There is no doubt about it, the women's movement is in the middle of a shift that is so powerful, so profound that I can actually feel it in my day to day life. #MeToo, Time's Up, the Women's Marches....all of it is creating a new reality for women. It's a genuinely exciting time to be alive but this International Women's Day has caused me to reflect once again on the role we have to play as women when it comes to supporting over women. I actually believe that the biggest change will come when women put more thought and effort into supporting other women.
Me & My fellow Women In Wine
It's unavoidable to see that women are competitive with other women and one opinion theorises that this competition is hardwired into our DNA as a result of being programmed to procreate, essentially, it says, we're still competing with other women just in case sperm becomes a limited commodity.
Sadly this "Mean Girl" behaviour is not limited to high school, As a professional woman I have most certainly experienced cattiness, back stabbing, bitching & even being blocked from advancement by other women. I used to respond in kind...."She said that? Well wait until I tell you about her..... "but in recent years I have called "Time's Up" on my own behaviour by refusing to play the game anymore, by holding myself to a higher standard & by using my energy to support and uplift the amazing women I know deserve it & distancing myself from the people who don't. This change in my energy has made me happier, opened more opportunities for me and brought even more amazing women who want to support & uplift me into my life. Perfect.
So, after that long introduction this week Wendyl & I this week celebrate just some of the amazing women making wine in New Zealand. There are so many of them out there so I have picked three, all of whom are quite different from each other, but the one thing they have in common is that they make pretty amazing wines.
Renee Dale is a funky young surfer gal who describes herself as the "wannabe love child of Amelia Earhart and Jamie Oliver". After she got her Bachelor of Wine Science she moved to Napa to work but luckily for us back
The Moi wine I have chosen is their Rose which is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot based Rose teaming with flavours of wild berries & red fruits. At 8 grams at residual sugar it is just off dry and this delish drop was my personal choice to drink on NZ Rose day this year. Renee is also very environmentally conscious and as a result her wines don't have labels, but are screen-printed with a beautiful design on the front & a cheeky poem on that back and costs a mere $22. Renee believes every bottle should be a piece of artwork & no doubt she has hit the nail on the head with her wines that are gorgeous inside and out.
It is my
Te Whare Ra wines are all organic, vegan, biodynamic and handpicked. Anna once said to me "I don't know if I'm a good mother, but I'm a good winemaker". I am happy to reassure her that she is kick-ass at both!
Anna's
No list of female winemakers would be complete without mentioning Jane Hunter, the indomitable "First Lady" of New Zealand wine. Born in South Australia, Jane came to NZ to be a viticulturist for Montana Wines. She then met her husband Ernie Hunter who at the time owner Hunter Wines. After Ernie was tragically killed in a car crash in 1987, Jane took the reins & turned Hunter Wines into the iconic New Zealand brand that it is today.
Jane has been the recipient of an OBE for Service to Viticulture. the Wine & Spirits Women in Wine Award, the Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit, was the first woman to be inducted into the New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame and most recently won Wine Marlborough Lifetime Achievement Award. She is quite frankly a legend of wine.
Jane's
Click the link below to hear my chat with Wendyl on RadioLIVE about these amazing women in wine