Women in wine in Beaujolais: portraits of three female winemakers

On Sunday, March 8, women around the world were celebrated on International Women's Day. It was an opportunity to shine a spotlight on some remarkable individuals, women in wine, who are helping to shape the contemporary world of wine. Let's head to Beaujolais with a portrait of three female winemakers who are making waves in this beautiful region.

1. Pauline Passot - Domaine de la Grosse Pierre - Chiroubles

In just a few vintages, Pauline Passot has raised the bar for her wines, following a career path that is unusual for the region: she started out as a sommelier in Lyon and Ireland, then honed her skills during stays in New Zealand and Chile. She took over the entire family estate in 2018 with a winning formula: conversion to organic farming (2024 vintage certified), indigenous yeasts, gentle extraction, and aging in concrete vats, with the aim of bringing out the different terroirs of Chiroubles.

2. Valentine Mathieu - Domaine Valma - Fleurie

Settled here since 2021, new winemakers Valentine and Stéphane Mathieu have managed to get the best out of their Fleurie terroir in just three vintages. The couple benefit from superb plots (La Madone, Chapelle des Bois, Labourons), enhanced by an intuitive and insightful approach to viticulture: conversion to organic farming in 2022, whole-bunch vinification with indigenous yeasts, and aging in old barrels and vats. Valentine and Stéphane quickly found their style, combining richness and spontaneity to temper the power of the vintage. These wines are extremely refined and delicate on the palate.

3. Marine Descombe - Famille Descombe - Saint Etienne des Ouillères

Marine is an energetic figure who is very visible on social media and at all industry events. She is someone who is shaking up the family structure and paying tribute to the great female figures of history. At the helm of Château de Pougelon, a family estate in Beaujolais, alongside her husband Kevin and brother François, she even appears in Forbes magazine's ranking of the 40 women of the year 2024, chosen because they “are talented, inspiring, and have proven themselves in sectors as diverse as business, culture, sports, media, and science.” A beautiful spotlight on Beaujolais.

Women in wine in Beaujolais

A thought for all the other young female winemakers who actively contribute to promoting Beaujolais wines, either alone or with others: Marine Cotton, Célia Rostand, Laura Lardy, Elisa Guerin, Claude-Emmanuelle Desvignes, Sonja Geoffray, France d'Hotelans, Sarah Perrusset, Julie Pitoiset, etc.