Grape goddesses: five of the best women in wine

It’s a privilege of working in the world of wine to meet many makers, and I almost always come away with a new perspective that goes beyond mere technicalities or even over-arching philosophies. Seeing how someone moves through the world and hearing how they communicate gives insight into who they — and, often by extension, their wines — are. It’s not unique to wine, and is part of why we love to watch TV contestants baking or cooking or painting in response to a collective challenge with the same basic material. It’s fascinating how their different personalities find expression in the produced results.

I was reminded of this recently when I met Austrian winemaker Judith Beck on the Dublin leg of her Irish tour, organised by wine importer Pascal Rossignol of Le Caveau. Rossignol deems Beck has ‘rock star’ status among Irish wine retailers and customers. As rock stars go, Beck is notably grounded, a calm communicator who is always listening and paying attention, even as she puts shape on the story of her winery and her wines. It was a joy to taste her range, and hear about the labour-intensive yet restrained and considered handling of each expression.

Today’s wines all come from memorable women I have met, in person or virtually. Thanks to our post-pandemic Zoom fluency, it it is now perfectly plausible to hang out of a Friday with a six-pack of wine and winemakers chatting direct from their wineries.

On last month’s International Women’s Day, WineOnline organised such a tasting with an impressive line-up of women in wine. These included Emer Kirwan-Buckley of Chateau Sirio, whose Graves Blanc I recently recommended, and who will be in Dublin on May 16 for a winemakers’ dinner (see wineonline.ie). She was joined by Tim Atkin’s Young Winemaker of the Year 2023 Marelise Niemann, and by Alessia Sciotti of Farnese, whose bush-vine Swartland Grenache and organic Montepulciano d’Abruzzo feature respectively today.

Today’s white wines are particularly special. One is from two sisters-in-law who applied their science training to a traditional Penedes winery, to innovative effect. The other is from Daniela Quaresima who, last February, passed away far too young. Quaresima brought the same vital, life-affirming energy to her Italian Marche wines as to Dublin’s Capoeira scene, where she was pivotal since 1999. She will be long remembered, always with a smile to match hers, which was bright and quick to be shared.

Wines of the week

Judith Beck Ink, Burgenland, Austria, 12.5pc, €20-€21 You can see why this juicy, joyous red is so popular in independent retailers: dark fruits of Blaufrankisch blended with 10pc St Laurent for liquorice spice, complexity and freshness, it is a well-priced, very quaffable introduction to Austrian reds and to natural winemaking, from a winemaker who understands how to let the grapes speak for themselves. Her straight-up Blaufrankisch (€20.95, lecaveau.ie) is a stunner too but less widely available at only 500 cases. Bradleys, L’Atitude 51, NeighbourFood, Baggot Street Wines, Green Man Wines, Fallon & Byrne, Martins, 64 Wine, DrinkStore, lecaveau.ie

La Marca di San Michele Saltatempo 2022, Marche, Italy, 12.5pc, €23.50 As full of life as the dynamic woman who made it — the late, much-missed, adopted Irishwoman Daniela Quaresima — this organic Verdicchio is drinking beautifully: generous and inviting with roast fennel and toasted fruit notes, yet singing with freshness to balance its intensity. Sheridans, MacCurtain Wine Cellar, Fallon & Byrne, The Butler’s Pantry, siyps.com

Parés Baltà Calcari Xarel-lo 2021, Penedes, Catalunya, Spain, 12.5pc, €18.66 Two science-trained sisters-in-law make wine with certified organic grapes their husbands grow with biodynamic practices. This still white wine stars Xarel-lo, the most structured of Cava’s three key grapes; limestone-rich soils lends salinity, while long lees ageing brings a creamy quality. Mitchell & Son; mitchellandson.com

Momento Grenache Noir 2020, Swartland, South Africa, 13pc, €40 A beauty that shows what bush-vine Grenache can do in Swartland’s decomposed granitic soils, and the right hands. Aromatic with wild floral and smoky fragrance, purity of wild cherry and damson fruit yet delicate structure with fine tannins and minerality. A versatile red for fish and meats. Blackrock Cellar, wineonline.ie

Vini Fantini, Farnese Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2021, Italy, 14pc, €19.95 Produced with organic certification at a second-generation winery where Alessia Sciotti and her sister oversee winemaking, exports and winery hospitality. This is beautifully made Montepulciano, with ripe and rich dark cherry and plum aromas, mocha oak notes and dense chalky tannins finishing with juicy cassis lift. wineonline.ie