s Day is an opportune time to highlight female talents — and in the world of wine there are many.
From the growing and making to marketing, managing and selling of wines, the wine industry is blessed with talented, pioneering women who continue to push the industry forward.
By no means an all-encompassing list, but an outstanding representation of women behind the bottle, we highlight six women winemakers from across the globe whose wines greatly impressed the experts at Decanter World Wine Awards with 97-point wines.
Below learn more about these accomplished women in wine and discover some of their top-scoring wines from the 2022 competition well worth a try…
Australia
Courtney Treacher
Winemaker at Brookland Valley
Courtney Treacher Credit: Houghton Wines
Recognising winemaking was her career path of choice in secondary school, Courtney Treacher pursued her Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Oenology at Western Australia’s Curtin University of Technology.
Her winemaking experiences since have led her to the vineyards of Perth Hills, Swan Valley, Margaret River and Hunter Valley. Working her way up in the cellar from cellar hand to now senior winemaker for Houghton and Brookland Valley Wines, Courtney’s perseverance in her career of choice is one of success — and the proof of her winemaking expertise is emulated in her wines.
Awarded not just one, but two Platinum medals at the DWWAs, Courtney’s wines represent some of the best in the entire competition with both Brookland Valley’s Reserve Chardonnay 2020 and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 receiving 97 points.
Brookland Valley, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, WA 2020
Platinum, 97 points | A classic ‘Claret’ nose with blackcurrants, juicy black fruits, and some bell pepper notes. The palate is welcoming, with enticing bright blue and dark red fruits, toast, and a whiff of herbs. The palate is full, with fruit-driven tannins, and a wonderful length. Alc 14%
Brookland Valley, Reserve Chardonnay, Margaret River, WA 2020
Platinum, 97 points | Opens with a lifted aroma of cantaloupe melon with subtle toasty oak notes and some nutty richness. The oak leads the initial palate which opens into restrained ripe fruits with a mouth-filling texture. A trace of light bitterness on the end provides delicious freshness. Alc 13.7%
Chile
Andrea Gillet
Winemaker at Bisquertt
Chilean winemaker Andrea Gillet has proven her talents in cellars across the globe from New World winemaking experiences in the US and New Zealand to Old World applications in Languedoc-Rousillon, France and Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Returning to Chile, Andrea became assistant enologist at Viña Errázuriz before becoming winemaker at Santa Rita where she crafted wines for over three years. She is now head winemaker at Viñas Bisquertt, and it’s its project ‘Crazy Cows’ which best reflects the anthropological outlook of Andrea. She comments, ‘our Crazy Cows series highlights the origin of wines made from patrimonial grape varieties in Chile, which are grown thanks to the tradition and effort of thousands of small producers.’ Revitalising Chile’s heritage grape varieties Pais, Carignan, Moscatel and Cinsault with fruit from unwieldy old vines, Andrea is crafting wines which show the identity of the country.
Understanding and appreciating the origins of wine, Andrea adds, ‘we want to honour the rural producers in southern Chile who make wine on a human scale, who maintain their small vineyards year after year, generation after generation.’ Tasted blind at DWWA 2022 across three stages of judging to be awarded Best in Show, recognition of the talent behind the bottle is undeniable.
Bisquertt, Crazy Rows Carignan, Maule 2020
Value Best in Show, 97 points | Those drinkers with Carignan in their sights tend to enjoy its often wild, unbridled character, full of energy and…
Source : https://www.decanter.com/decanter-world-wine-awards/women-winemakers-and-their-top-scoring-wines-499035/
