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This March, we proudly celebrate International Women’s Month at Gaucho. Join us in supporting Women’s Aid this month, through each sale of our selected wines £5 will be donated.
We absolutely cherish our close-knit community of women and remain committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. As of 2022, 41% of our team identify as women and with these values guiding us, we honour the remarkable women shaping the restaurant and wine industries.
Women are making remarkable strides in the world of wine, transforming an industry once dominated by men. Female influence is growing, setting new standards of excellence across all aspects of winemaking—from vineyard ownership to production and sommelier expertise.
At Gaucho, women play a vital role in our success, including our own exceptional wine team. Leaders like our Head Sommelier, Marina, and WSET trainer, Bernadetta, have praised Gaucho’s commitment to fostering female talent in wine, reflecting the significant growth of female-led expertise over the last two decades. Despite the growing number of women in wine, gender disparities persist, particularly in leadership roles. By shining a spotlight on these remarkable women, we celebrate their impact and advocate for continued progress.
Historically, women in wine have faced profound challenges. In ancient Rome and Greece, they were banned from drinking wine due to unfounded fears of promiscuity. Medieval superstitions even barred women from wineries, with the belief that their menstrual cycles could disrupt fermentation. Despite these barriers, trailblazing women have shaped the industry in extraordinary ways.
For Head Sommelier Marina, one such trailblazer stands out: Eleanor of Aquitaine. As one of the most powerful women of the High Middle Ages, Eleanor was not only a queen of both France and England but also a champion of Cahors, an early form of Malbec. Unlike the refined wines of Burgundy and the Loire, Cahors was bold and abundant. Thanks to Eleanor’s political influence, it became the official royal wine—a testament to her wine-wielding power. No wonder Marina is a big fan!
Similarly, Madame Clicquot, otherwise known as the ‘Grande Dame of Champagne’ revolutionised the sparkling wine industry in the 19th century. Widowed at a young age, she took over her husband’s Champagne house and invented the riddling technique, improving clarity in Champagne and laying the foundation for modern sparkling wine production. Her ingenuity and determination laid the foundation for what is now one of the world’s most prestigious Champagne houses.
While history is rich with pioneering women, our focus turns to those flourishing in the industry today from Jancis Robinson—the UK’s first female Master of Wine—to the many women making significant contributions. This month, Gaucho spotlights eight remarkable female winemakers shaping our vinicultural landscape.
The impact of female winemakers spans across the globe, leaving a lasting mark on global vineyards from Europe to South America. Two of our featured wines—La Segrata, Grillo (2022) from Sicily and Crasto Superior, Viosinho/Verdelho (2021) from Portugal—celebrate this international reach.
The standout wines of our selection hail from Argentina, where some of the world’s most sought-after wines are cultivated. From the sun-drenched valleys of Mendoza to the high-altitude peaks of Salta, Argentina’s diverse climate offers an incredible spectrum of flavours, textures, and tannins. We recognise the women who have harnessed this richness with remarkable resilience, crafting wines that embody the land’s unique character and depth.
The first woman to pave the way for female-led wine production in Argentina was Susana Balbo. Relocating 1,000 miles from home to Cafayate in Salta, she faced a deeply chauvinistic industry— contending with facility sabotage, boycotts, and hostility from workers. Yet, she persevered, producing exceptional wines that we proudly serve at Gaucho. This month, we champion two of her standout bottles:
Another pioneer is Adrianna Catena, a spokesperson for her family’s Bodega Catena Zapata winery. A historian by trade, she traces the legacy of the women who shaped her family’s vineyards. She longs to share a bottle of wine with her female ancestors to better understand her Italian roots. Like Susana Balbo, she acknowledges that Argentina has historically been steeped in prejudice, yet she celebrates the endurance of her grandmother’s green fingers and the pioneering spirit of her herself and her sister.
Today, Adrianna embraces the growing recognition of female contributions to viticulture, a legacy reflected in the exceptional wines produced by Bodega Catena Zapata. Four of their incredible bottles take their place on our list this month:
We are proud to celebrate the women shaping the wine industry, whose stories embody resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to their craft. As Bernadetta says, “when it comes to women in wine, there are no rules”, they should embrace it with enthusiasm, passion, and curiosity.
At Gaucho, we’re committed to carrying this sentiment forward. That’s why, throughout March, we’re donating £5 from the sale of each of our eight featured wines to Women’s Aid—a charity supporting women and children affected by domestic abuse. Comprising 183 organisations providing over 300 lifesaving services across the country, Women’s Aid has spent 50 years shaping policy, raising awareness, and making a real difference to those affected by domestic abuse.
This International Women’s Month, we invite you to raise a glass in honour of the incredible women shaping the world of wine—past, present, and future.
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