12 best wines by women to toast with this International Women’s Day

Women have long held an integral role in the champagne industry, with many female winemakers at the helm of well-known houses (both Veuve Clicquot and Madame Pommery took over from their husbands when they passed away). Ayala’s chef de cave (head winemaker), Caroline Latrive, has created an elegant, dry fizz that offers fantastic value for money. It’s part of the Bollinger family, but at a fraction of the price.

A relatively low dosage keeps each sip crisp and refreshing, making this an excellent aperitif or accompaniment to seafood.

In the words of the Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin, “Sisters, are doing it for themselves.” In this case, it’s the Delevingne sisters; Chloe, Poppy and Cara.

They’ve created a premium DOCG prosecco, (the highest classification in Italy), that shows champagne-like levels of complexity. Deliciously floral, expect notes of brioche alongside the classic green apple and tropical fruit. What’s more, the winery, which is situated in a Unesco World Heritage Site, uses sustainable practices and the resulting drink is vegan-friendly.

Susana Balbo became the first woman in Argentina to receive her degree in oenology (the study of wine) back in 1981. Since then, she’s been named as one of the “most influential women winemakers” by The Drink Business magazine. This wine by Balbo is crisp and bone dry, with white blossom on the nose and juicy peach notes that make this a fab wine to stock up on.

We know you should never judge a book by its cover, but will you look at this? Gruner veltliner isn’t seen so widely here in the UK, but it’s the main white grape of Austria. This unfiltered, organic, natural wine is made by Christina Netzl, who took over her family’s vineyards after completing her oenology and wine management studies in the UK. It’s just stunning to drink, with a really fresh quality. Expect juicy kiwi, melon, a touch of minerality and just a whiff of salinity. A delightfully well-balanced drop.

You’re going to want a glass of Kylie’s perfectly light and refreshing provençal blush rosé to accompany any early spring sunshine. Bursting with red berries and fragrant white blossom, this is a textbook pink.

Read more: Best celebrity wines to sip, from Kylie Minogue’s rosé to Gordon Ramsay’s bianco

This female-founded company showcases a great selection of women winemakers, including this Spanish red by Veronica Ortega. Made with mencía grapes (pronounced “men-thee-ah”), this is a smooth, spicy affair, crying out for a cosy night in. If you’re a fan of pinot noir, we reckon you’ll love this blackcurrant-heavy red. It’s great with food too – try with charcuterie or steak.

Made by sisters María and Cristina de Amézola, this well-priced, medium-bodied rioja has had a drop of reserve wine in the blend, giving it added complexity. Expect fresh strawberries and a smooth, spicy finish.

Canned wine and cocktails are seeing a resurgence, and London-based start-up Nice (co-founded by Lucy Wright), is at the fore. It launched with a crowd-pleasing rosé and sauvignon blanc and has since introduced this malbec from Mendoza.

Not only does it taste nice (with notes of juicy cherry and plum), it aims to be “the nicest wine company in the world”, taking into consideration its impact on the planet and the people involved in making it. The slimline cans are also fully recyclable.

This unoaked, single-estate chablis is made using organic and sustainable principles by the talented winemaker Odile Van der Moere. An elegant, zesty and creamy white, this will be particularly divine paired with seafood.

If you’ve not tried Romanian wine before, Cramele Recas is a great place to start. The brand’s 2020 winemaking team is made up of 80 per cent women. Together they produce this modern, fruit-forward wine that’s ideal for winter nights.

Weighty and full-bodied (with a punchy 14.5 per cent ABV), it’s a blend of cabernet, merlot and the indigenous feteasca neagra grape. Rich, with black fruit and creamy vanilla on the finish, we think it’s fantastic value for money.

Looking for a full-bodied red? This is it. Silky-smooth and chocolatey, with notes of black fruit and violet, this is delicious with earthy mushroom dishes such as risotto. It’s the work of head winemaker Louisa Rose, who also happens to be one of the most influential winemakers in Australia, having started her career as a cellar hand at Yalumba almost 30 years ago.

We couldn’t resist showing you something grown here in the UK. A much lighter red, this lightly oaked pinot noir is from the Bolney winery in West Sussex, headed up by female winemaker and managing director Sam Linter. She’s also the director of Wine GB and a pioneer of the British wine industry. This is a great summer red, which can be served lightly chilled, if you like. Try it with cold cuts and fish dishes.