This International Women’s Day, we take a closer look at some of the talented women behind our favourite wine and spirits.

It’s our raison d’être to bring our customers the world’s best wine and spirit makers, so it should come as no surprise that our roster of producers is filled with brilliant women. And although we showcase their products every day, International Women’s Day is always a fitting moment to bring their work into the spotlight. Here, we’ve pulled together a selection of articles and interviews which highlight the incredible work of six influential women.

Saskia de Rothschild of Château Lafite Rothschild

Some names in the wine world need little introduction. Saskia de Rothschild is the face of the new generation at the famous First Growth. Having grown up surrounded by the vines at Lafite, Saskia is now CEO of the family group. She very much sees her role as a hands-on one, but the key to success here is, she says, to listen. “I listen to what people have to say, to understand what people are doing in our estates – and outside. I think it’s super important, even more so in Bordeaux, to have your ears open.”
You can read more about her unique relationship with this world-class property here, or discover the wines here.

Claire Naudin of Domaine Naudin-Ferrand

Claire is a pioneer in Burgundy. Her progressive mindset marks her, and her wines, out as exceptional. Most notably, Claire’s “hands-off” winemaking approach meant she adopted organic viticulture early on: “If you were working organically 30 years ago, everyone was laughing at you,” she says. “But to me, it was clear that it was the future.”
You can read more about Claire here and discover her incredible wines here.

Margaux Laroche of Domaine d’Henri

Margaux’s family have made wine in Chablis for generations, but this domaine is not yet a decade old. That hasn’t stopped her driving change now she is at the helm: “The classic style of Chablis is really quite linked to sulphur,” Margaux says. “In the past, we were making wine to last forever… Who keeps their wines for that long? And are we making wine for the tiny proportion of customers that do, or are we making wine for everyone else?” Discover more about Margaux here, or browse her wines here.

Mathilde Grivot of Domaine Jean Grivot

Mathilde Grivot works alongside her brother, Hubert, at one of Burgundy’s most prestigious family domaines. The siblings, both millennials, represent the sixth generation. “It’s a perfect match,” Mathilde says. “We bring new energy; our parents have the experience.” Day to day, Hubert works in the vineyard and cellar, while Mathilde she splits her time between the technical and commercial aspects of the operation.
You can read more about what lies ahead for this illustrious property here, or browse available wines here.

Bérénice Lurton of Château Climens

Bérénice Lurton inherited Climens, a Sauternes powerhouse, from her father in 1992. She has headed up the estate for nearly 30 years and has seen a huge amount of change in that time. “I was very young when I took over Climens, and there were not many young people or many women in the Bordeaux wine industry,” she explains. Bérénice now manages the estate biodynamically. In addition to the classic Sauternes, she also produces a dry white, Asphodèle.
You can read more about Bérénice’s decades of experience in Bordeaux here and discover her wines here.    

Cara Gilbert of Tobermory Distillery

“I knew that I wanted to hit the ground running,” says Cara, of her journey into distilling. At the age of 27 – and the youngest manager ever to take the helm at the Isle of Mull’s Tobermory – it’s safe to say she achieved her goal. Although Tobermory is a historic distillery, dating back to 1798, Cara is keen to see progress and drive improvements: “I am very excited about what’s in the pipeline for Tobermory,” she says.
Find out more about what she has in store here, or discover the newly released (and exceptional) 24-year-old bottling here.  

You can explore the range of wines and spirits from our brilliant women-led producers here.

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