Winebow Women Leaders

SAMANTHA TAYLOR Hope Family Wines Paso Robles, Ca

SERENA NISHIHIRA Honkaku Spirits | Selephant & Kana Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan Ms. Nishihira is both the youngest master brewer-distiller in Kyushu and a professional musician who returned to make shochu on the condition of being allowed to continue her musical career. The family agreed and opened a music venue in the building adjacent to the distillery. She still performs during the off-season.

MAIKO JIKUYA Honkaku Spirits | Jikuya Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan

MASAKO FURUSAWA Honkaku Spirits Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan

Samantha is assistant winemaker for Hope Family Wines in Paso Robles. A native of the Lodi wine country, she is a Wine Business graduate of Cal Poly. Now an integral part of the winemaking team, Samantha oversees the daily operations of winemaking and has developed a dynamic and efficient team that produces award-winning wines, setting the standard for luxury Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon.

After nearly 8 years living, studying, and working in New York City, Maiko returned to Japan to begin her training as a shochu maker. She took over as the master brewer-distiller in 2011 and became president of the company in 2016 upon her father’s retirement. Maiko endeavors to maintain her family traditions while innovating to put her unique stamp on their products.

Born on the distillery grounds, Ms. Furusawa has been surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of shochu making since birth. She became master brewer-distiller and president in 2007 after her father’s passing. Deeply rooted in the family’s history, Furusawa’s shochu embodies generations of ritual and tradition.

ALI MAYFIELD Jaine Columbia Valley, WA

CATHERINE CORBEAU MELLOT Joseph Mellot Loire Valley, France

KATIE LEE BIEGEL Kind of Wild Wines Multiple locations

JULES TAYLOR Jules Taylor Winery Marlborough, New Zealand

Ali Mayfield is an independent winemaker based in Walla Walla, WA. Mentored by the late Stan Clarke, she completed the viticulture and enology program at Walla Walla Community College in 2007. As a consulting winemaker at Foundry Vineyards, Ali’s first vintage of 2011 Chardonnays earned scores of 92 and 94 (Editor’s Choice) from the Wine Enthusiast - among the highest Chardonnay scores garnered by a female winemaker in Washington State.

The winery is led by Catherine Mellot, who carries on, with passion and talent, her husband’s Alexandre and his ancestors’ work. She has recently been appointed to the rank of Chevalier in the National Order of the Legion of Honour by decree effective 1 January 2025. For the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, this is an honorary distinction that rewards almost 40 years of service in the wine industry and in particular at Joseph Mellot.

Co-Founder, Katie Lee Biegel is a celebrity chef, best-selling author and award-winning television personality. She is currently co-host of Food Network’s Emmy-nominated talk show The Kitchen and host of Cooking Channel’s Beach Bites with Katie Lee. Katie quickly became an integral part of the Kind of Wild team, lending her unique culinary perspective, captivating personality, and inspiring creativity.

Jules is the chief-winemaker. She’s our all-Marlborough, all-weather, all- in Queen of production. She’s the visionary, the dreamer, the motivator, the joker, the chivvy-er, the taster of berries. Mother of Louis, Nico and godmother to several hundred thousand little grapes, she’s a straight talker who’s also a darn nice person. Jules is married to George Elworthy, winemaker for The Better Half wines.

Women Leaders in Wine & Spirits

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