17 Apr An Italian woman winemaker finds a home at Tenuta Sette Cieli, Tuscany

No matter how forward-thinking the wine industry is, it is also steeped in tradition. Wine has been made for more than 8,000 years, and progress has been made in all aspects of winemaking — grapegrowing, vineyard management and the winemaking process. Despite all the progress, the industry is seen, in many ways, as a male-dominated industry, especially when it comes to winemaking. Sure, in the U.S., we are accustomed to seeing female winemakers, although, according to Wines Vines DATA, women hold the lead winemaker position at fewer than 10 percent of the California wineries polled.) In the “old world” of wine, tradition still abounds. Throughout my travels in Italy, France and beyond, I have met female winemakers but learned that they have all experienced challenges in being a female winemaker due to the preconceived ideas and prejudices from their colleagues. Recently, I was invited to lunch with Elena Pozzolini, winemaker Tenuta Sette Cieli winery in Tuscany. I love meeting female winemakers and hearing their stories. But, I have to admit, that even I had some pre-conceived notions. I walked into the restaurant expecting to find a female winemaker but not the young, petite blond that I met. No matter how forward-thinking the wine industry is, it is also steeped in tradition. Wine has been made for more than 8,000 years, and progress has been made in all aspects of winemaking — grapegrowing, vineyard management and the winemaking process. Despite all the progress, the industry is seen, in many ways, as a male-dominated industry, especially when it comes to winemaking. Sure, in the U.S., we are accustomed to seeing female winemakers, although, according to Wines Vines DATA, women hold the lead winemaker position at fewer than 10 percent of the California wineries polled.) In the “old world” of wine, tradition still abounds. Throughout my travels in Italy, France and beyond, I have met female winemakers but learned that they have all experienced challenges in being a female winemaker due to the preconceived ideas and prejudices from their colleagues. While working in the cellar of Bodega Renacer in Argentina, the winemaker was making a blend and he asked Pozzolini her opinion. Her initial response was “Me? You are asking me?” In Argentina, her opinion mattered and the winemaker even called the blend they made “Elena’s blend.” Pozzolini remembers calling her mom and saying “Mom, here people listen to me!” Being recognized and respected in the new world, Pozzolini intended to work another harvest in Santa Barbara County but she had some delays with her visa. With a return ticket to the U.S. in hand, Pozzolini decided to send three emails to Italian wineries and received three offers. She returned to Italy at the end of 2009 to work at Testamatta di Bibi Graetz. Bibi Graetz had been impressed with her resume, and he hired Pozzolini to be the winemaker in charge of both the vineyard and cellar. She spent three harvests there and loved it. But, she started to crave her own project. Tenuta Sette Cieli (“the estate of the seven skies”) sits above Bolgheri on a hill at 1,300 feet with views in every direction. The Ratti family purchased the property in 1994 and planted in 2001. With his mother’s passing in 2006, son Ambrogio Ratti wanted to bring the winery alive in her memory. He found Pozzolini who immediately fell in love with the place. Her first vintage was in 2013. Pozzolini has her hands in every aspect of the winery but her first love is winemaking. Her philosophy is to be 100 percent organic. She doesn’t want to change the original profile of the grapes. “I believe that making wine is like being a chef,” she said. “If the base material is not good, you can’t make it good.” And, she added, wine isn’t static. “Every time it’s something different and I never do the same thing.” Her grapes don’t grow in rich soil but in soil consisting of rocks, sand and clay. The vines aren’t vigorous and there is a lot of wind due to their proximity to the sea. The conditions are perfect for cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and malbec, and she also wants to plant sangiovese. Within the same row of grapes, the thickness, acidity, crunch and sapidity varies so she ferments separately in small batches. “I taste the juice and do what I feel,” she said. “You must have the sensibility and do the best you can.” Tenuta Sette Cieli is a small winery, producing fewer than 4,000 cases (45,000 bottles) of wine each year. In the vineyard, Pozzolini’s team consists of only women who do the pruning and selecting as she said that they are more precise and pay attention. There are only two men who work with her, the cellar-hand and the man who sprays in the vineyard. Personable as well as intelligent, Pozzolini works hard and has proven herself. She has found her home at Tenuta Sette Cieli. “Wine is life,” she said. “I love what I do so I wake up so happy every day.” Read the original story in the Napa Valley Register.