Part II: Inspiring Women in the Wine and Spirits Industry

The talented women featured here — Anne Trimbach, Giulia Zingarelli, Patricia Tóth, and Natalie Christensen — are writing the new playbook on how to evolve in an ever-shifting landscape. From helping steward a multi-generational fine wine legacy to pioneering highly sustainable viticulture to mentoring up-and-coming women in the wine industry, they bring remarkable dedication, creativity, and innovation to their roles.

Anne Trimbach: Maison Trimbach

Anne Trimbach was born into winemaking. Part of the Trimbach family’s 13th(!) generation, she grew up amidst their bustling wine business — Trimbach has been the United States’ #1 Still Wine Alsace Producer since 1978, and their classic Riesling is the #1 wine from Alsace.*

Though Anne’s education took her around the globe — first to study economics at Prepa HEC in Strasbourg before earning her master’s degree in Dijon, Burgundy — she always knew she would return home to work alongside her family.

“Our history spans almost 400 years. Each member of our family has contributed to the growth and success of our winery and name,” Anne says. “It’s sentimental value but also responsibility to preserve this legacy. It’s our DNA.”

In 2008, Anne formally joined the business as a winemaker and Trimbach ambassador. These roles have enabled her to become deeply connected to the entire winemaking process from vineyard to consumer. They have also given her valuable insight into why Trimbach wines have become renowned worldwide.

“I’m just back from a tasting day and lunch with some Alsace sommeliers and great chefs. What has come out is what always comes out — the wines are extremely well balanced, so pure, so elegant, so vibrant. They have a unique energy, a unique dry style, and they pair well with many kinds of cuisines,” she says. “I have heard many times that what I do when I travel, meaning spreading the Trimbach message, is an easy job, as people immediately fall in love with what they taste in the glass.”

Anne’s other “job” is being a mom, and it has a profound impact on how she approaches her work at Trimbach.

“One of my goals is for our winery to continue to have a strong backbone to be able to transmit the jewel we have in our hands to the next generation, and that when they take over, they have the tools and the means they need to continue.”

Giulia Zingarelli: Rocca delle Macìe

From the beginning, Giulia Zingarelli was eager to join her family’s acclaimed Tuscan winery, Rocca delle Macìe. Right after high school, she started working at the estate and attending business trips with her father, Sergio Zingarelli. Today, she focuses mainly on hospitality at the Fizzano estate’s Relais and restaurant.

“Being part of the third generation of my family’s winery is both a great responsibility and a source of immense pride,” Giulia says. “My grandfather and father worked hard to build a solid foundation, and now it’s my turn to carry on their dream while preserving the values of quality and tradition they passed down to me.

“Together with my brother Andrea, we’re trying to blend tradition with innovation, introducing new technologies and sustainable practices to make the business more modern and forward-thinking, while still maintaining the authenticity that sets us apart.”

Like her grandfather and father before her, Giulia remains a proud advocate for the Chianti Classico region. She has a clear vision of how Rocca delle Macìe, and the region, can stay relevant and continue to excel in the face of industry changes.

“I imagine that Chianti Classico will continue to evolve, becoming more focused on quality, innovation, and environmental preservation,” Giulia says. “To attract modern wine consumers, I believe we need to focus on greater transparency about our production methods, more eco-friendly packaging, and more direct, engaging communication — possibly through social media — to create a more personal connection with our clients and the many fans of our wines.”

That personal connection is important to Giulia, and she believes it stems, in part, from her unique perspective as a woman.

“Women tend to have an empathetic approach and a keen attention to detail, qualities that are essential both in production and in customer relations,” she notes. “My perspective allows me to approach the business in a more creative and flexible way, with a strong focus on continuous improvement and the relationships we build with everyone who comes into contact with our world.”

Her advice for other women looking to start careers in the wine industry? “Follow your passions and never give up in the face of obstacles. The wine world needs more female voices, and there is space for everyone.”

Patricia Tóth: Planeta

Patricia Tóth has spent the last 20 years honing her craft as a winemaker. Born and raised in Hungary, she graduated from the University of Corvinus in Budapest with a degree in Food Science, specializing in wine, beer, and spirits. Following her love of wine, she worked at a few well-known wineries in Hungary and northern Italy before collaborating with Sicily’s renowned, family-run Planeta winery in 2005.

What started out as a six-month contract turned into a career, with Patricia joining Planeta’s winemaking team full time in 2009.

“I feel lucky,” she says of her experience at Planeta. “It has been 20 extremely active, adventurous, intense, and inspiring years. Our wines bring the soul of the difficult spots where they are produced — you might think Sicily is a homogenous land, but it is a mosaic of a thousand resources, colors, soils, and varieties. With this richness, it is easy to produce inspiring wines.”

Alongside her winemaking role at Planeta, Patricia has become a key part of the SOStain program which, she explains, is “a certification program shaped to measure the improvement of sustainable farming year by year.

“Today the program is managed by Fondazione SOStain, where the group of the certified producers also works on bringing important projects to life, such as, the lightweight bottle produced from recycled glass: all the procedure, recycling, plus production are realized within the island, which means a huge carbon footprint cut.”

SOStain’s mission aligns perfectly with one of Patricia’s favorite aspects of winemaking. “Passion for plants and microbiology brought me to the field, but after 20+ years, what I enjoy the most is to observe and participate in the development of complex agricultural systems,” she says.

Patricia advises aspiring women winemakers to “prepare your backpack with a good portion of resilience, capacity to listen, and try to surround yourself with men who simply do not have in their dictionary the expression ‘different opportunities’ for women.

“And most importantly, keep a strong connection with the plants, they can teach a lot. Every minute of the journey will help you grow.”

Natalie Christensen: Yealands

With nearly two decades of experience in the wine industry, Natalie Christensen has had an incredibly impressive start to her career. Before becoming head winemaker at Yealands, she earned a Graduate Diploma in Enology from the Eastern Institute of Technology in Hawke’s Bay, where she graduated top of her class.

In 2018, The Drinks Business named Natalie one of the World’s Most Influential Women in Wine, and in 2023, she won the International Wine Challenge’s White Winemaker of the Year. True to her down-to-earth nature, she shares the honor with her team.

“Winning a trophy like that, at one of the world’s largest wine competitions, brings a real sense of pride and camaraderie to the team,” she says. “This award was particularly special for us as it recognized our strength in making quality white wines across multiple varieties.”

Speaking of white wine, it’s certainly having a moment — SipSource reports that white wine sales have officially eclipsed red with sauvignon blanc, Yealands’ signature grape variety, showing an 8.5% growth rate. Natalie credits the winery’s land and people with making Yealands’ wines so special.

“I believe it’s a combination of our beautiful coastal location and the people who work with the vines and the wines,” she says. “Our vineyard is right on the coast in the Awatere Valley in Marlborough, and the fruit from this site is always very intense and has a lovely salty minerality. Our team is like one big family — we all love this site and the wines we make, and I think this really shines through into your glass.”

When she’s not making wine herself, Natalie takes pride in being a mentor for up-and-coming women in the industry. Her message to them is pure encouragement: “Get into it! The industry is very close and supportive, and people are generally very helpful, so if you’re interested, just reach out to someone that you admire and ask them any of your burning questions.”

Click here to read Part I, featuring four inspiring women from Saracina Vineyards, The Shed Distillery, and Invivo X, SJP.

*Circana MULO+Convenience+Liquor w/e 12/01/2024