Woman-Owned Wineries elevates female vintners by connecting them with new audiences. Founded in 2017 by industry veteran Amy Bess Cook, this pioneering endeavor has encouraged consumers and colleagues alike to support women wine entrepreneurs in order to balance our male-dominated industry.
We have done this in three primary ways:
- Our nationwide winery directory which was the first and largest of its kind within our industry, listing 700+ female vintners. This resource has introduced sommeliers, journalists, major distributors, retailers, and everyday wine lovers to women winery owners.
- Our storytelling project shares insight from hard working women winery owners.
- Our consumer wine club, which ran monthly from August 2018 – May 2026, curated monthly bottle selections from independent female vintners. During this time, we were honored to introduce dozens of independent wineries to curious wine lovers across the nation.
Purpose
Woman-Owned Wineries has worked to help to level the laying field in our heavily male-dominated industry.
Major enology and viticulture programs have been graduating men and women in roughly equal numbers since the 1990s. Women have long been working in the vineyards, in the cellar, and in the tasting room. Yet despite access to education and job opportunity, women are not well represented in upper management of certain departments—namely production.
Women are rarely winery owners. Of the 3600 wineries in California, for example, only approximately 400 have women as lead winemakers. Just 4% of those women also have their own wine brands.*
Clearly, there is a need for change.
