International Women’s Day

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is #ChooseToChallenge. We know a lot of women-owned vineyards, women wine makers, and women in the wine industry who have chosen to challenge themselves everyday when they decided to follow their dreams.

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This International Women’s Day we wanted to share a few stories about English & Welsh women in wine, including those who have helped to shape the English & Welsh wine revival…

International Women’s Day Heroes:

Cherie Spriggs – Nyetimber

Nyetimber is a brand known and recognised around the globe. But did you know their head winemaker is a woman? Cherie Spriggs won the 2018 International Wine Challenge Sparkling Winemaker of the Year. This was the first time the award has gone outside the Champagne region, and this is something we are incredibly proud of as women in English & Welsh wine. Cherie makes wine for joy, for pleasure, and for celebration – something we can definitely all relate to.

Pip Goring – Wiston Wine Estate

Pip Goring always dreamed of gathering friends and family around a table in a vineyard. She made this dream a reality when she decided they would plant vines on Wiston Estate. In 2008 at harvest time, they sat in the vineyard eating and drinking together with their loved ones.

Mrs Barnes – Biddenden

Biddenden Vineyards was originally home to a 40 acre apple orchard owned by the Barnes family. Then one day, after listening to a feature on the BBC’s Woman’s Hour programme about English vineyards being replanted, Mrs Barnes was inspired to turn to viticulture and Biddenden Vineyards was born. It has been a family-run establishment ever since, and we love that the idea came from Mrs B.

Do you know of more inspirational women in English & Welsh wine? Then we want to hear about it! Post your comments below.

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