Women in the Wine World

Winemaker -- Foris Winery

Stephanie Pao is the female creative artiste behind the delicious and stunning wines of Foris Vineyards and Winery.     

Stephanie received a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology from the University of California, San Diego in 1997, and then went on to study viticulture and enology at the University of California, Davis.     

"What drew me to the profession was the opportunity to make both technical and creative decisions, to work in a small business in a rural setting, and because I like food and wine," Stephanie shared.     

Before joining the Foris team, Stephanie spent time at Double Canyon, a custom crush in Washington, and three years with Justin Vineyards and Winery in Paso Robles. Her experience with Pinot Noir includes stints with Bethel Heights and Lemelson in Oregon as well as a season overseas with Dry River Vineyards in Martinborough, New Zealand. Lastly, she was a harvest enologist for the 2008 harvest with Saintsbury in Napa. At Robert Mondavi Winery, Stephanie was a winemaking intern in their reserve wine program for Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.    

She came on board as head winemaker with Foris in 2017.    

 "The opportunity to work with a grower with such depth of experience in a site is rare," Stephanie said. "I look forward to meeting the challenges of the position and am excited about crafting high quality, estate grown wines that will continue to enhance Foris’ reputation both nationally and within Oregon."    

Stephanie loves what she does, champions other women who are interested in the wine business, and encourages them to take a chance.    

 "I think most of us look to some of the earlier women pioneers as women who have led the way for us to enter the profession. But I would definitely encourage women with different backgrounds to consider winemaking as a profession," she said. "Working a harvest to explore your interest is a low commitment way to really get a feel for what the profession requires, and we certainly need people with different educational backgrounds in the industry to bring their minds to new challenges we are facing with climate change, and also to bring their creativity to the craft and work. Women winemakers may be in the minority, but they are really diverse in approach and personality, and that diversity is reflected in the wines they produce and the culture of their cellars. People who stay in the profession do tend to be people that persevere."

Vice President of Finance -

 Trentadue Winery

Maryann Pellegrini, VP of Finance at Trentadue Winery, grew up in the California agriculture business. 

Her family owned a Central Valley farming operation for generations, and Maryann was expected to help with the farm work. Throughout her childhood and on until she graduated high school, Maryann took on a variety of jobs in her family’s business, from driving tractors to eventually taking on administrative work in the farm office, where she reconciled bank accounts, paid bills, and handled payroll.

Maryann discovered she loved accounting and finance. She headed off to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2009, where she double majored with BS degrees in Agricultural Business and Agricultural Science. Her first job took her back to Central Valley to work as an accounting assistant at another local farm. 

She joined the team at Trentadue in 2010 as accounting manager and was quickly promoted to the position of controller. Maryann’s skill and dedication made her a valuable asset to Trentadue. 

Maryann decided to continue her studies, earning her MBA in Wine Business from Sonoma State University in 2017. In 2021, Maryann became Trentadue’s VP of Finance. With a family-owned small business, she has wide-ranging responsibilities, which include all accounting and finance functions of winery and vineyard; annual audit, monthly financial reporting, cash flow and budget forecasting, federal and state compliance, tax reporting, AR/AP, payroll, banking, and lease financing. She also assists in the general management of the overall winery.

Asked what she values above all else about Trentadue, Maryann says, “The team. I enjoy the community of co-workers we have Trentadue.  We’re like one big family.”

And, for women who are interested in pursuing a career in the wine industry, Maryann has one simple piece of advice… don’t stop learning.  

Winemaker -- Graziano Family of Wines

Alexandra Graziano is a second-generation winemaker with a vision to continue growing her family's business and making 

exceptional wines. 

Greg Graziano didn't go easy on his daughter when she was growing up. He set her to work early on, instructing the workers in both the vineyards and winery at Graziano Family of Wines to give Alexandra any work they didn't want to do themselves. 

She learned that the wine business was tough, and she began to think it wasn't what she wanted to do with her life. But, as she got older and discovered more about the family business, Alexandra found that she was developing a passion for winemaking. 

Watch the video to learn more about this young winemaker.

Tasting Room Manager - Keenan Winery

Laura March is a woman of many hats at Keenan Winery. As tasting room manager, her sunny smile makes visitors feel right at home in the warm, family atmosphere. But, when she leaves the tasting room, she steps into her other roles as bookkeeper and direct-to-consumer compliance officer, helping to ensure the smooth operation of the winery’s business.   

Laura was born and raised in St. Helena, and as a grape grower’s daughter she already knew quite a bit about grapes and wine. At 19, she got her first job in the industry on the bottling line at Sutter Home. Laura joined Keenan in 1995 when her then-husband was the cellar master. Her first position was helping part-time in the tasting room. She set about learning everything she could, and eventually took on new roles in the winery’s business. But, even after moving into those positions, Laura still loves her work in the tasting room best.   

“I really love meeting people from all over. Everyone is so happy to be in the valley, makes my job easy,” she says. “I do love educating folks about some misunderstandings in the industry, such as explaining the difference between a California Chardonnay and a Chablis style. I have established many wonderful relationships over the years with our customers. It’s really great to make a little bit of a personal connection with visitors.”  

Those connections are important not only to Laura personally, but she believes they make a difference in promoting Keenan and the wine.  

 “I think in a position such as mine it’s so important to remember you are in the hospitality business. Always treat folks with respect and be friendly. I feel it’s important not to push purchasing. Be polite and let the wine sell itself,” she says.  

If you ever get to Napa, be sure you drop in at Keenan Winery and say hello to Laura!  

Sales Manager -- Château Clamens 

Charlotte Humbolt says that at Château Clamens she is in the business of conviviality. And what could be better than that?   

As the sales manager at Clamens, Charlotte’s main responsibility is to promote the company’s wines all over the world. But the winery is small, so she also must step into other roles as well, like maintaining the winery’s reseller’s network, marketing and communication, and even some of the administrative work.   

Charlotte’s first job in wine was at a Bordeaux merchant in Barsac near Sauternes, where famous sweet wines are produced. She was in charge of scheduling bottlings, bulk purchase contracts, and logistics.   

“It was interesting to see how the big Bordeaux wine merchants work. I learned a lot. But I feel more at home in a small winery,” she says.   

Charlotte hails from a family of wine growers. Her grandparents and great grandparents grew grapes, but by the time she came along her family was unable to maintain their livelihood in the vineyard and all the vines had been torn out.   

When she went to school, Charlotte began studying art history. However, she soon discovered that wasn’t an easy field in which to secure a job. She switched her path to commerce, business management, and accounting, adapted to the agricultural business.  

Charlotte was soon hired at Château Clamens in the Fronton region of France, and she has been with the winery for 10 years. She enjoys the variety in her job, especially loving the marketing side of the business. She believes that it is important for a well-made wine to also have attractive packaging.  

Charlotte has a bit of advice for other women who are interested in getting into some aspect of the wine business:  

 “Go ahead! Even if we sometimes hear that it is a man's job, we are meeting more and more women. And not only, in the Trade. Women winemakers, owners of wineries, oenologists, ... This can only be good for this sector,” she says. “I do not believe at all in the idea that there are ‘women's wines’ (made by women) because it is above all a story of personalities. The only advice I can give is to be yourself no matter what happens. Stay yourself and dare!” 

Direct Sales, Wine Club & Compliance - 

Foris Vineyards & Winery

Like many others who work for small wineries, Heidi Doe is a woman of many hats. She handles direct sales, compliance, wine club, cellar record keeping, and the winery garden at Foris Vineyards and Winery.   

Heidi came to the winery with her mom, Terri, who married winery owner Ted Gerber. In 2004, she began working in the Foris vineyards brushing and tying down. As she gained more experience, her duties grew and became more complex. Now, if you order wine from Foris online or belong to the wine club, you are dealing directly with Heidi.   

While she loves everything she does at Foris, Heidi’s true passion lies in the garden.   

“I really love being able to throw my love for gardening in the mix every year, starting the winery garden from seed,” she says. “It's my favorite time of year!”  

For other women wanting to get into the wine business, Heidi suggests going from the ground up (no pun intended) to learn the whole business.   

“For me, starting out in the vineyard doing brushing and tie down and in the cellar yeast making and assisting the winemaker was the best opportunity for learning from the ground up,” Heidi says. “No matter which part of the industry you are interested in, starting from the ground up will show you a more well-rounded view of the process of wine making from the field, to the bottle, to the shelf.”  

If you get a chance, book a trip to Cave Junction, Oregon, to meet Heidi. You may get a personal tour of the Foris Winery garden.   

U.S. Business Manager, Preston-Layne

Tokar manages business relationships between distributors and key On- and Off-Premises customers primarily in the Northeast and some Mid-Western states.    

Tokar graduated from Tufts University (Medford, MA) in 1991. After a 10-year career in health and fitness, she made the change to the wine industry by joining the US team of Boutinot Ltd. During her eight years there, Tokar gained invaluable import experience and developed and managed distributor relationships with a portfolio focused on French, Italian, and South African wines.     

Tokár joined the Preston-Layne & Partners team in July of 2013.

Direct to Consumer Manager, 

Trentadue Winery

If you attend a wine tasting, join the Wine Club, or take part in a winery event at Trentadue Winery, you will likely meet the effervescent Caitlin Payne.   

As Direct to Consumer Manager, Caitlin handles those duties as well as the winery’s social media account and any other job that touches the winery’s customers directly.   

Caitlin started her career in wine after getting a seasonal summer tasting room job at a winery back in 2012. She went on to become a tasting room associate at Francis Ford Coppola Winery. And, she signed on with Trentadue in June 2018.  

Caitlin’s BA in Psychology from Sacramento State University likely helps her in many aspects of her job at Trentadue, most especially in interacting every day with the winery’s many visitors. This is her favorite part of what she does, and she’s definitely a pro.  

“I love working with people,” she says. “I love being able to introduce people to new wines and the relationships I’ve built with customers over the years.”  

As a successful woman in the wine industry, Caitlin believes other young women have the opportunity to find a career here, too.   

“Go for it! And don’t worry if you feel like you don’t know a lot about wine – most of us started out in the industry that way and learned as we went,” she says. “It’s a very supportive industry and a really fun one to be a part of!”  

If you run into Caitlin when you visit the winery, you might also get to meet the adorable Gunther. Give him a pet for us! 

President/CEO @ Uncorked, LLC

(New Hampshire)

Dianne Carter, President/CEO of Uncorked, LLC, in New Hampshire, made her decision to join the wine business over an anniversary glass of white wine.  

“I came up with the idea of New England Uncorked in early 2012 after my husband and I stumbled upon a sign for winery during an anniversary trip to Mystic, CT.,” she says. “We decided to stop in and have a glass of wine, and it was while enjoying that glass (an estate- grown Gewurztraminer) I made the decision to change my career.”  

Not one to procrastinate, Dianne opened her new wine distribution business, New England Uncorked, in 2013. As the company grew and evolved, the “New England” was dropped and the company is now simply, Uncorked.   

Dianne, who holds BA degrees in both business and marketing, worked in the technology industry for 25 years. Starting Uncorked was literally Dianne’s first job in the wine business, and she set about to learn as much as she could about wine and the industry.   

“I decided to obtain an education in wine,” she says. “I have studied wine for several years through Les Chevaliers du Grand Vin, The Society of Wine Educators, Cornell University, and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. I presently hold Cellar Master status and several regionally focused certificates.”  

Ten years ago, Dianne was a novice in the business. Today, her love of wine and her determination have made Uncorked extremely successful, and Dianne’s portfolio now consists of over 550 wines from around the world.   

As President and CEO of Uncorked, Dianne oversees all aspects of the company, including portfolio management and development, sales, marketing, finances, event planning and more. But, her favorite parts of what she does are the wine and the people.  

“First, there is just no better feeling than meeting new people on a regular basis who appreciate what you are doing in the wine world and are just as excited as I am tasting the wines in my portfolio for the first time,” she says. “Second, there is a story behind almost every wine. I love hearing the story. Third, tasting new wines and, now and then, discovering a new favorite. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.”  

For other women, no matter their stage in life, who want to get into wine distribution, Dianne offers these bits of wisdom: “Learn everything you can and never stop learning; find a mentor and ask a lot of questions; know the laws in your state (every state is so different); and know your market. If you are passionate about what you are doing you will succeed. And, in the words of one of my favorite mentors, ‘Taste everything’.” 

This year, Dianne was also selected by the founders of Women in Wine Day as one of the women shaping the wine industry. Check out their site -- https://www.womeninwineday.com

Export Sales Apprentice, Union Alliance Alsace (Cave de Turckheim)

Sélène Grob is an export sales apprentice for the Union Alliance Alsace. She has only been with the Alliance since September of 2021, but she’s learning so much.   

However, even though she has been working in her job for only six months, Sélène has been acquainted with the wine industry since she was a child. Her very first winery job was as a grape picker.   

“I've been in the wine business since I was little, my uncle has a winery and I used to spend a lot of time there when I was little,” she says. “It is little by little as I grew up that I decided that I wanted to work in this field.”  

Once she decided she wanted a career in wine, Sélène did a DUT (equivalent of a BA in 3 years) in marketing specifically for the wine business. She went on to do a work-study apprenticeship with a small family-owned winery in Alsace.  Sélène then made the choice to pursue her Master’s degree in wine and spirits, taking another work-study program with Cave de Turckheim and the Union Alliance Alsace.   

At the Alliance, Sélène’s duties include prospecting for new customers; helping customers in their purchasing process; presenting and promoting Cave de Turckheim’s products and cooperative winery; organizing meetings to present new wines or to see if everything is going well; and working at industry trade shows.  

Sélène loves what she does, and what she likes best is interacting with the customers and sharing her growing knowledge of the wine and the region. It’s a topic she’s passionate about. And, she believes that there is a great future for women, like her, who want a career in wine.  

 “The wine business might be dominated by men, but I firmly believe women can have a career in the wine industry,” she says. “I have many girlfriends working in different positions at different wineries.”  

Sélène may be just starting her career, but she has a great future ahead of her, and we know she will learn a lot working with our partners at Cave de Turckheim.