By Ally Chapman
I consider myself lucky to interview amazing female winemakers for The Femme Vine, and the world is very lucky to get to enjoy the riches they create. Each woman is a world-class example of talent, tenacity, and refinement in the wine industry. Whittling down an exemplary list of wines to just 5 was quite a task, but here are the bottles, and the women, I come back to again and again. For more on fantastic wines and the women who make them, check out my monthly newsletter. Sign up at thefemmevine.com.
Sparkling Wine: Ali Boit Boit by Agnès Paquet (Domaine Agnès Paquet, Burgundy, France)
Agnès Paquet was born and raised in Burgundy. In 1999 she took over vineyards her family had owned and rented, and she created her own label. She counts herself lucky to be a part of the wine community in Burgundy - a region where many still cultivate and work the earth themselves. Agnès favors natural and biodynamic practices, including this sparkling wine made through Méthode Ancestrale, using indigenous yeast for fermentation that continues inside the bottle to deliver delicate bubbles alongside a tart apple-y taste!
Find your local supplier here.
White Wine: Sylvaner by Julia Schittler (Julia Schittler, Rheinhessen, Germany)
I fell in love with Julia’s Sylvaner in a wine bar in Berlin a few years ago. When I started TFV, I knew I had to feature her on the site. When I spoke to Julia, who took over her family’s operations when she was 24, I was struck by how confident and determined she was about her style of winemaking, and I was delighted to discover that the Sylvaner is also her favorite! It’s a beautiful, bright white wine with aromas of nectarine and peach alongside some herbal notes. It has a really lovely, crisp taste with a slight spritz on the finish. As an added bonus, the bottle tells you its own story as Julia designed the label to include the wine’s characteristics alongside flora and fauna from the vineyard.
Buy direct here.
Red Wine: Morgon Corcelette by Mee Godard (Domaine Mee Godard, Beaujolais, France)
I know, I know, Beaujolais is a bit of a love-hate wine, but when you taste Mee Godard’s wines, I bet you’ll find a newfound appreciation for the region. Mee is an independent woman in every sense. She largely tends to her vineyards by herself, and she told me that her label is all about doing something for herself, that will become the mark she leaves on the world. And what a mark it is! Gamay grapes in Mee’s hands are beautifully vibrant and elegant, with nice tannins that round out beautifully on the finish. She coaxes out scents of black currant, violet, and black cherry to deliver a gorgeous wine that may get you rethinking Beaujolais as a whole!
Find your local supplier here.
Rosé Wine: Hip Rosé by Kristina Studzinski (Off the Line, East Sussex, England)
This wine holds a very special place in my heart as we met Kristina and her partner, Ann-Marie, on the trip that inspired me to create The Femme Vine! Hip Rosé is the Provencal-style rosé in Off the Line’s portfolio and has that tell-tale pale pink color. While it may look delicate, it’s got lovely, pronounced redcurrant fruit and floral blossoms on the nose and a gorgeous finish that leaves you wanting more. It’s a perfect aperitif, and in warmer months, a beautiful bottle to open up for a picnic or backyard tipple. And, it’s a bottle with personality - who doesn’t love a label that has a rose with a tattoo on its leaves?!
Buy direct from the UK.
Orange Wine: Si. Lello by Sarah Morris (Si Vintners, Margaret River, Australia)
You know when you find a wine and after one sip, you know you’ll be coming back to it time after time? When it comes to Orange, Si. Lello is it for me. Si Vintners is a label produced by a wife and husband team in Australia’s Margaret River region. It’s an incredibly balanced wine with a gorgeous honey orange color. On the nose, you’ll find some floral elements like violet and orange blossoms alongside apricots and white peach. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with a gorgeous finish that brings the floral notes to life. To me, it is everything an Orange wine should be.
Find your local supplier here.
Those are my picks, vines! Remember to check out thefemmevine.com to sign up to the newsletter where you can learn more about spectacular wines, and the women behind them.
Ally Chapman is an American ex-pat living in London who spends her day working in advertising and her free time drinking wine and promoting gender equity within the wine industry. Ally is a strategic planner by trade and social anthropologist by training, who constantly seeks to understand human wants and desires to drive better purchasing behaviours that can benefit everyone. The Femme Vine is her first social enterprise venture.
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