Women Leaders in Wine & Spirits

MARIA STELLA CARLETTI Poliziano Tuscany, Italy Maria Stella Carletti, born in Montepulciano in 2000, grew up at her family’s winery, Poliziano. At 15, she moved to Scotland for high school at Dollar Academy, then earned a BSc in Chemistry with Management from UCL in 2021. She returned to Poliziano to join production, completed WSET Level 2, and worked a harvest in Australia in 2023. Now, alongside her brother Francesco, she represents the third generation at Poliziano and took over winemaking in 2024.

ILSE BODENSTEIN Prager Wachau, Austria

NADINE GUBLIN Prosper Maufoux Burgundy, France

VITÓRIA CAVALCANTI & MARIA EDUARDA FERRER Pitu Cachaca Brazil Vitória is a third-generation owner and Director of Products and International Affairs. In 1998 she was elected President of the Brazilian Development Program of Cachaça. Cachaca was instrumental in lobbying to create Denomination of Origin for Cachaça similar to that of Tequila in Mexico and Cognac in France. Maria Eduarda Ferrer is the current Head of Marketing for Pitu Cachaca and continues the generational heritage of female leadership at Pitu.

When Ilse married Toni Bodenstein, the two ushered in a profound change, not only at the Prager winery that Isle inherited from her father, but throughout the Wachau. By focusing on specific sites within certain vineyards, the Bodensteins produce exceptional wines that are truly unique to their terroirs and coveted throughout the world.

Oenologist Gublin was awarded Winemaker of the Year by leading French wine magazine, La Revue du Vin de France. She was the first woman to receive the recognition, an honor since Burgundy is one of the most traditional and still very male dominated wine region.

SOPHIA BERGQVIST Quinta de la Rosa Duoro, Portugal

THERESA PICHLER Rudi Pichler Wachau, Austria

ALICE & CLAIRE BURNEZ Prunier Cognac Cognac, France The Prunier family’s roots trace back to 1701, with bottling and exports beginning in 1769. Today, 250 years later, Stéphane Burnez (5th generation) and his daughters, Alice and Claire (6th generation), lead the Cognac house. They source eaux-de-vie from growers and distillers, aging it in their own cellars. Blending tradition with innovation, Alice and Claire continue the family legacy, having grown up tasting wines and spirits at gatherings, shaping their passion for the business.

ALICE, SANDRA & ANDREA TAVARES Quinta de Chocapalha Lisboa, Portugal

Sophia Bergqvist is third generation to run her family's estate. Throughout the 1990s, she was responsible for building a network of importers across the globe providing a solid, dependable market and La Quinta's table wine production and creating a strong brand internationally.

Theresa Pichler is the daughter of Rudi Pichler, one of the elite growers of the Wachau, producing wines of precision, power, and longevity. She chose to study International Wine Business and has a variety of responsibilities at the winery. From hosting tastings to vineyard management to assistant winemaker, Theresa has a role in almost every aspect of the estate, and hopes to take over from her father one day.

With vineyards dating back to the 16th century, the Tavares da Silva family has embarked on a restoration program replanting and regrafting vines with indigenous and international varieties. This effort has paid off, as Quinta de Chocapalha produces wines that boast traditional minerality and elegance, while remaining fresh and fruit forward. Andrea handles marketing and sales, Alice is the manager of wine tourism, and Sandra is the chief winemaker at Chocapalha

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WOMEN LEADERS IN WINE & SPIRITS