Mother's Day Gift Guide: Women-Made Wines

Forbes

06-05-2025

This fragrant red wine hails from Sicily.
Donnafugata
Most of my mom friends appreciate a gift of wine, and many of them also like to support other women. Here's a roundup of some great, women-made wines in various price ranges to give your mom for Mother's Day.
Donnafugata 2022 Bell-Assai - Vittoria DOC Frappato Sicilia, $32
This family winery was founded by Gabriella and Giacomo Rallo in 1983 and leads the way in sustainable winemaking in Sicily. Today, the winery is run by José Rallo, who loves to pair each of her wines with music, and the entire Donnafugata Music & Wine repertoire is available on Spotify. Her entire Made with Frappato grapes, Bell'Assai is ruby red in color with violet reflections, radiating intense floral notes of freesia and lavender followed by fruity aromas of strawberry and cherry. Its soft tannins and fruity notes lend itself to pairing with grilled vegetables, charcuterie and fish soups.
Avaline White White, $24
Cameron Diaz and Katherine Power created the Avaline line of wines, and it's headed by CEO Jennifer Purcell and guided by the expertise of winemaker Ashley Herzberg. Avaline White is a dry, vegan-friendly, Spanish wine made with organic grapes. It offers a crisp flavor with a fresh finish that's free of any . undisclosed extras like sugars, colors, and concentrates.
Charles Heidsieck Rosé Reserve, $100
Chef de Cave Elise Losfelt is at the helm of winemaking at Charles Heidsieck. The Rosé Réserve takes its inspiration from the Brut Réserve blend, enhanced with great red Champagne wines that strengthen its generous, sharp identity and its delicately fruity mouthfeel. To achieve this ideal balance between freshness and structure, Losfelt selects reserve wines that are intentionally less aged than those used for the Brut Réserve.
Sonoma-Cutrer Les Pierres Chardonnay 2022 , Les Pierres Chardonnay $46
Cara Morrison is the first director of winemaking for this storied Sonoma wine brand in 40 years. This Chardonnay offers aromas of lemon zest, wet stone and key lime pie, mingled with citrus blossom and bright lemon curd. It's perfect to pair with prawns, salmon and other seafood.
Atticus Wine Pinot Noir Rosé, $34
This boutique estate Pinot Noir project in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA was founded in 2005 by Ximena Orrego and her husband, Guy Insley. Originally from Peru, Ximena brings global influences to her craft, drawing on her experiences living in Panama, Venezuela, Canada, and the U.S. to create expressive Pinot Noirs. Crisp and bright, this Pinot Noir Rosé is full of tropical fruit and white peach aromas with a beautiful minerality.
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, $74.99
Banfi, producer and importer of fine wines, was founded in 1919 and is today woman-owned and operated by third generation family proprietor Cristina Mariani-May. This Brunello is a culmination of over three decades of the winemaker's pioneering research on the clones of Sangiovese, with the goal of producing a more outstanding quality Brunello. Released in the fifth year after harvest, the wine is aged for a minimum of four years, including 2 years in oak barrels. The result offers notes of violet, vanilla and licorice on the nose, with a soft and velvety palate with warm spice notes, making it a match for red meat, game and aged cheeses.
Remy Wines Three Wives 2023 Chardonnay, $30
When Remy Drabkin's mom Joan and her two friends were traveling in Alaska with Drabkin's dad Juels, a fisherman there mistook the three of them for all being his wives. That became a hilarious family story, which Drabkin took as the name for her most experimental line of wines. With lemon and citrus aromas, there are only 100 cases of this wine produced annually.
Bryn Mawr Vineyards NV Brut Rosé,$35
With a background in molecular biology, Rachel Rose uses a scientific approach to managing the vineyard and the cellar at Bryn Mawr Vineyards. Her sustainable approach to farming includes sheep grazing, organic compost, and pollinator-friendly cover crops. Rose, who is a mother of two herself, crafted this blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier to create a delightful sparkling wine. It has a dry and balanced palate with cranberry, raspberry, and limestone notes, with a touch of rosebud aromas, making it perfect for spring.
Bouchaine Vineyards 2022 Pommard Clone Estate Pinot Noir, $70
President and Winemaker, Chris Kajani is a nerd when it comes to Pinot Noir clones. Each harvest, she and her team cultivate a dozen different clones of Pinot Noir, before carefully selecting a few for single-clone bottlings, including the standout Pommard clone. This bottling is juicy, lush and just so robust, it could rival some California Cabernet Sauvignons with its presence and power.
This is a lively white blend.
Inman Family Wines
Inman Family Wines 2024 Whole Buncha Love White Blend $43
Owner, winemaker and one-woman show Kathleen Inman debuts a new addition to her Whole Buncha Love lineup: a white blend with a vibrant new label and a unique composition of varieties. Crafted from 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Gris, this lively blend is sourced from sustainably farmed estate fruit, harvested at night and whole cluster pressed to preserve its fresh and bright character. The result is a wine that bursts with juicy fruit flavors, balanced by natural, tongue-tingling acidity and a crisp, refreshing finish.
Imagery Estate Winery Blanc de Blancs, $63
With a label adorned with a custom piece of artwork by California-based printmaker and illustrator Lili Arnold, this bottle makes a stunning gift. Winemaker Jamie Benziger crafts this wine in the classic méthode champenoise style. This wine has bright fruit notes and lively acidity leading to a lingering creamy texture.
Trivento Golden Reserve 2022 Malbec, $19.99
Crafted by winemaker Magdalena Viani, this reserve Malbec is perfect for Mother's Day. Vivid red with violet tones, this Malbec offers clear expressions of red fruit, especially raspberries and strawberries. This complex wine has vibrant tannins and a long finish.
Drop of Sunshine Sparkling Rosé $25
Led by Sarah Bakx, Drop of Sunshine is a beautiful and balanced sparkling rosé. This bubbly features a blend of French Colombard, Syrah, Riesling, Barbera, and Zinfandel grapes. With notes of crisp red fruit, dominated by cherry, strawberry and raspberry, this pour can be paired with light dishes such as chicken, fish, or even a salad, making it perfect to enjoy over Mother's Day lunch.
Garden Creek makes some lovely Chardonnay wines.
Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards
Garden Creek Ranch Vineyards 2021 Chardonnay, Estate Clonal Selection $80
Crafted by owner, grape grower and winemaker Karin Warnelius-Miller in partnership with her husband, Justin, this wine is thoughtfully composed of five different Chardonnay clones (Hudson, Hyde, 95, 809 and Old Wente) to capture the unique terroir of their Sonoma estate. Garden Creek ages the wine for three years in bottle before release to achieve seamless integration and remarkable elegance.
Benziger Family Winery 2022 West Rose Chardonnay, Los Carneros, $48
Benziger Family Wines was the first winery in Sonoma to become biodynamic certified. Winemaker Lisa Amaroli crafted this sustainable and organic wine from Chardonnay grapes grown in the 'sweet spot' of Los Carneros, away from the harsh Pacific wines. It offers a creamy texture and silky roundness, with orchard-fresh aromas of apple, along with citrus and Bavarian cream.
Giovese Family Wines Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato, $34.99/3 liter box
Founder Amy Ezrin crafts this rosé with chemical-free, organically farmed Italian grapes, including Sangiovesse, Merlot and Lacrima, that are harvested from a sustainably farmed vineyard. 'Rosie is the perfect companion for the eat, on boats, at pools and picnics and getting together with friends and family,' Ezrin says. It's also great for sharing at a big Mother's Day gathering.
Mumm Napa Brut Rosé $36
Head winemaker Tami Lotz crafts this sparkling wine with mostly Pinot Noir grapes (76 percent), followed by Chardonnay (22 percent), and Pinot Meunier (2 percent). With notes of strawberry, orange and raspberry, this wine has a pale salmon color and a toasty, biscuity finish.