As surprising as it may seem, there are still many countries in the world where certain jobs are forbidden to women. Yes, really, in 2021, in an era where we can talk instantly from one end of the planet to the other, where we are preparing to set foot on Mars, or where we can restore sight to the blind, some countries require women to obtain their husband's permission to work. Fortunately, here, women don't need their husband's green light to choose their dream job. And that's a good thing, because vineyards need everyone's help to be maintained!
Female vineyard workers, mothers of the vineyards
Since we were very young, nature has fascinated and amazed us. You only need to watch children playing in gardens and parks and see their wide, astonished eyes at a pine cone, a helicopter leaf, or a bamboo branch to understand our obvious connection with flora and fauna.
Between taking care of a houseplant and managing hectares of vines, the workload is quite different. At Oé, we really love plants, so we have a few to decorate our premises. They bring us joy and happiness, and we cherish them, almost as if we were in companion planting with them in the end! Sonia takes care of them, and even the few plants we have already take up her time. Imagine the female vineyard workers and male vineyard workers who have to look after their endless expanses of vines.
Working in the vineyards is a job of passion, combining rigor, organization, expertise and love. For women, it hasn't always been easy to make a place for themselves in a rather macho world that also requires a certain level of physical fitness. A few years ago, Hubert Bonisseur de la Batte at OSS supposedly said to a woman who wanted to become a vineyard worker: “We'll talk about it when you have to carry something heavy.” Today, Marie-Paule would probably have offered to talk about it over a glass of her Languedoc rouge to prove to him that you don't need big muscles to make good wine in organic farming.
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Female winemakers, the bosses of wine
Making wine from grapes is a true science, and even though everyone knows the recipe, everyone has their own secret. The different stages are complex, require real expertise and demand true rigor. More and more female winemakers like Manon Deville, a 24-year-old woman ready to put on the gloves of technical director of the estate to prove to the world that things must change at the Château de la Rivière, a prestigious wine estate in Fronsac.
You don't think it's revolutionary? Well, you should know that less than twenty years ago, the winery of the renowned Romanée-Conti had “forbidden to women” displayed at the entrance. Legend has it that women were turning the wine, but we all know that deep down, they were mostly turning men's heads!
One of the pioneers in this field is Francine Grill, a former airline pilot and a true fighter at heart. Known and renowned in the Languedoc for restoring the reputation of this wonderful wine region, she first proposed in 1978 the bottling of this good wine, which was then sold in bulk. Her daughter Diane was named winemaker of the year by the Hachette des vins 2021 guide. As they say, like mother, like daughter!
Among the champions of the vine, let us also tell you about Dominique Hauvette, who was named in 2020 winemaker of the year by the Revue des Vins de France. At 70 years old—yes, you read that right—Dominique cultivates her body and mind as well as her vines. This septuagenarian, a former skiing enthusiast, left the fresh air of the mountains to embrace the Provençal soil and cultivate beautiful Cinsault vines.
Women know how to grow and make wine just as well as men; all that matters is loving what is in the glass. In fact, our winemaker Franck wants no one but his wife to blend the delicious Bordeaux rouge, which in his opinion are sensational as soon as his wife adds her touch!
Winemakers and female winemakers, like any good cook, make wines that resemble them. They develop recipes that express their personality, convey their emotions, and reflect the fruit of their labor. Wines made by women are said to be more subtle, rounder on the palate, with a touch of freshness. These wines are highly appreciated and today women's work in this world is coming into its own. The industry is becoming increasingly feminized day by day, and today, female wine producers represent nearly a third of winegrowers. The late Gisèle Halimi would have toasted to that!
Sommeliers and oenologists, experts at heart
Sommelier and oenologist, are you familiar with these two wonderful professions? When we talk about dream jobs, these could be it. You have probably already seen ads for pizza tasters, bed testers, and so on, pop up on your Facebook wall. Well, the jobs of an oenologist and sommelier are less outlandish and just as appealing.
The oenologist
The etymology of the word oenologist means “one who has the science of wine,” which sounds impressive, to be sure. To acquire such expertise, the magic recipe is hard work and passion. To become certified in oenology, you must complete a five-year course during which you are told, “you will know everything, everything, everything about wine!.” The oenologist has many skills to offer, as they have knowledge that is legal, technical and scientific. They are in the vineyards, in the cellars, conducting tastings, at trade shows, and in the chai. As you can see, they are everywhere and indispensable.
Oenologists advise winemakers throughout the year on the choice of grape varieties, blends, and also monitor the stages of vinification. It is partly thanks to them that you can enjoy good organic wine almost anywhere in France. At Oé, we thank Valérie, our oenologist, every day. One of the longest-serving members of the team (even in age, at 50 years old), she always shares her lovely smile, her unconditional love of wine and her outrageous anecdotes. You can see her on our social media, especially in several videos on Instagram. If you want her to tell you a little more every day on our social media, feel free to let us know (on Instagram or at hello@oeforgood.com).
The sommelier
The sommelier is an encyclopedia of wine. You give her the name of a bottle and she tells you its story. We have all had fun serving wine by presenting the bottle, and we have especially realized that it is a difficult task. To know the vintage, the grape varieties, the terroir, the appellations, the history of the estate and the aromas contained in the wine, you have to be well prepared. Memorizing your multiplication tables is already a nightmare, so imagine all the information a sommelier must remember—you need a memory made of steel!
The sommelier's second hat is that of the wine nanny. She takes care of it from start to finish, from purchase to service. She has no diapers to change or children to feed, but wine bottles are almost just as demanding. The sommelier takes care of receiving the bottles, the cellar storage, and keeps a close eye on wine storage while keeping her cellar log meticulously up to date. Like a dormitory supervisor, not a single bottle enters or leaves without her knowing.
Service is an art. In addition to the presentation of the bottles, choosing the glasses is part of the sommeliers' expertise. At Oé, we know the basics and we know that our Alsace crémant particularly appreciates being served in a flute. The sommelier goes even further and knows the different subtleties of all the shapes, thicknesses, and types of glass to use. Queen of the selection and full of ideas, the sommelier offers the best food and wine pairings to delight our customers' taste buds.
In 2018, in addition to our great victory in the World Cup, there was one person who made a name for herself. Pascaline Lepeltier managed to achieve the grand slam by being named Best Worker of France in Sommelierie, then Best Sommelier in France. This made her the first woman to win this competition. Hats off to her!
We can recommend a few food and wine pairings that we love:
- This wonderful recipe for vegetarian Bourguignon paired with a glass of our good Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a delight!
- For an aperitif, put on your finest chef's hat to make this superb homemade hummus, which pairs perfectly with our Languedoc blanc, a fresh and lively wine. Yum!
- The return of warmer weather makes us want to bring out our rosés again, the Corbière and the Méditerranée, with Tomato, Mozzarella and Parma Ham Bruschettas. Don't forget your sunglasses!
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Women are committed
Women's spirit of conviviality and sociability is a wonderful quality that everyone envies. In the world of wine, where it can sometimes be difficult to make a place for yourself, unity is strength. Several associations such as Les Vinifilles, Le Cercle des femmes du vin or Women Do Winebring together women driven by wine and by common values.
(Source. LBV Selection)
Women are also very committed to the planet, which is good for the sector. All over France, you can therefore find wine estates that offer you great organic wines, natural wines and biodynamic wines.
At our place too, women are committed. For example, Sonia takes care of logistics and she works every day so that we produce as little waste as possible. It is thanks to her that we have responsible and super cool gift sets, we have a lot of positive feedback so thank you very much!
If the relationship between women and the vine fascinates you, we recommend the great book by Jean-Louis Escudier: “Women and the Vine: An Economic and Social History 1850-2010”.
Discover our organic wines made with love, containing less sulfur and without chemical pesticides in our beautiful wine regions of France. Treat yourself with our red wines, white wines and rosé wines such as the Côtes-du-Rhône, the Languedoc, the Bordeaux, the Vaucluse and the Mediterranean.
