This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the incredible female winemakers who are reshaping the wine world with their passion, talent, and innovation. From crafting exceptional vintages to preserving age-old traditions and pioneering new techniques, these women are true trailblazers.
Explore our curated selection of wines made by brilliant women winemakers and join us in toasting their achievements. Cheers to their artistry, resilience, and the stories they bring to life with every bottle!
3 products
2020 Ronchi di Manzano Pinot Grigio
Regular price £20.49 Sale price £17.99 Save 12%This is a single estate Pinot Grigio from the Friuli Colli Orientalist generally acknowledged as the top location for premium Pinot Grigio.
A beautiful, serious pinot grigio with fresh pear, flint and honeydew melon aromas that follow through to a medium to full body, with pretty fruit and a flavorful finish. a soft bitter-lemon aftertaste adds depth and complexity
Tasting Notes
Colour
Straw-yellow in colour
Nose
A fragrant and crisp aroma with unmistakable floral notes and hints of ripened pear.
Mouth
Its taste is dry and minerally, acidic yet balanced, and is both intense and enduring.
Background
Ronchi di Manzano is located in Friuli, northeastern Italy, where the Colli Orientali hills play host to a wide range of small and large wine estates. The micro-climate and soil composition have shaped this land to be a cradle of great wines. The terroir has also shaped the growers and winemakers and it is only by continuing to be guided by and respect nature that they are able to consistently produce quality.
Roberta Borghese, the owner of these Ronchi (steep slopes), has understood their true values and is enthralled by the rhythm and beauty of nature.
The Ronchi di Manzano winery was established in 1969, but its vineyards have an ancient tradition of centuries. Everything started with the Counts of Trento, who had a special predilection for the Ronchi di Manzano, both for its location and for its soil composition. Its vineyards were considered to be some of the best in the whole area and the wines produced were very often requested by French and Savoy noblemen.
Roberta Borghese, the owner of these Ronchi (steep slopes), has understood their true values and is enthralled by the rhythm and beauty of nature.
The Ronchi di Manzano winery was established in 1969, but its vineyards have an ancient tradition of centuries. Everything started with the Counts of Trento, who had a special predilection for the Ronchi di Manzano, both for its location and for its soil composition. Its vineyards were considered to be some of the best in the whole area and the wines produced were very often requested by French and Savoy noblemen.
The Borghese family has owned the Ronchi di Manzano winery since 1969. Their descendant Roberta, continues the family tradition with great passion and with the professional skills that she has acquired all around the world in places such as France, California and Italy. She has traveled and worked a lot to bring innovation to the winery, something she believes is fundamental to the company’s success. She directs the whole process of wine growing as well as the promotion of the wines she produces. Her two daughters, Lisa and Nicole have entered into the winery’s business and by following their mother's footsteps, they are continuing the family tradition.
Vineyard
Marl and sandstone soils of Eocene origin locally known as “ponca” and a soil that characterises the Colli Orientali. The vines are trained on the Guyot trellising system.
The grapes are destemmed soon after arrival at the winery followed by an immediate cooling of the de-stemmed grapes and a soft pressing to extract the juice.
Vinification and fermentation are done in stainless steel temperature-controlled tanks. The wine is bottled in March and is refined in bottles for a period of approximately two months, only then is it ready for release to the marketplace.
Accolades
- James Suckling 91 points
Specifications
| Year | 2020 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | Pinot Grigio |
| Country | Italy |
|
Alcohol content
|
12.5% alc vol
|
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 9.4 units |
| Type | White Wine |
| Food & Serving Information |
Enjoy it as an aperitif, or with deli meats, starters, fish, soups, pastas, rice dishes like risotto, or white meats at an ideal temperature of 8-10°C. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Origin |
Friuli Colli Orientali |
| Appellation | Friuli DOC |
2022 Beau Constantia 'Pierre' Sauvignon Blanc
Regular price £29.99 Sale price £23.99 Save 20%A classic cool climate Sauvignon blanc made from grapes grown at high altitude on incredibly steep NE-facing slopes. These low-yielding, windswept vines are determined to survive and produce fruit of incredible flavour concentration.
Beau Constantia is a boutique wine farm situated at the top of Constantia Nek overlooking False Bay. These lovingly nurtured vines are spoilt with panoramic views of the Stellenbosch and Helderberg Mountain ranges.
Tasting Notes
A true reflection of a ‘sense of place’, this wine highlights the incredibly close proximity of Beau Constantia to the cold Atlantic Ocean with its profound minerality. The minerality serves to add flesh to the nervy acidity (high-altitude Sauv Blanc vines and cooling winds) and fine tannin structure (from skin contact and lees contact).
Notes of blackcurrant, ripe granadilla and buchu are complimented by the minerality, lively acid profile and tannin structure.
The Vintage by Winemaker Megan van der Merwe
"2022 was challenging, but challenges are what make a vintage unique, and overcoming them is what makes a vintage meaningful."
Winery
Some two decades ago, raging wildfires swept through an area of forest high up on Constantia Nek, leaving the slopes scorched and bare. When the fire had subsided, what was left was a brilliant and unique spot for planting a vineyard; 350 metres above sea level, with cooling ocean breezes and steep sun-bathed hills and so, like a phoenix, Beau Constantia rose from the ashes.
Sensing opportunity, Pierre and Cecily Du Preez acquired the 22-hectare property in 2002. With thorough soil analysis guiding their efforts, the inaugural vineyards were planted in 2003 under the careful guidance of farm manager, Japie Bronn.
The journey to establish vineyards on these challenging slopes demanded patience and unwavering commitment. Today, Beau Constantia proudly boasts 11.47 hectares under vine, a testament to the perseverance and dedication of all involved. Within these vineyards thrive a diverse range of varietals, including Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Shiraz, and Petit Verdot, each meticulously nurtured to capture the unique essence of this extraordinary landscape.
This boutique wine farm with just over 11 hectares under vine has utterly spectacular views over the peninsula. Megan van der Merwe is the Head Winemaker, having taken over from Justin Van Wyk in 2021, after serving as Assistant Winemaker during his successful tenure. Megan believes in 'farming to perfection - just don't stuff it up in the cellar!'. This very talented winemaker is certainly one to watch.
Each of their releases is a tribute to a member of the family.
Accolades & Awards
- Tim Atkins | 93 points
‘’Two pickings across five different parcels are the building blocks of this blend, made from a pairing of Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Semillon. Wild yeasts and some skin contact, as well as a variety of fermentation vessels, add complexity, mixing notes of nettles, elderflower and oyster shell with a dab of cream.’’
Specifications
| Year | 2022 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Cultivar | Sauvignon Blanc & 7% Semillon |
| Country | South Africa |
| Alcohol content | 13.5% abv |
| Units of Alcohol per Bottle | 10.4 units per bottle |
| Type | White Wine |
| Food Matching | Asparagus and pea risotto with lemon zest and basil. |
| Allergen Information | Contains sulphites |
| Origin | Constantia |
| Appellation | WO Western Cape |
