CELEBRATING WOMEN IN WINE
In celebration of International Women’s Day 2022, The Merrion is delighted to showcase a selection of wines from women winemakers who are making their mark in their industry.
For the month of March and April, our wine list features a selection of winemakers from across the globe and their award-winning wines. We hope you enjoy this specially chosen selection of wines and the stories of the women behind them.
WHITE WINES |
Gls | Btl |
|---|---|---|
| Rueda Verdejo, Legar del Rey, Castile-Léon, Spain 2020 | €9.50 | €39 |
| Quincy Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine Mardon, Loire Valley, France 2020 | €12 | €49 |
| Alvarinho Reserva Santos da Casa, Vinho Verde, Portugal 2019 | €13.50 | €54 |
| Bourgogne-Chardonnay, Domaine Aline Beauné, Burgundy 2019 | – | €58 |
| Crozes-Hermitage white, Domaine Aléofane, Rhône Valley, France 2020 | – | €69 |
| Chablis 1er Cru “Mont de Milieu,”, Domaine Laurence Race, Burgundy 2018 | – | €74 |
| Montagny 1er Cru “Chazelle”, Domaine Aline Beauné, Burgundy 2018 | – | €85 |
| Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru “Les Vergelesses”, Domaine F. André, Burgundy 2016 | – | €98 |
| Meursault “Clos des Meix Chavaux”, Domaine F. Gaunoux, Burgundy 2018 | – | €130 |
| St Romain “le Jarron”, Róisín Curley, Burgundy 2018 | – | €130 |
ALINE BEAUNÉ, Domaine Aline Beauné, Burgundy, France
After 15 years at the helm of Chateau de la Cree, Aline Beaune decided in 2018 it was time to do it
for herself. Her wines are so well made – fine and elegant. Aline is definitely a winemaker to watch.
NATACHA CHAVE, Domaine Aléofane, Rhône Valley, France
Natacha Chave studied philosophy before venturing into winemaking. Starting out with two small plots in Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage in the Rhône Valley region, she made her first vintage in 2004. Aléofane translates as a “gem of truth” and is a reflection of Natacha’s expression of Syrah. A true labour of love, vineyard work is meticulously done by hand, everything is organic and wines are bottled with no fining or filtration.
LAURIANE ANDRÉ, Domaine Francois André, Côte de Beaune, France
Set over 7.5 hectares in the northerly Côte de Beaune, Françoise and Michel realised their dream of producing wines that reflect their land, people, and place, or as Françoise puts it, “we are now very happy to drink our own wines.” In 2009, their daughter-in-law Lauriane André continues the vision of the domaine to produce wines of finesse and elegance.
CLAUDINE GAUNOUX, Domaine Francois Ganoux, Burgundy, France
François passed the baton to daughter Claudine Gaunoux to manage the domaine and run the family estate. A talented winemaker with a strong character, there’s no surprise that her wines are immense and full of personality.
ROISÍN CURLEY, Domaine Roisín Curley, Burgundy, France
Roisín Curley is an Irish winemaker and micro-négociant who makes small-scale wines in Burgundy.
A Pharmacist from County Mayo, Róisín trained in some of France’s finest vineyards including Château Latour and Château Grillet. In 2015 Róisín’s ambition to make wine of her own brought her to her favourite wine region, Burgundy. There she started her micro-négociant business, Maison Róisín Curley, working with her favourite grap varieties, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With a preference for organically grown fruit she focuses on buying high quality grapes from small parcels grown and cared for by conscientious growers. Róisín’s winemaking philosophy has traditional influences and minimal intervention, producing elegant wines that express where they come from and who has nurtured them along the way.
HELENE MARDON, Domaine Mardon, Loire Valley, France
The Mardon family has been producing wine in the Loire Valley since the early 19th century. Returning to the estate in 2002, Hélène Mardon is proud to carry on the family tradition and runs the Domaine with its cellar literally below the house. Practicing organic viticulture, Domaine Mardon has a hands-off winemaking approach.
CLAIRE RACE, Domaine Laurence Race, Burgundy France
Located in the heart of the city of Chablis, this 18-hectare family-owned estate is today in the hands of fourth-generation Claire Race, winemaker and daughter of Denis and Laurence Race. The farming is organic (lutte raisonée), and the vines range in age up to 83 years. Purity is the principal objective – fruit is picked at optimum ripeness and wine is fermented and aged in stainless steel.
RED WINES |
Gls | Btl |
|---|---|---|
| Alentejano Santos Da Casa, Alentejo, Portugal 2018 | €9.50 | €39 |
| Dolcetto d’Alba, Virna Borgogno, Piedmont, Italy 2020 | €11 | €42 |
| Faugères, Domaine Ollier, Grand Reserve, Languedoc, France 2018 | €12 | €51 |
| Mendoza Malbec, Susana Balbo, Uco Valley, Argentina 2018 | – | €61 |
| Crozes-Hermitage, Domaine Aléofane, Rhône Valley France 2020 | – | €65 |
| Barbera D’Alba, Elio Altare, Piedmont, Italy 2020 | – | €70 |
| Barolo Noi, Virna Borgogno, Piedmont, Italy 2016 | – | €92 |
| Savigny-les-Beaune “Les Bourgeots”, Domaine S. Bize, Burgundy, France 2017 | – | €96 |
| La Réserve de Léoville-Barton, Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France 2014 | – | €110 |
| Côte de Nuits-Villages “Au Clou”, Róisín Curley, Burgundy, France 2019 | – | €130 |
| Château Langoa-Barton Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France 2009 | – | €180 |
| Barolo DOCG Arborina, Elio Altare, Piedmont, Italy 2015 | – | €235 |
| Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru “Derrière la Grange”, Amiot Servelle, Burgundy, France 2018 | – | €395 |
VIRNA BORGOGNO, Piedmont, Italy
A descendant of one of the most famous Langhe families in Barolo region, Virna’s wines are all about the land, the history, and the traditions of her ancestors. She is the first woman in Italy to have received her degree in Winemaking Technique (Enologica Tecnica) from the University of Turin. Virna combines tradition with feminine sensibility, education, and “know how” from growing up in a wine making family. Together with her sister, Ivana, the Borgogno women manage a meticulous cellar combining tradition with clean, modern wine making practices.
SUSANA BALBO, Uco Valley, Argentina
One of Argentina’s most respected and influential winemakers, Susana Balbo holds a wide array of achievements from being Argentina’s first female oenologist to serving three times as president of Wines of Argentina. She is perhaps best known as the ‘Queen of Torrontés’ for her contributions in developing Argentina’s indigenous white grape variety. After almost two decades working for wineries in Argentina and as a consultant globally, Susana founded Susana Balbo Wines in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza in 1999. Today both her son and daughter have joined her in the family business.
CHISA BIZE, Domaine Simon Bize, Burgundy France
Chisa Bize took over the direction of Domaine Simon Bize in 2013 following the untimely death of her husband and Simon’s great-grandson, Patrick Bize. Originally from Tokyo, it was Chisa who encouraged Patrick to move to organic and biodynamic viticulture, and today she and Patrick’s sister Marielle manage the estate together. With a total of six premier crus in the village of Savigny-lès-Beaune, Chisa’s wines are of exceptional quality.
LILIAN BARTON SARTORIUS, Château Langoa-Barton Saint-Julien, Bordeaux, France
Barton Family is one of the most famous names in Bordeaux region. Lilian, a 9th generation winemaker, joined her father’s merchant business ‘Les Vins Fins Anthony Barton’, at aged 22 and obtained the DUAD wine tasting diploma at the University of Bordeaux. For over 30 years, they grew the family business together dividing their time between Saint Julien vineyards and the merchant company. Lilian is now at the helm and has since been joined by her husband Michel Sartorius and two children, Mélanie and Damien.
Alzira dos Santos, Santos & Seixo, Portugal
Santos & Seixo is a dual family company. Alzira dos Santos and Pedro Seixo had the dream of pursuing their family inheritance and devoting themselves wholeheartedly to wine. In 2010, the dream became a reality with their first harvest in Douro and Alentejo, the most emblematic regions in Portugal. With limited productions from the best grape varieties and careful aging in French oak barrels, everything is done to maintain the authenticity of the grapes.
Francoise Ollier, Domaine Ollier-Taillefer, Languedoc, France
Domaine Ollier-Taillefer is a family-owned estate in the north-eastern part of the AOC Faugères appellation in central Languedoc, Southern France. With 36 hectares of vineyards, the Domaine is run by brother and sister, Luc and Françoise Ollier, 5th generation wine-makers. Now fully converted to organic and biodynamic methods, grapes are harvested by hand and fermented mostly with natural yeast.
Silvia Altare, Elio Altare, Piedmont, Italy
Siliva joined her parents, Elio and Lucia in 2003 and leads the winery’s evolution. A family with lots of exciting ideas and projects on the go including winemaking in Cinqueterre, Liguria; restoring an old abandoned village in Castelmagno; cheesemaking in Castelmagno; growing medicinal herbs; making sparkling wine in the higher Langa hills and growing organic vegetables and fruits.
Prune Servelle, Domaine Amiot Servelle, Burgundy, France
Having obtained her oenology diploma in 2004, Prune gained valuable experience working in Cote Rotie and Maison Jaffelin in Beaune where she was in charge of vinification. In 2011, she returned to work with her parents at the Domaine and in 2020 took over the management of the estate alongside her brother Antoine. Prune takes charge of viticulture and vinification resulting in an extra level of finesse apparent in recent vintages. With an enviable portfolio of wines from 12 appellations with choice premiers crus and 2 grand crus, their aim is to treat the vineyard with respect to obtain fruit of incredible quality. The vineyards became certified organic in 2008.
Wines available to order in The Garden Room Restaurant from our specially curated Women in Wine list, throughout March and April, in celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th.
For more information or to make a booking please call + 353 (0) 1 6030608 or email dining@merrionhotel.com