The world of wine is becoming ever more feminine, as compared to a century ago. From production to distribution and even sommelier service, women are slowly making their mark in the winemaking field. Italy, known for its quality production of wine, is home to an association called “Le donne del Vino”, translated “The Women of Wine” where over 750 members range in roles from production to journalism. The goal of this group is to spread the culture and knowledge of wine through training and enhancement of women in the wine workforce. This is great news for Italian women, who even have a holiday dedicated to them called Women’s Day, on March 8.
Women are indeed paving the way for themselves within the world of wine, but the journey is a long one. Current Coldiretti data shows that of the 7,300 wine operations in Italy, only one in four is run by a woman. Though these numbers seem somewhat marginal, they are quite a feat considering this was unimaginable only a few decades ago. As for the professions of sommeliers and wine tasters, 30% of these jobs go to women in Italy – amazing considering this industry was once exclusively male.
Women have also pave their way into the production world of wine, taking on roles as winemaker. Their deep knowledge of the process from vineyard to cellar has led to exponential growth, as is evident from the association of Women of Wine, whose members were only 20 in 1988. Gone are the days where wine is a male-dominated industry in Italy. And this is true for the United States as well. The Union Square Hospitalit Group is an association which includes 12 high quality restaurants, of which 50% of the sommeliers are women!
Women are indeed paving the way for themselves within the world of wine, but the journey is a long one. Current Coldiretti data shows that of the 7,300 wine operations in Italy, only one in four is run by a woman. Though these numbers seem somewhat marginal, they are quite a feat considering this was unimaginable only a few decades ago. As for the professions of sommeliers and wine tasters, 30% of these jobs go to women in Italy – amazing considering this industry was once exclusively male.
Women have also pave their way into the production world of wine, taking on roles as winemaker. Their deep knowledge of the process from vineyard to cellar has led to exponential growth, as is evident from the association of Women of Wine, whose members were only 20 in 1988. Gone are the days where wine is a male-dominated industry in Italy. And this is true for the United States as well. The Union Square Hospitalit Group is an association which includes 12 high quality restaurants, of which 50% of the sommeliers are women!
