Women Leaders in Wine & Spirits

JEANY CRONK Mirabeau Provence, France

KIMBERLEE NICHOLS Markham Napa Valley, CA

DELIA VARGAS VIEYRA Mezcal Don Mateo Michoacan For six generations, the Vieyra family has been making wild agave mezcal using traditional methods at their remote viñata (distillery) in Michoacan. The preeminent producer in the area, they are credited for successfully lobbying to have Michoacan added into the Mezcal Denomination of Origin in 2012. Family matriarch Delia Vargas Vieyra supervises the creation of Don Mateo’s complex Mezcal de Pechuga. This unique mezcal is distilled three times (mezcal is typically distilled twice), the third with local fruits, meats and botanicals.

ANNA REMOND Otu Estate Marlborough, New Zealand

Jeany Cronk founded Masion Mirabeau along with her husband, Stephen Cronk. The couple made the decision to leave the leafy suburbs of South London behind in exchange for the blue skies and sunshine of Provence, with three young children in tow. Jeany works closely on the Miason Mirabeau look and feel. Her big passions are interior design, the French way of life and of course the inspirational flavors and food of Provence.

Kimberlee Nichols is one of the first female winemakers in Napa Valley. For over three decades, Kimberlee has built a reputation for crafting iconic Napa Valley Merlot. Kimberlee is integral to Markham’s story and has greatly contributed to the countless accolades of one of Napa Valley’s great wineries.

Originally from rural Canterbury, Anna is a passionate winemaker. A winemaker for 15 years for one of New Zealand’s largest wineries, Anna headed up the white wine making program, and worked vintages in the French regions of Sancerre and Burgundy. As a mentor for the Women in Wine Programme, Anna also supports women to develop their Winemaking careers and reach their full potential in Marlborough, here in New Zealand – and continues to forge a leadership path for women in winemaking overall.

MONICA LEYVA Pajarote Mexico

ASHLEIGH SEYMOUR Paxton McLaren Vale, Australia

LISA, GAIA, & SOFIA PECCHENINO

COLLEEN FITZGERALD Pine Ridge Vineyards Napa, CA Colleen FitzGerald, Winemaker for Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier, discovered her passion for wine through harvest and lab internships after earning a biochemistry degree from Cal Poly. She gained experience in New Zealand, Paso Robles, and Pine Ridge before joining the team full time. Colleen oversees grape ripening, fermentation, blending, and provides key analyses and trials, helping the team make informed decisions to craft exceptional wines.

Pecchenino Piedmont, Italy

Mónica Leyva founded Pajarote in 2001 with her brother Rubén. Their hand-crafted Ponche-inspired liqueurs are made from authentic Mexican ingredients and traditions passed down by her grandmother with the philosophy that gastronomic culture is often rooted in family tradition. These beautiful liqueurs are 100% natural with no additives and thus showcase sediments because of their rejection of stabilizers, colorants, and artificial essences.

After more than a decade working at Avignonesi in Montepulciano, Italy, organic and biodynamic specialist Ashleigh Seymour came back to her native Australia to take a job with Paxton as Chief Winemaker in 2021. At Paxton, Seymour is employing large format oak and amphora, while limiting winery additions to sulfur, and then only what is needed to be protective across the range that includes typical Mc Laren Vale varieties shiraz, grenache, cabernet sauvignon, with more in the pipeline.

The Pecchenino family has been growing vines in Piedmont for over four generations and made the leap from small wine production to a winery of international recognition under brothers Orlando and Attilio Pecchenino. Focused on the production of high-quality Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and a few other select varietals, Pecchenino’s vines are painstakingly cared for by hand. Lisa, Gaia, and Sofia are next in line to lead this pioneering winery. Sofia recently completed a degree in winemaking.

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FINE WINE + SPIRITS