The Australian Women in Wine Awards (AWIWA) has released a wine called hear me roar, the world’s first wine produced by women, where 100% of the profits will go to assisting women to flourish and succeed in their chosen profession within the wine industry.
The wine has been blended by four of Australia’s top female winemakers in Sue Hodder of Wynn’s Coonawarra Estate, Emma Norbiato of Calabria Family Wines, Rebekah Richardson of Irvine Wines and Corrina Wright of Oliver’s Taranga.
Blended from parcels in the Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Eden Valley and McLaren Vale regions of South Australia, hear me roar is a 2018 Shiraz, which is expected to be released this Thursday, 21 February. It is described as “medium-bodied in style highlighting beautiful, bright fruit, a layered palate and fine velvety tannins to finish”.
Quantities are strictly limited and a minimum order of six bottles is required, with free Australia-wide delivery. Pre-orders are available, via the Irvine Wines website. Irvine Wines have generously funded the project thus far.
All proceeds from the sale of the wine will go towards scholarships, mentoring programs and professional development for women in the Australian wine industry, with information on how to apply and the selection criteria to be made available in June.
Jane Thomson, founder and chair of the AWIWA, said: “This is an exciting next stage in the way we are able to support Australian women in wine. While the awards continue to provide an important platform to champion the success of women, we also recognise that more action is needed to retain women in all roles of the industry at greater levels. Releasing this wine is a means of generating the funding we need to make that happen.”
AWIWA Advisory Board member, Toni Carlino added: “I am proud of the 20 plus years I have spent working in our wine community but it pains me to realise that even though we have gender parity at winemaker graduation (almost 50/50), by the time you spend a few years in the profession, that number drops dramatically. Today, less than 10 per cent of our winemakers and viticulturists are female. Let alone at senior levels of winemaking, marketing and business leadership where the numbers are woeful.
“We are all passionate about seeing women succeed in our industry and we have also managed to create a wine which not only tastes great, but also supports a fantastic cause. All profit from the sale of the wine will support women in the industry.”
Rebekah Richardson, of Irvine Wines, said that while the winemakers who volunteered their time and expertise have been integral to the project, it’s been the involvement of so many other people and companies in the Australian wine community that have brought hear me roar into existence. “The amount of support received has been fantastic,” said Rebekah. “And it’s a great reminder of what we as an Australian wine community can do when we come together.”
Those companies who have donated services and products to create hear me roar include:
- denomination – label design
- Irvine Wines – winemaking, production and sales support
- Wynns Coonawarra Estate – wine and winemaking
- Calabria Family Wines – wine and winemaking
- Prowine – bottling
- Visy – cartons
- Vinpac International – caps
- Multi-Color Global Label Solutions – labels
Originally published on www.theshout.com.au
Story by Andy Young
