Taking into account all these findings, in recent years the trend is to seek alternatives to promote gender balance in the different human activities. The goal is to offer everyone the possibility to develop themselves regardless of their gender. The world of wine has a lot to contribute to it and Mendoza is a fertile ground for more women each year to step up in the production chain. In this article you will get to know about some interesting initiatives to strengthen women in the industry and the industry through its women.
The Wine Professional Women’s Club
Little by little, women working in the wine industry of Mendoza got to know each other and created networks. They realized that they could count on each other and collaborate on many issues to make their tasks easier. This informal interaction grew stronger and on October 1st, 2015, Estela Perinetti, from Las Estelas Wines, and María Laura Ortiz Chiavetta, from Winifera Consultants, decided to create a space for networking and professional growth: the Club of Wine Professional Women (CMPV) was born.
At the beginning, Laura and Estela invited their closest colleagues to join them. The first meeting brought together relevant women from the industry. Most of those pioneers are part of the current Board of Directors. That meeting showed that there were many more women in the activity. Over the time more women joined the initiative. Today, the Wine Professionals Women’s Club is made up of more than 130 specialists, oenologists and agronomists who lead the first or second line of command in wineries and vineyards of Mendoza. They all share other essential characteristics to collaborate: professionalism and generosity. The participation in the Club is free of charge.
The Club currently has a WhatsApp group for daily consultations on technical content, suppliers; bottling and harvesting; research on scientific advances; climate risks, changes in legislation, export regulations, etc. In addition, they organize meetings focused on topics of professional interest and technical tastings in different venues offered by the participants themselves.
Since 2018 the Wine Professional Women’s Club also holds an exclusive meeting with relevant international wine critics for its members.
María Laura Ortiz Chiavetta tells us that “the essential idea is to empower women in the industry and make visible the work of the women behind each wine. Spread the spirit of generosity to the new generations as well as stimulate the hiring of women for command positions”.
In the coming years, the club’s goals will continue to be the empowerment of women with the defense of their rights in the industry, equal pay and professional respect. They also consider it important to spread the word about the association in order to create more international recognition.
To contact the Club of Wine Professional Women (CMPV) visit https://www.linkedin.com/company/club-de-mujeres-profesionales-del-vino/
The founders of the CMPV
Estela Perinetti and María Laura Ortiz Chiavetta
Estela Perinetti
Estela Perinetti is an agricultural engineer, owner and founder of Las Estelas Wines, her personal project that began in 2019 after working with Nicolás Catena at Escorihuela Gascón, Luca, La Posta Wines. She directed Bodegas Caro for 12 years (Winery that unites Catena with Domaines Barons de Rothshild Lafite). In addition, she currently works as a consultant on various other projects.
Maria Laura Ortiz Chiavetta
Academy Chair at The World’s Best Vineyards, Member of the GWC International Experts Panel, Country Ambassador of International Wine Challenge, Executive Director of Global Women of Wine and South American producer of Tim Atkin MW .
The wine enthusiasts
Wine is in Mendoza’s DNA and Mendoza women grow up in the world of wine in one way or another. For this reason, many of them enjoy learning more about wine even if they are on other fields.
Thus, in 2013, a group of women -that included winemakers Adriana Martínez and Silvia Avagnina- created AMUVA, Argentine Women’s Wine Association. It was the first non-profit civil association in the country to bring together women wine enthusiasts.
Its main purpose is to promote the contribution of women in the cultural, professional and social spheres to develop the wine and wine tourism industries and their people with environmental and sustainability awareness.
The association is made up of members from different professions and occupations. Its current president is Cristina Pandolfi, a renowned agronomist and jury of international competitions.
A.MU.V.A. promotes wine and its culture, as well as the awareness about moderate and responsible wine consumption. To reach its goals, it proposes visits to wineries and vineyards, practical experiences related to wine and different kind of trainings.
Every year it also awards the A.MU.V.A. Distinctions to recognize the job of outstanding women in different areas. The ceremony is organized within the framework of the commemoration of the International Women’s Day on March 8th. This is an homage to make visible the contribution of these valuable women to the world of wine and wine tourism of Mendoza.
AMUVA is a member of the World Network of Women in Wine (WOMEN IN WINE WORLDWIDE) that was created in 2019 at the initiative of Le Donne del Vino from Italy. The Network held two face-to-face meetings in occasion of the International Oenology and Bottling Machinery Show (SIMEI) in 2018 and 2022 and a virtual one due to the closure imposed by the COVID pandemic in 2019.
In November 2022, AMUVA signed an agreement with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Mendoza to contribute to the planning, execution, monitoring and evaluation of the tourism and cultural policies of the Province. The purpose of this agreement is to promote wine culture and wine tourism with the support of professional women in the sector.
To contact AMUVA please write to amuvaargentina@gmail.com
Or visit: Facebook: AMUVA Asociación Mujeres del Vino de Argentina
IG: amuvaargentina
Presidents of AMUVA, the first and the current one
Adriana Martínez
Adriana Martínez has a degree in Oenology, owner of Mythos Wines and representative of Famille Sylvain Groupe in Argentina. She is a jury of national and international wine competitions. She participated in the creation of AMUVA in 2013.
Cristina Pandolfi
Cristina Pandolfi is an agricultural engineer. She currently chairs AMUVA (Association of Women of Wine of Argentina) and serves as vice president of the Oenology Section of the Argentine Academy of Vine and Wine. She worked for 42 years at the National Institute of Viticulture in various positions. She has participated in multiple national and international competitions as a jury, as a director and as an expert delegate of the OIV and the World Federation of Major International Wine Competitions (VINOFED).
Institutional awareness and commitment to reduce the gender gap in the wine industry
Just as women spontaneously promote collaboration and change, from the institutional point of view, Wines of Argentina also proposes initiatives and tools to reduce the gender gap.
Mendoza is headquarters of Wines of Argentina (WofA), the institution that since 1993 promotes the brand and country image of the ARGENTINE WINE in the world.
Since 2021 Magdalena Pesce leads WofA as general manager. Her management has emphasized the visibility of the role of women and their fundamental contribution to the growth of the sector. Over these years WofA has carried out various actions, including workshops on gender perspective, responsible communication, awareness talks and the participation in the first study to diagnose the situation of women in the industry. This survey was carried out by amfori and Bodegas de Argentina, the business chamber that brings together the main wineries in the country. It should be noted that both Bodegas de Argentina and amfori are headed by women, Patricia Freuler from Fincas Patagónicas S.A. and Linda Kromjong respectively.
WofA is commited to be an agent of change towards a sustainable and inclusive culture committed to equal opportunities in the world of wine. For this reason, it created the Women of Argentina platform and, as a first measure, adhered to the UN Principles of Women’s Empowerment (WEPs). Thus, WofA is the first Wines of in the world to assume this commitment towards equal opportunities at work, in the market and in the community.
The commitment implies working towards the following objectives:
1. Strengthen the role of women in the sector
2. Break gender stereotypes
3. Share positive equity practices
4. Stimulate respect and visibility
5. Listen and value voices
6. Encourage inclusive leadership
7. Communicate responsibly
8. Be productive, profitable and retain talent
9. Promote equality through example
You can learn more about all this at https://www.winesofargentina.org/es/about-us/women About
Magdalena Pesce
Magdalena Pesce is the General Manager of Wines of Argentina, a mother and a Bachellor in International Relations with an MBA in Wine Marketing & Management. She previously held other positions at WofA such as Marketing Manager and Area Representative for North America and Brazil. Between 2004 and 2009 she lived in Europe working for Oddbins and Saenz Merino. In 2022 she was named Ambassador of the Argentine Country Brand for her contribution to the positioning of Argentine wine abroad.
Notes:
You can read the full Global Gender Gap Index Report at https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2022.pdf
Thanks to María Laura Ortiz, Estela Perinetti, Magdalena Pesce and Cristina Pandolfi for the contributions to this text.
Photo credits: María Laura Ortiz, Cristina Pandolfi, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Magdalena Pesce (WofA)
Text by Carolina Suárez Garcés, institucional@promendoza.com