Here Are All The Women-Owned Wine & Spirits Brands That Should Be On Your Radar

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In the world of wine and spirits, saying that men have dominated the space is an understatement. However, brands led by women have been on the rise over the years, with no signs of letting up. Case in point: The 18 women-owned and -founded alcohol brands we’ve rounded up here.

Each of the brands have women at the helm and running other parts of the business, as winemakers and distillers. Women are leading some of the most popular non-alcoholic drink brands, too. From Blake Lively’s Betty Buzz to Melanie Masarin’s Ghia apéritif brand, women are also at the forefront of this trending category.

While there are still strides to make for more female representation, there’s no doubt that women are leading the charge and transforming the wine and spirits industry for the better. Ahead, shop 18 women-owned alcohol brands (note that availability and prices listed may vary based on your location). P.S.: These make great alcohol gifts for all your drinking buddies, too.

Sparkling Rosé

Built by best friends and business partners Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power, Avaline was born from their desire to know what was really in every glass of wine they poured. They got their answer after producing their own wines in 2020, which are made of organically farmed grapes and are free of concentrates, colors, and added sugars. Their latest creation is the 15-month aged Avaline Sparkling Rosé, which has raspberry and citrus notes and a brioche finish on the palate.

“Seaside” Sake

Fukucho President Miho Imada is continuing to transform the male-dominated sake landscape by not only leading the company, but also by serving as toji, a.k.a. master brewer. Through her work over the last couple decades, she has created award-winning sakes out of her Imada Shuzo brewery in Hiroshima, Japan, like this sparkling version made via in-bottle secondary fermentation. It has a citrusy flavor and is recommended with seafood pairings.

Week of Women-Owned Wine

When Sarah Hoffman, Kendra Kawala, and Zoe Victor founded Maker Wine in 2019, they knew they wanted to amplify small, diverse producers by delivering their award-winning wines in approachable single-serving cans. According to their research, only 14 percent of wineries in California have female head winemakers. To amplify women in the wine world, they have a weekly delivery of women-owned wine, which features dry, sugar-free red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines from a female winemaker or female-led winery.

Black Girl Magic Sparkling Brut

McBride Sisters is a women- and black-owned alcohol brand by (you guessed it!) two sisters: Robin and Andréa McBride. The brand offers a whole range of rosé, red, and white wines across their collection, including the aptly named and Delish editor-favorite Black Girl Magic line. This Sparkling Brut has pear, pineapple, and melon notes, in addition to apple, white peach, and bright citrus on the palate. The siblings’ pairing recommendation? With a savory cheese board or a brunch spread.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Since open bottles of wine tend to turn just after a few days, Dana Spaulding, the founder and CEO of Wander and Ivy, set out to make single-serving wines that wouldn’t waste away every time she wanted to pour a glass. She partners with family-owned vineyards to produce organic grapes for the red, rose, and white wines, which are all free of herbicides and additives and packaged in elevated glass bottles. The brand’s California Cabernet is filled with boysenberry, cassis, and hints of mocha and coffee aromas, while the palate experiences soft tannins and black cherry and vanilla flavors.

Espadín Mezcal

After drinking mezcals that were too strong and smoky, founder and entrepreneur Sonya Vega decided to make a modern take on the agave-based spirit. She partners with a fifth-generation family of mezcaleras out of Santiago Matatlán, Mexico to make the small-batch Doña Vega mezcals: Espadín and Tobalá. The former has bright tasting notes with roasted agave and mint.

Blueberry Makgeolli

Known as the oldest Korean alcoholic beverage, Sool Founder Carol Pak first saw makgeolli in restaurants during her upbringing in Flushing, Queens, New York. She got more familiar with the rice wine after visiting Korea and trying out her own recipe in adulthood.

Today, Pak owns America’s first craft makgeolli, which is canned and made with the drink’s traditional ingredients, including rice, water, and nuruk. The Màkku Blueberry Makgeolli has a creamy texture and minty and fruity flavors from the 100 percent blueberry puree.

Sparkling Paloma

If you like cocktails sans the prep to make them, allow us to introduce you to Two Chicks Cocktails. Founded by Meghan Hanna and Linda Cash, the company makes ready-to-drink canned cocktails with spirits ranging from tequila and vodka to whiskey and gin. The Sparkling Paloma combines a light tequila blanco and pink grapefruit for a crisp and refreshing finish.

Straight Rye Whiskey

Fawn Weaver founded Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey as an homage to Nearest Green, the first-known African American master distiller. Weaver launched the company in 2017 alongside Victoria Eady Butler, a master distiller and the fifth-generation Nearest Green descendant. The brand offers a range of whiskeys, such as this straight rye whiskey, defined by vanilla cream, caramelized sugar, and spice on the palate.

Prosecco DOC

Issa Rae fans know her drink of choice has been prosecco since her Insecure days. In the last year, she launched her very own version, which is crisp and refreshing on ot's own or as a cocktail mixer.

If this isn’t enough to convince you to shop the sparkling wine, then maybe Rae's passion for prosecco will: She takes it so seriously that she’d want it with her if she were stranded on a desert island. “If I can only have one cocktail, I mean… vodka and prosecco. If there's hope, I might do an espresso martini. I got to stay awake to be like, ‘Save me! Save me!’” Rae tells Delish. “But if there's no hope, then I'm going to do a vodka prosecco all day.”

Foam Vulkan 2020

For all the fans of natural wine, Angela Michlits and her family are bringing you just that from their Austrian farms. They use organic fertilizer in the vineyards and practice biodynamic farming to produce their varieties. As for the Meinklang team's Foam Vulkan 2020? You'll taste pear, lemon, and green apple flavors on the palate.

Tequila Blanco

When we did a taste test on the best celebrity tequilas, Kendall Jenner’s brand was a clear standout. Inspired by her hometown of Calabasas, California, 818 (aka: the city's area code) exceeded our expectations. While the brand has a range of tequilas like the reposado and añejo varieties, our favorite is the blanco, which testers compared to "vanilla ice cream"or a "caramel latte."

The Perfect Cosmo by SJP‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

Another ready-to-drink cocktail brand to add to your bar cart, Thomas Ashbourne is a women-owned and led company by CEO Cara Kamenev, and the team even collaborates with some of your favorite celebrities to whip up signature drinks. Case in point: The Perfect Cosmo by SJP‏‏‎. The vodka cocktail gets its sweet and tangy flavor from cranberries, strawberries, and lime juice.

Multi-Pack Tequila Seltzer

Signaling all spiked seltzer stans: Volley is a brand you’ll want on your radar. Not only is it co-owned by soccer star Alex Morgan, but the company created the first seltzer of its kind with just three ingredients: organic juice, sparkling water, and 100 percent agave tequila. Give all of the brand’s seltzers a try in the variety pack, or stock up on sharp grapefruit, zesty lime, tropical mango, and spicy ginger.

Tempranillo 'Litrona' 2020

Antonella Gerosa and her partner Massimo Marchiori cultivate natural wines in the Baix Penedès region of Spain, which is known for its low altitude and consistent, Mediterranean climate for great grape growth. The Partida Creus team’s Tempranillo 'Litrona' 2020 is made with a quick maceration process and is then pressed into stainless steel tanks so the wine can age for a few months. They say it results in a savory red wine with a variety of red fruits and pairs nicely with blue cheese, fried foods, or grilled chicken.

Gin

California love is at the core of Future Gin. Created by Amy Atwood, Mary Bartlett, Freya Estreller, and Natasha Case, this women- and queer-owned brand infuses the spirit with everything from Meyer lemon to honeysuckle that you can find in Southern California. Staying true to the essence of this brand, the gin is also bottled and distilled in Downtown Los Angeles.

Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Just like the “power within us” meaning behind the word Amandla, CEO Praisy Dlamini and the HER Wine Collection exude the same power when running their South African wine company. From the winemakers to the accountants, the entire Amandla Wines team is made up of Black women, and the brand aims to amplify the beauty of Black culture through every bottle.

The Sauvignon Blanc 2023 is sourced from Western Cape vineyards with grapes hand-picked and blended by Dlamini. It’s described as a crisp and zesty wine, thanks to its passion fruit, pineapple, and lemony flavors.

Southside Rye IPA

CEO Emily Bruno and chief brand officer Julie Verratti (a married couple) decided to open their Prince George's county-based brewery Denizens over dinner in 2012. Fast-forward over 10 years, the co-owners and their brother-in-law turned chief beer officer Jeff Ramirez now distribute their line of beers and hard seltzers nationwide. The Denizens Southside Rye IPA features red grapefruit, orange marmalade, and pine notes, along with soft caramel, biscuit, and spicy rye flavors.

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