Tanya’s Musings on the Women in Wine Line-up
In March we enjoyed hosting our annual Women in Wine tasting event in celebration of International Women’s Day. There were so many lovely wines on our initial short-list, but we narrowed it down to six wines, each showcasing a different style and region. Some more conventional and some more alternative, there was something for everyone’s tastes:
I love a crisp dry fizz, and this one did not disappoint. Made in Hampshire by French-born winemaker, Corinne Seely, using the traditional Champagne method this Brut Reserve is everything you’d expect from a top-notch Champagne house, yet it’s made right here on English soil. This wine is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, aged for a minimum of 3 years on the lees before being disgorged, which adds that elegant toasty brioche note to the wine. On the palate it has a zippy acidity, crisp minerality, and bursts with citrus zest and passion fruit flavours. An absolute treat any day of the week!
Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc
This one is close to my heart, since my very first wine job way back in 2013 was at a winery just down the road from Delheim. Delheim’s history dates back to 1699 when it was founded by Dutch settlers in the Cape. For generations it has been under the custodianship of the Sperling family who have championed sustainable and regenerative viticulture in the Simonsberg region of Stellenbosch in South Africa.
Winemaker Nongcebo Langa has been known to say she didn’t even know what wine was before she let curiosity lead her to study for a MSc in Oenology (Winemaking) at Stellenbosch University in the heart of the Cape Winelands. She’s gone from strength to strength in her career and was promoted to head winemaker at Delheim in 2022, showing that there’s a place for everyone in the world of wine no matter where you come from, as long as you’re willing to put in the hard work. This Chenin Blanc showcases quality minimal intervention winemaking, resulting in a rich yet pure expression of one of South Africa’s hero grape varieties. Perfectly integrated oak characters from barrel fermentation and ageing together with an explosion of bright tropical fruit flavours – this is a wine for everyone and for every occasion.
SA Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling
Saskia Prum makes a range of Rieslings which are among the favourites on our shelves for many customers and staff here at OWC. This particular version from a tiny vineyard in the Mosel is slightly off-dry, making it a real crowd-pleasing style of Riesling, as the small amount of residual sugar helps balance out the tart acidity of the wine. This is also a wine for the ‘petrol-head’ Riesling drinker – and I don’t mean car enthusiasts, I mean people who enjoy that lovely, although slightly strange-sounding, kerosene character that develops on aged Rieslings and Rieslings grown in sunnier arears. We tasted the 2020 vintage, so she’s by no means a baby anymore, and the name of the vineyard (Wehlener Sonnenuhr) translates to ‘sundial’ which gives you a clue as to the level of sunlight in this vineyard – all helpful little hints to know when trying to decipher the notoriously confusing German wine label.
Gvantsa’s Wine Aladasturi Rose
As someone who famously doesn’t drink pink drinks, I was not expecting to enjoy this one nearly as much as I did. However, it might just have been my favourite wine of the night! More of an orange wine in terms of flavour profile – think Rooibos tea leaves, dried apricots and vibrant raspberry and strawberry notes – this is perhaps more of a wine nerd’s wine than a crowd-pleaser, but definitely worth a try if you’re an adventurous wine drinker. Made by two sisters (Gvantsa and Baia Abuladze) in Georgia who have such a get-up-and-go attitude that they invested in a wine press before they had money for a car, leading to them having to lug wine on trains and buses to get it into the city for sale when first starting out, they’re exactly the kind of female role models this industry needs.
Winemaker Mariana Onofri came into wine from an education background, starting off teaching English to winemakers in Argentina, then becoming a Sommelier, and finally turning to winemaking after purchasing some old vines with her husband in Lavalle (North-east Mendoza). This area of Mendoza is not one that many people know of, and when researching it, I came across a quote saying that the area was more known for sand dunes, goats and olive groves, but that there was also a considerable planting of quality vines there too. This has been the perfect place for Mariana to do what she loves most – championing an under-represented region of her home country and providing an antidote to the over-saturation of the market with Argentinian Malbec (she doesn’t even grow any Malbec in her vineyard!). I’m always inspired by winemakers such as Mariana who aren’t afraid to challenge the norms and do something a little different, especially when it results in such a dangerously drinkable wine!
Dana Epperson heads up the winemaking operation for Decoy (one of many premium brands under the Duckhorn Portfolio) in Sonoma, California. Despite being a larger-scale producer, the attention to detail in every step of the winemaking process means you get a premium quality wine at a more attractive price point – something everyone will appreciate. This is a textbook Cali Cab – rich, round and velvety with lush dark blueberry flavours and hints of spice from oak influence. It also has a splash of Merlot added in to lend some fresher red fruit character and make it oh so drinkable. A great option if you’re looking to impress someone without breaking the bank.
Overall, we all agreed that it was a brilliantly diverse line-up of wines. Different styles, different countries of origin, different winemaking approaches, but one common thread ran through them all – they’re all made by ambitious, talented and inspiring female winemakers, which was such a joy to share with some of my fellow women in wine here at the OWC.