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American Women and Wine: Breaking Boundaries Together

Women have played a vital role in shaping America’s wine industry for decades—whether through winemaking, writing, cooking, or simply enjoying and championing great wine. Time and again, women have raised their glasses and, in doing so, propelled American cuisine, feminism, and the wine industry forward. With March being Women’s History Month, it’s the perfect time to highlight how a few remarkable women and wine have made a lasting impact in American.

 

America’s Female Chefs and Tastemakers

Today, wine is often considered a woman’s drink of choice in America—but that wasn’t always the case. Historically, alcohol consumption was a male-dominated activity.

 

Before Prohibition, it was socially unacceptable for women to drink in public. Ironically, Prohibition briefly leveled the playing field; with alcohol outlawed, women could partake outside the home in private speakeasies, but it was frowned upon. The iconic Roaring Twenties flapper girls we see in movies were considered trashy and outrageous. Even after Prohibition ended, drinking carried a scandalous reputation and was reserved for men. It was only appropriate for men to collect alcohol as a hobby, and making alcohol was strictly considered a man’s job. But in the 1960s, American women’s relationship with alcohol began to shift—and wine was at the heart of that transformation.

 

Jackie O

Jackie Kennedy Onassis was a vision of style and grace, and a model wife and mother. She was a well-known socialite before marrying JFK and then broke the mold as First Lady. One of her most iconic contributions was the transformation of the White House. Not only did she modernize its interiors, but she also invited the American people inside through a televised tour in 1962.

 

Titled A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy, the broadcast was a brilliant PR move—the first time a First Family had offered such an intimate glimpse into America’s most important residence. It was also the first time the White House was seen as a real home and not just a symbol of government. And perhaps most uniquely, it appealed exclusively to women.

American women already idolized Jackie for her fashion and charm. Now they were seeing her taste as a fellow homemaker. As she led the world through the freshly decorated White House, she reached the dining room where the table had a wine glass at each place setting. This subtle choice defied the stereotype that wine was exclusive to men’s social circles. Jackie presented wine in an open, shared, family setting. Suddenly, wine glasses became a symbol of sophistication and hospitality.

 

Julia Child

Also in 1962 was Julia Child’s television debut with The French Chef. It was groundbreaking for many reasons—she was one of the first women to host her own cooking program, she introduced Americans to fine French cuisine, and, just as importantly, she taught them how to pair it with wine. Julia Child quickly became a household name and for the next decade, you could find her on TV making Boeuf Bourguignon or Duck à l’Orange and enjoying it with a glass of Bordeaux.

 

Drinking wine on television was a bold statement at the time, subtly reshaping cultural norms. Television shows weren’t edited like they are today, so the world saw Julia’s real authentic self. She was relatably funny, unconventional, confident, and made the relationship between great food and great wine a focal point of her teachings.

Julia became a huge role model for the everyday American housewife. She essentially introduced the idea that any woman could develop taste, talent, and worldly knowledge of food and wine. Through Julia, wine was no longer an exotic or taboo indulgence for women. Having a bottle of wine with dinner, and having wine knowledge, became a sign of good taste.

Julia Child created a movement and she didn’t stop there. She continued to write, teach, and even open the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California. Julia blazed a trail in the food and wine industry for American women and would influence generations of home-cooks, accomplished chefs, and future icons like Martha Stewart.

 

American Women in Wine Writing

Throughout history, writing has been an avenue for disenfranchised people to make their voices heard. It’s an invaluable platform to move the needle, especially in America where freedom of speech is king.

Wine Writing is a niche genre of journalism, but it’s not new. In fact, it’s pretty ancient. The Greeks and Romans wrote generously about the wines they produced, with Pliny the Elder often regarded as the original wine critic. But women didn’t reach a notable role in wine criticism and journalism until the late 20th century. Once they got there, they made a huge impact by bringing new stories, opinions, writing styles, and knowledge to a corner of journalism previously only written from a male perspective.

 

Eunice Fried

In 1974, American writer Eunice Fried published her book ‘What Every Woman Should Know About Wine.’ She was passionate about wine and helping women feel more confident about making choices, a big theme of the 70s as women’s rights were expanding. Fried’s book covers all the fundamentals of wine, explaining how it’s made, why it needs air, how to pair it properly, and how to talk about it with ease.

 

The most controversial component of ‘What Every Woman Should Know About Wine’ was Fried’s assertion that women have biologically superior taste and smell, meaning their palate for wine is naturally better than a man’s. While this has been scientifically proven true, it was a pretty bold thing to write as a woman in a male-dominated industry and in a turbulent era. (For context: The same year, American women won the right to get a bank account, credit card, or loan without their husband’s permission.) People like Eunice Fried not only helped advance the wine industry but also empowered women by giving them a voice within it.

 

 

Did you know women have better palates than men?

It’s true! Women have a more developed olfactory center in their brain, which is where taste and smell operate. Some studies reported female olfactory bulbs have 43% more cells than male. This heightened sensitivity allows women not only to detect stronger aromas and flavors but also to distinguish a wider range. For example, while a man might simply smell ‘red fruit’ in a wine, a woman may be able to pinpoint specific notes of cherry and cranberry. For someone who enjoys, studies, or works in wine, this is a huge advantage.

 

 

Karen MacNeil

You probably can’t go a day in Napa or Sonoma without hearing or seeing Karen MacNeil’s name. MacNeil started writing about food in the 70s, was appointed USA Today’s first wine and food editor in the 80s, and spent nearly a decade writing her magnum opus: The Wine Bible.

 

Published in 2001, the Wine Bible quickly became a best-seller and set a new standard for wine writing. MacNeil researched wine from all over the world to become an expert on wine maps, science, history, how-tos, geography, farming, and wine tasting. What makes The Wine Bible truly impressive is its ability to serve as a comprehensive wine encyclopedia without feeling dense or pretentious. MacNeil brought a modern, entertaining, female voice to what could have been a dry subject, revolutionizing wine writing in the process.

Many call The Wine Bible a masterpiece, and it has influenced chefs, sommeliers, and hospitality students. Some universities even list it as required reading. MacNeil wrote two more editions of The Wine Bible and has become an important expert, consultant, and patron in the culinary arts.

 

America’s Iconic Female Winemakers

One of the most influential ways women have moved the needle for themselves and the wine industry has been by becoming Winemakers. Whether it was because of duty to family or pursuit of passion, women have been breaking barriers as Winemakers in America since the 1800s.

Hannah Weinberger

Hannah Weinberger’s journey began when she met her future husband, Jonathan Weinberger. A Bavarian immigrant, Jon was learning how to make wine while running a nursery and selling fruit. He traveled to California, purchased property in St. Helena from the now-famous Krug family, then returned to the Midwest to marry Hannah before bringing her to California. By 1876, the J.C. Weinberger Winery was up and running. The family was making a life for themselves with 5 kids, a beautiful stone wine cellar, thousands of gallons of wine in production, and Jonathan even working as Director of the local bank.

 

Tragically, an ex-employee murdered Jonathan in 1882. Hannah Weinberger picked up where her husband left off and began managing the winery and working at St. Helena’s bank. She was officially the first female winery owner and winemaker in California, and she had great success. Under her leadership, J.C. Weinberger Winery began producing over 100,000 gallons of wine and even added Brandy to their portfolio. In 1889, Hannah traveled from California to Paris for the World’s Fair wine competition and her Cabernet Sauvignon won silver.

At a time when American women had barely any rights and American wine wasn’t on the map, Hannah Weinberger achieved an incredible milestone. The original Weinberger property is on the National Register of Historic Places and still proudly stands as a working winery today. In 1999, William and Jane Ballentine purchased the property, restored it, and opened it as William Cole Vineyards.

Heidi Barrett

Dubbed the First Lady of Wine, Heidi Barrett has had a winemaking career that most people only dream of. Heidi grew up in Northern California watching her father’s winemaking career. She studied Fermentation Science at UC Davis and graduated with only 3 other women.

 

At just 25 years old, Heidi became a head winemaker and soon earned two 100-point scores from Robert Parker. Her work with Screaming Eagle Winery & Vineyards in the 1990s helped propel the winery into the spotlight, catapulting Heidi into winemaking fame. Throughout her career, Heidi has consulted for numerous wineries, earned a total of five 100-point scores, and launched her own label, La Sirena. She stands out as a modern trailblazer for female winemakers.