WOMEN OF CHAMPAGNE

A woman, in charge of production at a Champagne house? Not so long ago, the idea would have raised many an eyebrow in this traditional region. Happily the wine world has moved on and female chefs de cave and consultants are firmly in place at some of the most prestigious producers. Anne Krebiehl MW highlights the work and philosophies of eight of them

- Anne Krebiehl MW

Something has shifted in Champagne. A raft of recent announcements has put female talent in the spotlight, to an extent never seen before. High-profile appointments at Krug and Taittinger made headlines, but women are now at the helm elsewhere, too: at independent growers, at houses small and large, family- and corporate-owned.

With female figureheads of past legend such as Widow Clicquot, Madame Pommery and Lily Bollinger, it would be all too easy to spin a tale of continuous emancipation; but it would also be wrong. These women were the exceptions that proved the rule. Even if we feel that we should finally be able to move beyond this discussion in 2020, the stats prove that there is still a need to highlight the issue. Across the wine industry, there remains a gender pay gap and a career progression gap: numerous glass ceilings still glisten in the same sunshine that ripens the grapes.

But by the looks of it, things are changing in Champagne. The portraits below say as much about Champagne as a region as they do about these individual women. They have not cut themselves any slack, expecting those same high standards from all of their colleagues, and they place the emphasis on ‘sensibility’ rather than prowess. That in itself creates a more level playing field. Champagne’s future is thus as effervescent as ever.

Julie Cavil

KRUG, CHEF DE CAVE