In celebration of Women’s History Month, Wine ConneXtion will be profiling several women-owned wineries and female winemakers. We start off with the entrepreneurial women of the Sonoma region who are surely inspiring future generations of women in wine.

Courtney Foley of Chalk Hill

Courtney Foley brings a decade of experience in enology, viticulture, winery general management and industry commercial understanding to Chalk Hill. Courtney leads the Estate Vineyards and Winery team with complete respect and appreciation for the property and its bounty. A second generation vintner, Courtney Foley is the youngest daughter of Chalk Hill Estate Proprietors Bill and Carol Foley, who purchased the iconic Sonoma County property in 2010. As her family’s home for nearly ten years, Courtney has been surrounded by and fallen in love with Chalk Hill Estate’s culture of wine, farm-to-table food, and the strong connection it has with family and friends. (biography taken from chalkhill.com)

Pick up a bottle of Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, $16.99
Winemaker notes: Subtle gold tones shine through in this 2018 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Hints of baking spices and warm apple pie meld together to meet the nose. The fruit manifests rich textural body with extended notes of toasted hazelnut, vanilla custard and crème brulee that rein in the perfect balance of acidity and minerality.

Kim Stare-Wallace of Dry Creek

Joining the winery in 1987 as Director of Marketing, one of her first achievements was the creation of nautical labels for Dry Creek Vineyard’s wines, an unprecedented move that has indelibly linked the winery to sailboats in consumer’s minds. In the mid-nineties, Kim took on the increased responsibility of Vice President of the winery, involved in all decisions affecting the quality of the Dry Creek Vineyard experience and winery operations. In 2011, Kim became President of Dry Creek Vineyard. Her vision for the future of this dynamic family business is clear – to honor the past while innovating for the future to come. (biography taken from drycreekvineyard.com)

Pick up a bottle of Dry Creek Chenin Blanc, $11.99
Winemaker notes: This beautiful wine is wonderfully consistent vintage after vintage. At first swirl, aromatics of passionfruit, lime and candied lemon spring forward from the glass with notes of orange blossom, jasmine and melon. On the palate, the wine is refreshing with flavors of lemon curd, mango and passionfruit with hints of hibiscus. The mouthfeel is lively but rich, with a voluptuous texture. 100% stainless steel fermentation guarantees the fresh fruit character that fans of this wine have come to appreciate over the years. This classic, Loire Valley-style wine is excellent when paired with fresh oysters, seafood, or just about anything!

Pick up a bottle of Dry Creek Fumé Blanc, $11.99
Winemaker notes: Our 48th vintage of Fumé Blanc is a beautiful wine that emanates the classic Dry Creek Vineyard “house” style of Sauvignon Blanc. At first swirl, aromatics of Meyer lemon, kaffir lime, guava, pineapple and grapefruit leap forward from the glass with nuances of cucumber, lemongrass and white pepper. On the palate, the wine is bright and refreshing with flavors of Meyer lemon, kaffir lime, passionfruit and white peach with underlying minerality and hints of fresh cut grass and jalapeño. This wine is mouthwatering and delicious with lovely intensity and a clean, pure finish.

Sarah Quider of Ferrari-Carano

Under the guidance of Executive Winemaker Sarah Quider, Ferrari-Carano has emerged as a name synonymous with quality and excellence. Sarah began her winemaking career at Ferrari-Carano in 1995, when she was hired as a harvest intern. Sarah then worked at Jordan Vineyards and Winery from 1999 to 2003, while also completing a degree in Viticulture and Enology from the University of California, Davis. Sarah returned to Ferrari-Carano in 2003 as assistant winemaker, and was quickly promoted to associate winemaker in charge of the Russian River White Wine Program. Now as executive winemaker, Sarah is responsible for all Ferrari-Carano’s Wine Programs. (biography taken from ferrari-carano.com)

Pick up a bottle of Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon, $24.99
Winemaker notes: This full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon comes from mountain-grown fruit in Alexander Valley and never disappoints.

Pick up a bottle of Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc, $11.99
Winemaker notes: One of the first two wines Ferrari‐Carano ever made 40 years ago, our Fumé Blanc is comprised of Sauvignon Blanc grapes from Sonoma County.

Pick up a bottle of Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay, $17.99
Winemaker notes: This Chardonnay delights with aromas of citrus, white peach, orange blossom, vanilla, graham cracker and butter perfectly balanced by vibrant and refreshing flavors of Meyer lemon, minerality, cinnamon and pears. Lingering creamy and toasted oak notes round out the finish.

Pick up a bottle of Ferrari-Carano SIENA Red Blend, $17.99
Winemaker notes: SIENA has delicious aromas of toasted graham cracker, plum, raspberry and mocha that lead to flavors of baked cherry pie, vanilla bean, cola and spice with sweet oak notes and hints of butterscotch lingering on the finish. SIENA has supple tannins and a balanced mouthfeel with lively elegance and depth.

Maggie Kruse of Jordan Winery

Maggie Kruse joined Jordan Winery as enologist in 2006, and after promotions to assistant winemaker and associate winemaker over a decade, she became head winemaker in 2019. As winemaker at Jordan, Kruse oversees all aspects of managing the day-to-day operations in the cellars, including quality control experiments, fermentation monitoring, tank and lot organizing, selecting and inspecting barrels, blending, batonnage, selecting corks and bottles, bottling and labeling. She works closely with Dana Grande and Brent Young on guiding the grapes from the vineyard to the winery. Her dedication to quality has taken her to Portugal several times to learn about cork-making and to the forests of Bordeaux to study barrel-crafting. (biography taken from jordanwinery.com)

Pick up a bottle of Jordan Winery Chardonnay, $29.99
Winemaker notes: Its elegant palate reveals flavors of lemon, Asian pear and kumquat with a beautiful weight and roundness—all supported by an attractive, crisp backbone of acidity. A lingering finish laced in succulent citrus begs you to take another sip.

Pick up a bottle of Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, $52.99
Winemaker notes: Modeled after a First Growth Bordeaux, Jordan is a classic California Cabernet Sauvignon that has been considered one of Sonoma’s best Cabernet Sauvignons for four decades due to an unwavering commitment to food-friendly wines of balance and elegance.