The World in a Glass
WORDS: Ange Seddon
Is it really March already? Spring is around the corner, and the nights are getting lighter, so I guess it must be. So, as March is bookended with two important dates, International Women’s Day on the 8th and Mother’s Day on the 30th, it seemed like a good time to talk about women in wine.
A Bit Of History
In the late 1700s, an arranged marriage brought together two big textile houses. Both had a passion for winemaking and they bought vineyards in Reims in France, the Champagne region. The couple were Barbe-Nicole and Francios Cliquot. Sadly, Francois died suddenly at the young age of 30, leaving his 28 year old widow (Veuve in French). Instead of liquidating the company as her father-in-law wanted, she decided she wanted to run the company herself. At the time, women didn’t really have any civil rights, but widows were free from these restrictions and allowed to run their own companies. In 1805, she became France’s first business woman. She served an apprenticeship and proved to be more than capable of running, what today is one of the world's largest luxury champagne houses. It wasn’t easy, almost going bankrupt early on, but she had vision and determination. With great foresight and ingenious planning, she created an identity for champagne outside of France. She broke into the Russian luxury market and with the help of her head salesman, secured the company's future almost overnight. Further expansion made her wines the toast to have in high society across the globe. She handled everything from international strategy to wine production.
She was also instrumental in creating the first vintage champagne in 1810 and improved the process by which champagne was made clear by the invention of the riddling table in 1816. In 1818, she created the first blended rosé champagne by using their pinot noir grapes, instead of elderberry, which was just for colouring, resulting in the beautiful and complex rosé champagnes that we know and love today.
When she died, the world's press paid tribute to her, calling her ‘La Grande Dame de la Champagne’. Despite all this, wine has long been a male-dominated industry, but there have always been amazing women creating beautiful wines the world over, with innovation, passion and talent, so let's try some.
Veuve Cliquot - Madame Clicquot: The "grande dame of Champagne" www.veuveclicquot.com
Wine Pro Tip
Rather than a tip this month, I am suggesting some books from excellent female wine experts and writers.
The 24 Hour Wine Expert – Jancis Robinson
Jancis is wine royalty and has written some seriously impressive wine books, but she has managed to condense wine knowledge into an easy-reading book. It’s not dumbed down in anyway and will help you learn the difference between your Claret and your Beaujolais.
Corker – A Deeply Unserious Wine Book – Hannah Crosbie
Hannah is a relatively new girl on the block compared to Jancis, but don’t let that fool you. She has written for several publications; her latest is as the wine writer for the Guardian. This may be titled ‘A Deeply Unserious Wine Book’, but she clearly knows her stuff and recommends wines for every occasion you can think of and then some. Described as funny, original and irreverent.
Wine Taste Pair Pour – Charlotte Kristensen
Charlotte is a wine columnist, communicator and educator. This book is a more in-depth look at all things wine. Pairing wines with food, buying wine, storing wine and choosing wine. A great book to dip in and out of and increase your own knowledge.
Recommendations
I have already talked about the wines from the English wine producer Nyetimber. They make some incredible wines. Their head winemaker, Cherie Spriggs, was the first person outside of champagne and the first woman to be awarded ‘Sparkling Wine Maker of the Year’ in 2018. I haven’t met a bottle of Nyetimber sparkling wine I didn’t like, so my recommendation is try them all! They are readily available in most supermarkets and wine shops. You won’t be disappointed.
Cantinas, Martín Códax – Albariño 2022
I do love an Albariño, it’s a bright, refreshing, summer-in-a-glass type of wine. The lady behind this wine, Katia Alvarez, is one of Spain’s top winemakers. This wine has been aged on the lees for 6 months, giving it a richer flavour than most Albarinos. The vines are 100 metres above sea level, allowing the grapes to gain a more intense flavour due to the slower maturation. It has beautiful, rich stone fruit and pastry aromas, tasting lovely with a mineral finish. Perfect with salads, seafood and grilled fish.
Majestic wine £19.99 (£15.99 mixed 6 price)
Emma Marris Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Emma Marris comes from a multigenerational winemaking family, but she is using her training and education and groundbreaking techniques to make her single vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This wine tastes more expensive than its price point, with fresh green apple and citrus aromas and flavours.
Majestic wine £15.99 (£11.99 mixed 6 price)
Mythral Cotes de Provence Rosé 2023
A collaboration between Majestic themselves and winemaker Noémie Delavigne who trained in Champagne and has worked in some of France’s finest wine regions. This beautiful, salmon pink-hued Provence rosé is a wine I regularly buy. It works perfectly with many types of food, but especially shellfish, but is great on its own. Lovely fresh red berries, stone fruit and citrus.
Majestic wine £15.99 (£11.00 mixed 6 price)
Cin cin et salute a tutti,
Ange
Hungry for more?
Read up on the latest news, delicious eats, travel treats and seasonal style trends in FEATURES, or browse a curated selection of our FEATURED PRODUCTS, meander through our guide to the finest things to do in Cheshire and beyond in WHATS ON or partake in our COMPETITIONS.
About The CHESHIRE Magazine
We are the definitive guide to luxury lifestyle in the North West. Latest news, delicious eats, travel treats and seasonal style trends. The Cheshire Magazine is the largest luxury lifestyle title for the North West of England, dropping directly through the letterboxes of VIP subscribers from the Wirral to Greater Manchester plus all the villages and towns in between and digitally available as a subscription in print and digital on issuu.com worldwide. We specialise in connecting luxury brands to likeminded consumers.
If you are interested on how you can partner with The CHESHIRE Magazine, read more about us. Or get in touch to find out more about marketing, featuring or partnering with the Cheshire Magazine in print or online.
