This October, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re spotlighting the remarkable women who are making waves in the wine and beer industries. From winemakers to brewery founders, these trailblazing women are leading with creativity, innovation, and a commitment to excellence. Each featured selection represents a female-led operation producing standout wines and beers that are as inspiring as the stories behind them. Explore these exceptional beverages, perfect for elevating your fall offerings while celebrating the women who crafted them.
WINE
Perlage Winery
Perlage’s journey began in 1985 when the Nardi family, led by seven brothers and inspired by their parents Afra and Tiziano, decided to embrace organic agriculture. Today, Perlage is renowned worldwide as one of Italy’s most important producers of organic sparkling wines and stands out as one of the few wineries in the Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG area to commit to organic and, since 2004, biodynamic practices. Still run by the Nardi family, the mighty force Anna Nardi works as the Director and Brand Ambassador continuing the Perlage legacy. In a world drowning in Proseccos, these are worth your consideration for their standout flavor profiles and luxurious finishes.
- Perlage Afra Rose X Dry DOC Prosecco
- Perlage Bacaretto DOC Frizzante Prosecco
- Perlage Canah Brut DOCG Prosecco
- Perlage Col di Manza X DOCG Prosecco
- Perlage Marche IGT Sangiovese
Pago de Carraovejas Ribera del Duero
Pago de Carraovejas, one of Ribera del Duero’s oldest family-owned wineries, was founded in the 1970’s. Under the leadership of director Alumenda Calvo, a trailblazer in the industry, the winery has reached new heights through continuous innovation. Committed to environmental care, biodiversity, and a people-focused approach, Pago de Carraovejas distinguishes itself in the region. Calvo believes this culture and passion are what set their wines apart. This wine is a prime example, offering an expressive and balanced profile with violet aromas, dark fruit, and hints of dark chocolate and coconut—perfect for a cool fall evening.
Bodegas Care
Rooted in tradition but inspired by its diverse international clientele, Bodegas Care aims to connect people from all walks of life through its wines. This idea is reflected in their labels, featuring artwork by Enrique Torrijos depicting various faces. Located in the Cariñena Denomination of Origin, this family-owned winery blends old and new generations, with hand-harvested grapes from vineyards, some nearly 90 years old. Bodegas Care crafts wines with a Mediterranean character in their reds and bright, aromatic notes in their whites. They also support breast cancer research, donating 10% of the profits from their Solidarity Rosé to AMAC-GEMA, a Spanish based treatment facility.
- Care Blanco Sobre Lias
- Care Garnacha Nativa Blanca
- Care Garnacha Nativa Vinas Viejas
- Care Solidarity Rose
- Care Tinto Sobre Lias
Klinker Brick Winery
Steve and Lori Felten, fifth-generation grape growers in Lodi, continue their family’s legacy of cultivating “Old Vine” Zinfandel vineyards planted in the early 1900s. The winery was named Klinker Brick after the prized bricks used in Lodi’s historic buildings, known for their rich color, density, and unique features—qualities that also describe their Old Vine Zinfandel and Farrah Syrah. The term “Klinker” refers to the sound these dense bricks make when struck together, much like the unforgettable character of their wines. President Lynne Whyte Barnard, has shaped the winery’s sales and marketing, and is integral to Klinker Brick’s success, and supporting roles played by Farrah Felten Jolley and her team of kick-ass women have led this winery into star status. Old Ghost Zinfandel is the perfect pairing for a cozy fall fire and plate of braised short ribs.
- Klinker Brick Carignane
- Klinker Brick Dolcetto
- Klinker Brick Farrah Syrah
- Klinker Brick Old Ghost Reserve Zinfandel
Pazo de Señorans Albariño
The Pazo winery, founded by Marisol Bueno and Javier Mareque and now managed by their four children—Marisol, Vicky, Javier, and Santiago—began producing wine in 1989, though they had already been growing grapes prior to this. Located in Meis, near the sea and on acidic, sandy soils, Pazo de Señorans was one of the pioneers in recognizing Albariño’s potential and helped establish the DO within a decade. Under the direction of winemaker Ana Quintela Suárez, the estate produces Albariño with a fresh, vibrant style. Their Albariño, a pale straw yellow with greenish hues, showcases medium-high intensity and a well-balanced acidity that provides a substantial structure and enhances its flavors.
Francoise Bedel
Françoise Bedel’s winemaking journey began as a mother’s search for healing when conventional medicine couldn’t help her ailing son, leading her to embrace homeopathic methods. This experience inspired her to transform her small winery into a pioneer of biodynamic practices, well ahead of their widespread acceptance. Today, her 8.4-hectare estate near Crouttes-sur-Marne embodies her commitment to these principles. While many winemakers focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Françoise is passionate about Pinot Meunier. Her Champagnes, aged for over six years on lees with low or zero dosage, exemplify her dedication to purity and authenticity. These are the perfect addition to your fall table as an aperitif or to savor through a beautiful meal with friends.
- Champagne Francoise Bedel Comme Autrefois
- Champagne Francoise Bedel Secret Extra Brut
Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards
Louis Lucas, a third-generation grape grower, and Judge Royce Lewellen, a wine enthusiast, founded Lucas & Lewellen Vineyards in Solvang, California, following their meeting in 1975. Their winery spans 400 estate acres across three distinct climate zones. Megan McGrath, the winemaker since 2007, brings expertise from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and U.C. Davis. Lucas & Lewellen’s Pinot Noir blends various clones to produce a wine with bright red fruit flavors, elegant structure, and aromas of raspberries and wet stone, while their Chardonnay, sourced from the cooler Los Alamos and Goodchild Vineyards, offers pear, peach, and stone fruit notes with a hint of lemony-citrus. This deeply rooted California brand, that over delivers for the price, is the perfect addition to any fall lineup or retail selection.
- Lucas & Lewellen Chardonnay Santa Barbara
- Lucas & Lewellen Pinot Noir Santa Barbara
Wrath Wines
Wrath focuses on crafting site-driven Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah from its estate vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. With limited production and distribution, their wines express attitude, passion, and a deep respect for the vineyard’s natural gifts. Wrath’s “less is more” approach, led by winemaker Sabrine Rodems, emphasizes terroir by using minimal intervention and highlighting the vineyard’s topography, geology, and climate. The cool, windy climate and gravelly soils of the Estate San Saba Vineyard yield low production, resulting in concentrated wines with distinct aromatics and flavors. Gentle handling, intensive grape sorting, and minimal processing ensure purity and authenticity, delivering a true expression of each wine’s unique terroir.
- Wrath 3 Clone Chardonnay
- Wrath San Saba Vineyard Pinot Noir
- Wrath San Saba Vineyard Syrah
- Wrath Swan/828 Pinot Noir
BEER
Schneider Weisse
Among our extensive craft beer portfolio, Schneider Weisse stands out for its covertly female-led history. As Bavaria’s oldest Weisse brewery, it has been a craft brewing revelation, focusing on mastering wheat beer since securing brewing rights from King Ludwig in 1872. Under Mathilde Schneider’s secretive leadership in the early 20th century, following her husband’s death, the brewery became the largest wheat beer producer in Southern Germany and weathered economic crises. Mathilde also created Aventinus, Bavaria’s oldest wheat “Doppelbock,” known for its extraordinary flavors and rich history, making Schneider Weisse an exceptional addition to any craft beer collection.
- Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock
Lost Coast Brewery
When Lost Coast brewed its first beer, the craft beer scene, especially in California, was still in its infancy. What began as an ambitious experiment in a century-old building in downtown Eureka soon grew into a successful brewery, outgrowing several facilities and gaining a global following. Founder Barbara Groom, known for her unconventional path—from aspiring skier in hot Stockton, to Avon sales, to a male-dominated pharmacy career—found her true passion and talent in brewing. Despite the challenges of the early microbrewery landscape, Barbara’s dedication and creativity turned Lost Coast into a thriving business. Lost Coast beers are value priced and the two featured have rich flavor profiles, perfect for a fall tap program.
- Lost Coast Imperial Stout
- Lost Coast Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout