14 Women-Run Wineries Around The World You Should Know About

The wine industry has long been a male-dominated space, but women are increasingly taking over, from the vineyard and cellar to management and ownership. While some grew up watching the patriarchs in their families run wineries they eventually took over, others powered through and set up successful businesses of their own. Thankfully, there are now more female-run wineries than we can list, but we're highlighting several establishments with admirable qualities.

The norm in the Old World wine regions is to cling strongly to tradition in all spheres, making the women in charge of wineries in these locations trailblazers. Meanwhile, women running family wineries are plentiful, and the ones we mention are true role models. Of course, starting from scratch and succeeding is an achievement in any domain, and more so for women in the wine world. From classic regions like Tuscany and Burgundy to new world viticultural areas like Canada and Australia, here are the women-run wineries you should know about.

With a winery in Umbria and vineyards in Umbria, Lazio, and Tuscany, Famiglia Cotarella continues to flourish since its inception in the 1920s. Brothers Antonio and Domenio Cotarella began by growing grapes, until the multigenerational winery was taken over by their sons Renzo and Riccardo Cotarella in the late '70s. Since 2016, the company has been run by their respective daughters, Enrica, Marta, and Dominga.

The cousins (aka the Cotarella sisters) manage every aspect of the business, while each focusing on their dominant skill. Since the takeover, the three have expanded the winery's reach while reducing production to guarantee quality. The focus is on preserving the family tradition, highlighting the region's viticultural bounty, and experimenting with indigenous varieties, like roscetto.

But it's not all about wine; the Cotarellas also opened a foundation for eating disorder prevention and care and a hospitality school partnered with the Michelin Guide to train young adults in the field. All this hard work doesn't go unnoticed; Forbes named Dominga the Italian CEO of the Year for Wine in 2020, among other prestigious recognitions.

famigliacotarella.it/en

+3907449556

Loc. San Pietro, snc – 05020 Montecchio (TR)

Tuscany certainly holds its weight in the world of fine wines, and at San Polo and Poggio al Tesoro, Marilisa Allegrini is in charge, assisted by her daughters and co-owners Carlotta and Caterina. Allegrini's introduction into the wine industry started in the region of Valpolicella in the '80s, and she has continued to expand her reach over the years, culminating in her namesake brand which oversees the two Tuscan wineries, as well as Villa della Torre, a renaissance palace accommodation and winery in the province of Verona. 

Allegrini's wineries highlight the local terroir and champion sustainable and organic agriculture and practices in the cellar. San Polo produces a range of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG wines, while Poggio al Tesoro showcases the coastal terroir of Bolgheri with white, rosé, and red wines. Allegrini's influence was recognized by Wine Spectator magazine in 2017 when she was the first Italian woman to be featured on the cover. 

She continues to be involved in the region's future as a member of the board of various Consorzios, the associations that oversee facets of viticultural areas. Her daughters follow in her footsteps, taking over directorial roles and bringing their own values and innovation into the winery space.

sanpolomontalcino.it/en 

poggioaltesoro.it/en

Barolo is known as the wine of kings and the king of wine, but nowadays, women are becoming more and more involved in the prestigious Piedmont region. Cousins Lisa and Roberta Ceretto (CFO and president, respectively) currently run Ceretto winery alongside their siblings, Alessandro and Federico, a business their fathers and grandfather initially pioneered. Since taking over the management, the vineyards are now farmed organically and biodynamically.

Each of the cousins has their respective roles, and Roberta aims to integrate the viticultural tradition with local and international culture. Her passion for art is evident around the winery and at several vineyard plots, where various artistic collaborations like the Barolo Chapel are on display for all visitors. With a reverence for the land and a nod to tradition, there's also plenty of room for innovation as the winery produces esteemed Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe, and Roero wines.

Aside from the successful winery (it was No. 20 in the list of the 100 World's Best Vineyards of 2024 and one of its wines was in James Suckling's top 100 Wines of Italy 2024), Ceretto also runs a small hazelnut confectionery business and two restaurants, including a three Michelin star establishment.

ceretto.com

+39 0173 268033

Località San Cassiano, 34, 12051 Alba (CN)

Burgundy vineyards were originally run by monks, and Château de Béru's plots are no exception. With a history dating back to the 12th century, the winery's land had to be replanted following the phylloxera epidemic in the late 19th century, which wiped out all the vines. Athénaïs Béru's dad took the task of replanting them in the late '80s, and she took over the business a couple of decades later.

Béru was not in the industry previously and was working in finance in Paris when the winemaker leasing the family's vines decided to retire. Now, she runs the organic and biodynamic domain, farming and vinifying with minimal intervention. She produces single-vineyard Chablis wines from her own chardonnay grapes, as well as several bottlings from fruit she purchases as a négociant, totaling about 70,000 bottles a year. The remaining labels feature grapes such as pinot noir, pinot gris, sauvignon gris, gamay, chardonnay, and aligoté.

en.chateaudeberu.com

+33 (0)3 86 75 90 43

32, Grande Rue, 89700 Béru

Judith Beck's namesake winery near Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland, Austria, is a source of exciting biodynamic wines that seek to represent the terroir. She became involved in the family-run winery in 2001 after pursuing internships in other wine-producing regions of the world to gain a broader understanding of the business. She eventually took over all operations, and a few years later, influenced by the great Rudolf Steiner, changed the vineyard practices to become a certified biodynamic winemaker.

Beck harvests typical Austrian grapes like zweigelt, blaufränkisch, st. Laurent, as well as chardonnay and pinot blanc, each showing distinct aspects of the vineyards, soils, and climate. Most of the fruit is farmed organically or in the process of transitioning to organic practices. Her personal touch is evident in her minimal intervention style, as she aims to let the grapes stand out and showcase the Austrian landscape with its unique nuances, rather than produce international wines with no real sense of place.

weingut-beck.at

+43 2173 2755

A-7122 Gols, In den Reben 1

The Okanagan Valley wine region in British Columbia, Canada, is increasingly being recognized on an international scale, and at Le Vieux Pin Winery, Severine Pinte is ahead of the game. This French native has been involved at the winery since 2010, as a viticulturist, winemaker, and managing partner. After studying vineyard management and winemaking and previously working in the industry in France and Australia, she eventually ended up in Canada.

Pinte sees the unique terroir of the Okanagan Valley as promising, in part for its novelty, innovation, and potential, especially as climate change continues to transform the way wineries function. Le Vieux Pin is certified sustainable by Sustainable Winegrowing British Columbia and prioritizes organic farming when possible. The winery produces wines made with familiar varieties like syrah, pinot noir, and sauvignon blanc, as well as classic blends in the style of Bordeaux or Rhône.

levieuxpin.ca

(250) 498-8388

5496 Black Sage Rd, Oliver, BC V0H 1T1

The foundation of McBride Sisters Wine Company — the largest African American-owned winery and largest winery in the U.S. founded by women — is only a small part of the magical story behind the two women in charge, Robin and Andréa McBride. Separated after birth, the sisters reunited in 1999 after living an ocean apart — in California and New Zealand. Wine ran strong in the family blood, as both had a passion for viticulture and lived in popular wine-growing regions.

Initially, their business involved importing small-lot wines from New Zealand to California, but they expanded into production as well, sourcing grapes from both regions. Now, the McBride Sisters Wine Company features several brands under its umbrella, including SHE CAN (canned wine), Black Girl Magic, and the McBride Sisters Collection. The company uses profits from SHE CAN Wines for the SHE CAN Fund, which provides scholarships and professional guidance for women in the wine industry.

mcbridesisters.com

(510) 671-0739

6114 La Salle Avenue, #280, Oakland, California 94611

Lebanon may not be the first country that comes to mind when you think of wine, but it's actually situated in the area where viticulture is believed to have originated. Heya Wines is the brainchild of friends Claudine Lteif and Michelle Chami, two mothers with distinct experiences. Chami's husband is a winemaker at Mersel Wine (where the two friends originally experimented with winemaking), while Lteif is also a nutritionist.

The name of their company comes from the Arabic word "heya," meaning "she," a symbol of the perseverance and presence of women in this male-dominated industry. Upon noticing vineyard workers were primarily women who were paid less than their male counterparts, the two friends took the matter into their own hands and set about hiring women and paying them equally.

Heya Wines focuses on natural wines made with minimal intervention in the vineyard and cellar. Zero sulfites are added, and the wines are left unfined and unfiltered, highlighting their qualities. They produce a small line of wines, including a co-ferment of apples and an indigenous Lebanese grape, merwah, (both still and sparkling), a red blend of grenache and syrah, and a rosé made with tempranillo grapes.

heyawines.com

+961 3 412 421

Church Street, Dimane, North Lebanon

Some women followed in familiar footsteps and took over the family winery, but others spontaneously entered the industry with little previous experience in the field. That's the case with Mary Olson, who bought Airlie Winery in Oregon's Willamette Valley wine region in 1997. It was founded just over a decade earlier when Olson had been working as a telephone executive, with dreams of owning a winery. She made her dreams come true quicker than anticipated, eventually joining forces with three other women — Elizabeth Clark, Susan Simons, and Tracy Meese — who together run all facets of the business.

The winery practices sustainable farming according to Low Input Viticulture and Enology principles and is also certified as a Salmon Safe environment. The wines are produced with minimal intervention to highlight the characteristics of the vineyard. Among Airlie's line, you'll find wines made with varieties such as pinot noir, pinot gris, pinot blanc, chardonnay, riesling, and viognier, as well as the winery's signature white blend, Seven.

airliewinery.com

503-838-6013

15305 Dunn Forest Road, Monmouth, Oregon 97361

The Argentinian wine industry is one of the big players in the international market, and Susana Balbo (the woman and the winery) is one part of its success. As the top female winemaker in the country and the first woman to graduate from the enology program in Mendoza in the early '80s, her pioneering qualities keep her business at the forefront. Balbo opened her namesake winery in 1999, bringing all the know-how she gained after several years of training at other establishments. Her children are also involved in the winery, transforming the women-run space into a family business.

Susana Balbo features four lines of wines made according to sustainable practices with a focus on transmitting the region's qualities. Innovation and tradition collide in these wines, highlighting Argentina's viticultural capacity and bringing it to an international scale. The country's key grape varieties — malbec and torrontés — are featured along with others like chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and chenin blanc. Balbo was also the person behind a unique Argentinian wine tasting safari that allows visitors to see remote locations in Mendoza. 

en.susanabalbowines.com.ar

+54 261 498-9231

Cochabamba 7801, Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo

It's only natural that Jessica Saurwein of Saurwein Wines in South Africa ended up in the industry. Just a couple of centuries before her debut, her family was responsible for making wines for the Emperor of Austria. With this legacy behind her, she dove into the world of enology and winemaking, obtaining a degree in the field and working in vineyards on a local and international scale. Eventually, this led her to fully commit to wine in 2017 and open her namesake winery, where she produces a small line of wines with her favorite varieties: pinot noir and riesling.

The land where she farms highlights the enviable characteristics of the region, with its coastal proximity and ecological diversity. The names of her three wines (Nom, Om, and Chi) exemplify the natural harmony that guides her collaboration with the land. This is evident in her sustainable and regenerative practices in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar.

saurwein.co.za

+27 76 228 3116

Waterval Farm, Stanford, Western Cape

Ntsiki Biyela is a leading winemaker in South Africa. When she founded Aslina Wines in 2014, she was inspired by her grandmother and used her name for the brand. Growing up in a rural village, her first encounter with wine business was in 1999 when she received a grant and went to study winemaking at Stellenbosch University. While she began her career at other wineries, working in Europe and California, it quickly became clear that her dream was to build her own.

Her Zulu heritage is evident in her branding, with a traditional clay vessel displayed on the labels. She currently produces a range of wines, including single varietal cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and chenin blanc, as well as a red Bordeaux blend and Méthode Cap Classique (MCC), the country's prestigious sparkling wine.

Biyela was awarded the Woman Winemaker of the Year in 2009, while Fortune placed her among the top 10 Most Innovative Women in Food & Drinks in 2017. She also oversees young winemakers in South Africa at the Pinotage Youth Development Academy, transferring skills from her impressive experience through mentorship.

aslinawines.com

+27 21 300 3486

Unit 1, Ground Floor, Building 4, Alberto Drive, Devonbosch, Bottelary Rd, Stellenbosch, 7605

In some respects, the California wine industry clings to what it knows, but in others, it's all about innovation. Megan Bell of Margins Wine fits the latter description. After studying viticulture and enology and training at wineries around the world, she opened her winery in 2016. The name of her brand comes from her subjects — the regions, vineyards, and grape varieties often pushed to the margins.

Instead of making more of what's already on the California market, Bell prioritizes underrepresented options, ensuring that her lineup is one of a kind. Although she offers a wide range of wines in her selection, each one is produced in small lots. Varieties like chenin blanc, aligoté, mourvèdre, barbera, and sagrantino are among the minimal intervention organic wine offerings you can pick up. Recently, Melissa Russi joined the Margins Wine team, using her experience growing up on a small vineyard and later internships to assist Megan with wine sales.

marginswine.com

(831) 200-3378

2487 Freedom Blvd, Watsonville, CA 95076

Named after Mary Hamilton's father who founded the winery, Hugh Hamilton in McLaren Vale, South Australia, boasts a long history. The Hamiltons are recognized as being the oldest wine family in Australia, having cultivated the first vineyards in the area almost two centuries ago. As the fifth generation in the family business, Hugh eschewed what was already set up and started his own winery in the '90s, which Mary eventually took over, making her the first woman in her family to do so.

Mary brought her own angle and innovation, and the winery continues to flourish as a leader in the region. Look for familiar varieties like pinot gris, chardonnay, shiraz, and cabernet sauvignon, as well as sangiovese, saperavi, and fiano, which are less commonly grown in Australia.

The vineyards are farmed without any synthetic chemicals, allowing the soil and vines to work together in harmony. Additionally, the winery is recognized by Sustainable Winegrowers Australia and Biodiversity McLaren Vale, highlighting Mary's efforts at creating an ecosystem in balance.

hughhamiltonwines.com.au

08 8323 8689

94 McMurtrie Road, McLaren Vale, South Australia 5171