Women's sense for wine: 12 female labels

Refined oenologists, innovative entrepreneurs, ambassadors of their terroir: women of wine are increasingly numerous. Tenacious, passionate, multifaceted and expert, they interpret tastes and trends, enhancing vines and terroirs by giving us wines with character, such as the twelve we have selected from our catalogue, signed by some of the many women producers with whom we collaborate and whom we wish to celebrate on 8 March.

Sukula - Barolo Meriame

Riika Sukula, a Finnish woman who has always been in love with Piedmont and who selects labels for her wine import company, decided in 2005 to change her life and move to Serralunga d'Alba (CN) to dedicate herself to the production of Barolo. Accompanying her in this adventure is her husband, chef Jyrki Sukula. Thus, in 2006, their family-run boutique winery was born, with just under 5 hectares of vineyards where the Nebbiolo and Barbera varieties are the masters.

Barolo Meriame originates from the famous cru of Serralunga d'Alba, characterised by clay and limestone soils, with vines facing west and south-west at an altitude between 230 and 360 metres.

A wine that stands out for its wealth of complexity and structure, authentically embodying its terroir: balsamic, with notes of ripe red fruits and delicate spices, it offers an important drink that preserves intact the elegance, agility and pleasantness of the sip. Perfect with braised meats, horse meat but also Asian cuisine.

Castello di Uviglie - Extra Brut Le Cave Blanc de Blancs

In the heart of the Monferrato region, the ancient underground quarries of Castello di Uviglie tell the story of a seabed 17 million years old, originating from the ancient Piedmont Sea. Excavated over the course of more than 1,200 years, the quarries of the Castello di Uviglie winery, thanks to a revaluation project carried out by the Bonzano family, are today dedicated to the ageing of Metodo Classico. An experimentation of excellence that sees Francesca Bonzano at the forefront, who in 2020, due to Covid, left her job in New York, at an important communication agency in the wine branch, to return to Italy and take care of the development of the family business.

In the underground rooms of the ancient 14th-century stronghold, the process of bottle re-fermentation of Le Cave Extra Brut millesimato takes place very slowly, maturing on the lees for 44 months. Made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, it is an effervescent, elegant bubble, brilliant to the eye and with fruity, bread-crust and mineral notes on the palate. Fresh and creamy, it goes well with shellfish in Béarnaise sauce, vegetable first courses, roast fish, white meats and savoury cheeses.

Baldessari Michela - Pinot Nero

A story of deep passion, commitment and perseverance, that of Azienda Agricola Baldessari, which in the hills surrounding Trento, carries on its vision of natural viticulture. Carrying on what her father Giuseppe did, today there is his daughter Michela, stubborn and determined, who produces wines capable of transmitting the essence of nature and the territory in which they are born. An organic system and respect for the environment are the cornerstones on which Michela's work is based, with grassland, minimal intervention in the vineyard and in the winemaking process and careful grape selection.

This is how, among others, the winery's elegant Pinot Noir was born, which catches the eye with its brilliant ruby red colour, while its aromatic bouquet captivates the nose with notes of berries and plums. In the mouth, structure and balance stand out, making it the ideal wine for roasts, grilled meats but also stuffed peppers.

 Popphof - Moscato Giallo Secco

An ancient bond unites oenology and the Menz family, owners since 1722 of Tenuta Popphof, whose vines stretch across the Marlengo area, where wine has been produced since 1592. Carrying on the centuries-old tradition of the Menz family in recent decades has been Andreas, a passionate cellarman, who is now joined by his daughter Katarina, who is preparing to take over the reins of the company. Ambassadors of an Alpine world where history and modernity meet, the Menz family have always had a special care for their territory, to preserve intact its spirit, traditions and flavours, and for this reason they dedicate themselves to the vineyards with care and attention, following the entire production chain, from the sprouts to the harvest, passing through careful pressing and controlled fermentation, giving life year after year to exceptional wines. One example is the Moscato Giallo Secco, made from grapes cultivated at 350 metres in soils rich in clay and micacists that give it a deep and elegant aromatic bouquet. Scents of fresh roses, apricots and peaches are thus revealed in the glass, while the palate is silky with a finish accompanied by mineral notes. Ideal with Catalan prawns, asparagus risotto, pumpkin tortelli, legume soup and fresh cheeses.

Tonello - Lessini Durello Pas Dosé Riserva IoAura

A Metodo Classico Riserva created with 100% Durella grapes, an indigenous variety that finds its highest expression in the heart of the Lessini Mountains, between Vicenza and Verona, and in the dedication and innovative vision of Diletta Tonello.

Born in 1991, Diletta Tonello, at the helm of the family winery and of the Consorzio di Tutela Vini del Lessini Durello, of which she is president, works the vineyards, emphasising the unique characteristics of the Lessini Mountains territory. At the winery, it is not only she who represents femininity in wine, but also her wines that are each named after women from Greek mythology, such as ioAura, dedicated to the goddess of the wind that brings new life and prosperity. A structured bubbly that is elegant and decisive and matures on the lees in the bottle for 60 months. A pas dosé with a straw-yellow colour tending towards golden, with a fine and persistent perlage, offering aromas of bread crust, vanilla and ripe fruit, while in the mouth the yeast aroma gives way to a unique sensation of freshness. The ideal accompaniment for white meat dishes but also fried or grilled fish, seafood or vegetable risottos.

Tessère - Raboso rosato Redentor Metodo Familiare

An indigenous red grape variety, whose origins are lost in the centuries and seem to go back as far as the times of Pliny the Elder, Raboso Piave enjoyed great fame in the 17th century and was cultivated in most of the territories to the left of the Piave river until the 1960s, only to risk extinction. It was rescued some 20 years ago by a group of courageous vigneron who relaunched its production, including the Tessère winery in Noventa di Piave (VE), which first with Ilario Bincoletto and now with his daughter Emanuela has made Raboso the undisputed protagonist of its production, capturing the essence of this berry and the territory where it grows.

Raboso grapes vinified in purity thus give rise to Spumante Metodo Classico Raboso Rosato Redentor, a bubble with a pinkish colour tending to onion that then fades to gold as the wine ages on the lees. Thanks to vinification in stainless steel with fermentation in the bottle and on the lees, this sparkling wine offers intense hints of pomegranate, citrus and apple on the nose, enriched by notes of blackberry, morello cherry and liquorice. On the palate, it is acidulous, lively, with a pleasant complexity that makes Raboso Rosato Redentor an original and tasty bubble, ideal for happy hour with friends, paired with platters of cold cuts and sliced meats, or as an accompaniment for first and second courses, even elaborate ones.

Terre Nere - Rosso di Montalcino

The history of the Terre Nere di Montalcino winery starts way back: after the Second World War, when Salvatore Vallone moved from the Palermo countryside to the heart of Tuscany with his family. It was then his son Pasquale who took over the family farm and founded the winery that today sees his granddaughter Francesca at the forefront, the soul of the wines produced in these Terre Nere lands, originating from the ancient extinct volcano of Monte Amiata. Blending tradition and innovation, and inspired by the ancient relationship between man and land, Francesca chooses organic farming techniques in the vineyard, using only natural products to promote biodiversity and maintain the relationship with the surrounding habitat. For her wines, instead, she imposes ageing in Slavonian barrels, to best render the expressiveness of the individual vineyard, as in the case of Rosso di Montalcino obtained from 100% Sangiovese Grosso grapes cultivated at Castelnuovo dell'Abate, on marl and silt soils, at an altitude of about 220 metres. A ruby-red wine with garnet hues, which on the nose expresses hints of morello cherry, violet and violet. In the mouth, it stands out for its great finesse with tannins that are still young, but of excellent quality, to which are added a good freshness and a pleasantly fruity, enveloping aftertaste. Try it with cured meats and cheeses, pici all'aglione, first courses with meat sauce, poultry and red meat.

Col di Lamo - Brunello di Montalcino

Giovanna Neri is a woman with an authentic, no-frills character that is reflected in her choices, as well as in her wines that are rich in personality, elegant, rigorous, and the purest expression of Sangiovese.

Col di Lamo is an all-female reality that, thanks to its disruptive enthusiasm, commitment and dedication, has been able to carve out a prominent place for itself in Montalcino, and not only, with its Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. An elegant wine, made from Sangiovese grapes cultivated according to organic farming principles, characterised by balance, dedication and enthusiasm. The nose is broad and rich in which notes of ripe plum and morello cherry are enriched by spicy touches and balsamic suggestions. On the palate, it is intense and noble, with ripe tannins: a full-bodied wine, invigorated by a well-balanced acidity, which makes for a very pleasant drinkability and a long, savoury finish. Ideal with important red meat, game and venison dishes, with tagliatelle with wild boar sauce and with tripe.

Argillae - Umbria Bianco Primo d'Anfora

Producer and vice-president of the Orvieto Wine Consortium, Giulia Di Cosimo is at the helm of Argillae, a winery 20 km north of Orvieto. After graduating in economics from Milan's Bocconi University and a master's degree, Giulia decided to move to Umbria to give new impetus to the company founded by her grandfather, with the aim of making Argillae a point of reference in the Umbrian wine scene by focusing on quality, uniqueness and sustainability. The central element is clay, the main component of the soil, which not only nourishes the vines and grapes but, in the form of an amphora, becomes their container and guardian. Hence Primo d'Anfora, the winery's first wine to be entirely fermented and aged for 8/9 months in terracotta amphorae. A combination of ancient traditions and innovation that has led to the birth of a white wine that does not fear the challenges of time: a blend of Grechetto, Drupeggio and Malvasia grapes with an intense yellow colour and a bouquet of refined and intriguing aromas that slowly reveal themselves. What stands out on the nose are above all elderflower and citrus notes that alternate with hints of musk and almond, to which are added floral aromas that gradually give way to fruity and undergrowth scents.

In the mouth, this white wine is at first rich and soft, then develops broadly and persistently as it sips, ending with a savoury finish and fresh acidity. It is an ideal accompaniment to refined fish dishes, but also to white meats and game.

Curto - Nero d'Avola Fontanelle

The Curto family has been dedicated to the cultivation of vines since as far back as 1670 in the Ispica area, in the charming south-east of Sicily, embracing the provinces of Ragusa and Siracusa. An important inheritance today picked up by Francesca Curto, who runs the company following in the footsteps of her father, who passed on to her a love for the countryside, respect for its produce and an immense passion for great wines.

A love that led her to leave her studies in Law to follow the call of Nero d'Avola, bravely facing the challenges of climate change, thanks also to an extremely contemporary vision that leads her to manage vineyards and water resources according to the principles of sustainable viticulture, with an eye always on the elegance and authenticity of Nero d'Avola in all its expressions. An example of this is Fontanelle, a red wine of great elegance and structure that stands out for its notes of ripe carob, its intense aromas of cherry, plum and wild berries, enriched by hints of chocolate. The palate is soft, enveloping and complex, with velvety tannins and a long, lingering finish. To be enjoyed with grilled red meats, game and mature cheeses.

Hibiscus - Zhabib

Hibiscus is the only winery on the island of Ustica and under the leadership of Margherita Longo - enterprising agronomist who chose to leave Rome and his work at the Ministry of Agriculture to return to Ustica and dedicate himself to the family business and continue what he did from his father Nicola - produces wines of great character and freshness that reflect the volcanic nature of the soils, the proximity to the sea and the biodiversity of the wonderful landscape of the island. Among the autochthonous vines stands out the Zibibbo, which has always been cultivated on the island and vinified by Hibiscus in a sweet version in Zhabib: an intense and sunny wine that transmits the fruity aromas of muscat grapes, giving pleasant sweet sensations of almonds, dried figs and honey, in a balance with pleasant notes of freshness. The perfect pairing for pastries based on dried fruits typical of the Sicilian tradition, spicy and herborinate cheeses and chocolate desserts.

Tenute Olbios - Vermentino di Gallura Superiore Lupus in Fabula

In the heart of Sardinia, between the winds of the sea and the granite of Gallura, Daniela Pinna carries on with passion and dedication the family heritage at Tenute Ólbios. Ólbios is the name that the ancient Greeks gave to this land and reflects the deep bond of Daniela with her territory and with Vermentino, a vine cultivated by her family for three generations.

As president of the DOCG Consortium for the Protection of Vermentino di Gallura, Daniela is committed to protecting and enhancing the oenological heritage of her land, while guiding Tenute Ólbios with a clear vision that aims to produce distinctive and representative wines of Sardinia, Focusing on eco-sustainability and the exploitation of native varieties, so that they express their best characteristics. Thus the pure Vermentino Lupus in Fabula strikes its full flavor and its long persistence to the nose as to the palate. Predominate are notes of white fruit, pear, peach and flowers typical of the Mediterranean maquis, hawthorn and wild pear, accompanied by hints of orange peel and grapefruit. In the mouth it is long with a persistent finish and almond with mineral echoes. To be enjoyed as an aperitif but also with seafood appetizers, with salads or marinated anchovies, but also sautés of mussels, as well as vegetarian dishes.