This International Women’s Day we want to take a moment to appreciate and celebrate all the amazing women who work in the wine and spirits industries across the globe. We are lucky enough at Nimbility to work with a number of brands founded and run by women, female winemakers and distillers. Our own small but mighty team of experts wouldn’t be what it is today without our leading ladies. Today we’ll be raising our glasses to them all!

Thea Cumming - Dangerous Don - Credit: Luke Fullalove

Thea Cumming, Founder, Dangerous Don

Thea Cumming is the brilliant founder of Dangerous Don - a UK drinks brand working with producers in Mexico to create premium mezcal. Originally from Devon, Thea graduated from Manchester University with a BSc First Class honours degree in Management and Marketing of Textiles, before moving to London and immersing herself in the hospitality industry there. She worked as General Manager at pubs and restaurants including Pitt Cue Co and Patty & Bun before striking out on her own and embracing her entrepreneurial spirit. Thea started London Mezcal Week in 2017 which ran for three years. In November 2019 she opened Doña: a mezcal and music bar in Stoke Newington, championing independent creativity and empowered feminine energy, lovingly penned a 'lady-led mezcal shangri-la’ by London’s Time Out. Thea has a refreshing perspective on the increasingly commoditised and industrialised methods of making mezcal, and is actively kicking back against it by working to uphold the artisan production practices. Thea is particularly adept at engaging in the more tricky discussions around the exoticism of mezcal, those who have access to it, and sharing ways in which we can really understand how to protect the tradition of mezcal without exploitation. Dangerous Don currently has three pours, an Espadín, Destilado Con Café, and Destilado Con Mandarina, which launched in September 2021. The first of the pours, Espadín, is now available to purchase in Marks & Spencer in the UK as the store's only mezcal.

Sarah Driver, Co-Founder, Rathfinny Wine Estate

Sarah Driver grew up on a tea plantation in Hong Kong, and has worked as a solicitor in the City, an Open University law lecturer, a professional mediator and teacher before co-founding the Rathfinny Wine Estate in Sussex with her husband Mark.

Rightfully, her greatest achievement of the past 10 years is having started Rathfinny from scratch, and having created a worldwide brand that makes world-class sparkling wine, putting Sussex on the wine map in its own right.

She always says, “It’s about the people.” Although the winemaking industry may be traditionally associated with men, this is not necessarily the case at Rathfinny Estate where gender diversity is very visible. Whether you walk along their trail and see their Vineyard crew pruning the vines, visit their first class hospitality services or pop into their office for directions – at every turn women are present!

Jeany Cronk, Co-Founder, Maison Mirabeau

In 2008, Jeany and her family had a lovely life in South West London, three healthy children and was lucky to be surrounded by friends and family. But her husband Stephen's long harboured dream of owning his own wine business pushed them to leave London and start a new future together in the South of France. What was a dream for Stephen became their love project, a new child to care for and help grow together.

Friends and family were bemused and worried about their move: with barely a word of French spoken between them but also the need to take note of the huge cultural differences in work and social life, they hunkered down and spent the remainder of that year getting their bearings, properly learning to live the Provençal way, and criss-crossing the country searching and finding the best vineyards to work with. The next step was setting up a wine business with the principal objective of making a Provence rosé that would be regarded as one of the very best from the region, while building a brand that they hoped people would grow to love.

Her influence on Mirabeau was major, heading marketing, moonlighting as decorator for all Mirabeau locations and leading Mirabeau brand's aspirational identity. Since 2015 she joined the board of Wines of Provence, further influencing the Provence Rosé landscape.

Tatjana Peceric, Winemaker, Terroir Al Limit

Working alongside Dominic Huber at ground breaking Priorat estate Terroir Al Límit, is the talented, Serbian-born vigneron Tatjana Peceric. Tatjana’s rare touch with high-grown Garnacha and Cariñena, the two lead grape varieties of Priorat and neighbouring Montsant, is reflected in the purity and refinement of the Terroir Al Límit and Terroir Sense Fronteres wines that have soared to new heights under Perecic’s watch. Her passion for expressing the singular terroirs with which she works is clearly communicated in the wines themselves, using these historic grape varieties and ancient vines that grow amidst cooling winds in rugged, high altitude vineyards to transmit an integral piece of Mediterranean culture. The result is wines that are juicy, expressive and layered with a cool velvety grace.

Jana Robles, Co-Founder, Born Rosé Barcelona

Upon founding Born Rosé in 2019, Jana together with a group of dissatisfied entrepreneurs aimed at creating a special rosé, from a special city, truly reflecting the lifestyle of Barcelona, its light and open character, the Mediterranean art de vivre.

Believing that the world of wine can be laid-back and fun, Jana always ensures Born Rosé is less about wine liturgy and common pomposity, and more about uncorking, enjoying, sharing and living.

Jana is a devoted advocate of rosé for every occasion, and Born Rosé is a perfect example for this, with still and sparkling, cans and bottles, gastronomic and effortless, in cocktails or on the go, but always, always in the coolest place to be in. If you suffer from a big case of FOMO when visiting the Mediterranean, Jana is your guide to enjoy la vie en rosé!

Fiona Turner, Co-Founder & Winemaker, Tinpot Hut

Tinpot Hut is one of the first vineyards to be developed in Blind River, a sub-region of Marlborough’s Awatere Valley. Since 2005, their “Home Block” vineyard is managed by husband Hamish, yet female owner and winemaker Fiona Turner is at the helm in the cellar, ensuring the Blind River fruit consistently turns into internationally awarded and Sommeliers’ favourite wines every year.

Now fully mature, the Home Block’s Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Riesling are the foundation of Tinpot Hut wines today.

Select parcels of Blind River Grüner Veltliner and Chardonnay add further varietal diversity to the range.

Now, with over 25 years winemaking experience in Marlborough – along with vintages in Hawkes Bay, Central Otago and California – Fiona focuses on fine aromatics, balance and integration when making Tinpot Hut wines. When not in the fields or the cellar, Fiona enjoys her preferred duos: her two sons or her two hounds, whichever is the goofiest at the time !

Polly Aylwin-Foster, Alexa Davies and Beanie Geraedts-Espey & - Xeco

Alexa Davies, Beanie Geraedts-Espey & Polly Aylwin-Foster, Co-Founders, XECO

XECO is the brain-child of three 30-something 'fino fiends' who have long shared a love of fine sherry - and a frustration that this love wasn't shared by their friends. The solution? Find better friends (kidding!) OR - find a way to bring a ‘Next Generation’ sherry to their friends and the world, finally giving this marvellous drink some long overdue recognition. With 30 combined years of experience in the drinks industry, the trio share more than just a love of this wonderful Spanish wine - they also have a deep understanding of how it’s made and of the wonderful traditions upon which it is built.

In 2013, on the tiny but mighty island of Hong Kong the future founders of XECO - Alexa Davies, Beanie Geraedts-Espey and Polly Aylwin-Foster – met for the first time. Sailing the waters of Hong Kong on a birthday junk (or local sailboat) the three ladies quickly moved past the pre-introductory small talk and hit upon the following: A) they were all drink industry veterans B) they would all rather be holding a glass of their favourite Spanish tipple right now, so where was it? Friendships and business partnerships can happen quickly, and the three ladies got to know each other in the hallowed streets of Lan Kwai Fong (and a few more salubrious places too). Slowly the idea of a modern day Sherry began to take shape. In an attempt to educate their friends, the trio hosted a five course Sherry pairing dinner, shortly before Beanie and Alexa returned to London for good. It was a resounding success with over 80% of the attendees arriving with a negative perception of these jewels of Andalucia and leaving as Sherry converts.

In early 2016 they set out to create a new brand of Sherry to put a contemporary edge on an age-old product, and in doing so help to dispel some of the myths around the category, while encouraging a new generation of discerning drinkers to give Sherry a second look. To do so, they teamed up with a magnificent Spanish Sherry house ('bodega') that has been producing Sherry wines since 1876. So, although the name may be new, the wines have a long and distinguished lineage.

International Women's Day - The Women Behind Our Brands