“Women in Wine & Spirits Award” 2024, Italy in the “List of 50” of women leader in the industry

From José Rallo, at the head of the Sicilian brand Donnafugata, in “nomination” nominated for sustainability award, to Donatella Cinelli Colombini, wine producer, and founder of Wine Tourism Movement, nominated to receive the recognition for the hospitality and tourism; from Ceri Parke, founder and president of Cantina Goccia, in Umbria, and  Vincenza Alessio Librandi of Cantina Librandi, amongst the names of reference of wine Calabria, both contending the award for Corporate Social Responsibility practices, to  Marilena Leta, president of Assosommelier Sicilia, competing as sommelier of the year; from Veronica Laguardia, founder and manager of Cru Vision, a formation and communication agency for food and wine industry, finalist in the category “marketing campaigns”, to wine educator Laura Donadoni, founder of “La Com Wine Agency”, nominated in the category “social media”: here is the Italy of wine represented by seven feminine personalities in nomination for “Women in Wine & Spirits Award” 2024, edition No.5, of the prestigious award, headquartered in Shangai, in China, launched by Michelle Liu, marketing journalist and consultant for wine industry in order to celebrate the experts who are defining wine standards at an international level, aiming to valorize the contribute of women throughout leadership, innovation, and sustainability (the verdict on December, 19). And that, in the last days, revealed its “List of 50” made up of “50 women leaders in the drink sector”, which, thanks to them, “speaks” also Italian.
The list is made up of three feminine personalities selected for each of 17 categories in the competition. The nominations for Italy represent 14% of the list, with seven names in six categories. Commenting her entry in the “Top 50”, José Rallo, guiding Donnafugata with her brother Antonio Rallo, the family winery amongst the makers of the “renaissance” of Sicilian wine, defined it as “another stimulus, the proof that we are following the right path in order to ensure a future respecting the environment. The demonstration that wine industry is a strategic sector to safeguard the ecosystem”, stating “I am honored to represent women in the national wine industry and outside the borders, and to be part of a prestigious group made up of 50 women in the world, who, every day, are committed to innovate and support the sector”.
The “List of 50” is an important international recognition for feminine excellences of the sector, with a precise selection process based on four points (“Acumen and professional results”, “Impact”, “Contributes”, and “Vision”), and that, in No.5 edition, saw more than 100 candidates from Asia-Pacific, Africa, America, and Europe, outstanding personalities coming from 26 countries, and regions of the world of wine.
“We are glad to see that this year still more candidates put the accent on the theme of sustainability, and come from less famous wine regions – explain by “Women in Wine & Spirits Award” -  these experts are committed to reach the excellence, and the innovation contributing to support the development, and the transformation of the business of drink sector with their efforts”.
Focus - “Women in Wine & Spirits Award” 2024: the “List of 50” of women leader in drink sector

Viticulturist of the year:
Jimena Castañeda (Nieto Senetiner, Argentina)
María Eugenia Herrera (Ribera del Cuarzo, Argentina)
Macarena Herrera (Bodega La Macarena, Argentina)
Barbara Sebastián (Viticultura Viva, Spagna)

Winemaker of the year:
Catherine Delaunay (Les JameIles, Francia)
Andrea Wirsching (Weingut Hans Wirsching, Germania)
Joana Maçanita (MaçanitaVinhos, Portogallo)
Viviana Navarrete (Viña San Pedro, Cile)

Distiller/Master Blender of the year:
Caley Shoemaker (Hangar 1 Rosé Vodka, Stati Uniti d’America)
Lorena Vásquez (Zacapa, Nicaragua)
Carole Quinton (Cointreau, Francia)
Stephanie Macleod (Bacardi Group, Regno Unito)

Sommelier of the year:
Yulia Ezhikova (Anne Sophie Pic-Cristal Room, Hong Kong)
Marilena Leta (AssoSommelier Sicilia, Italia)
Winnie Toh (Amanyara, Singapore)
Carmen Lim (Wine App, Cina)

Mixologist of the year:
Cara Watson (London Cocktail Club, Regno Unito)
Audrey Saunders (Pegu Club, Stati Uniti d’America)
Inés de los Santos (CoChinChina, Argentina)

On & Off-Trade Channel:
June Rodil (Goodnight Hospitality, Stati Uniti d’America)
Rapheephan Naweera (Wine Aspect, Thailandia)

New Retail:
Jessica Kogan (Vintage Wine Estates, Stati Uniti d’America)
Isabelle Legeron MW (Raw Wine, Regno Unito)

Global Travel Retail:
Clarisse Daniels (Whyte & Mackay, Regno Unito)
Leigh McGrotty (15PL Scotland Ltd, Regno Unito)

Social media:
Georgia Panagopoulou (wine.gini, Grecia)
Susie Barrie MW (Wine Blast podcast, Regno Unito)
Laura Donadoni (La Com Wine Agency, Italia)

Wine & Spirits Educator:
Liu Yanlin (Northwest A&F University, Cina)
Jennie Mack (AWSEC, Hong Kong)
Claudia Gacitúa (Universidad Andres Bello, Cile)

Top Writer & Journalist:
Nellie Ming Lee (South China Morning Post, Hong Kong)
Amanda Barnes (South American Wine Guide, Argentina)
Lettie Teague (Wall Street Journal, Stati Uniti d’America)

Innovation:
Imada Miho (Imada Shuzo Honten Sake Brewery, Giappone)
Rebecca Dolan (University of Adelaide, Australia)
Rowena Curlewis (Denomination, Australia)
Patricia Freuler (Tapiz, Zolo & Wapisa Wineries, Argentina)

Marketing campaign:
Veronica Laguardia (Cru Vision, Italia)
Mariana Onofri (Onofri Wines, Argentina)

Csr practice:
Song Yan (Longting Winery, Cina)
Vincenza Alessio Librandi (Librandi Winery, Italia)
Ceri Parke (Cantina Goccia, Italia)

Ambassadorship:
Sherry Pei (Wines of Argentina, Cina)
Anna Song (Lafite Rothschild Group, Cina)

Vision Award - Sustainability:
José Rallo (Donnafugata, Italia)
Kristin Belair (Honig Vineyard & Winery, Stati Uniti d’America)

Hospitality/Tourism Program:
Donatella Cinelli Colombini (Movimento del Turismo del Vino, Italia)
Jamie Knee (Montecito Wine Society, Stati Uniti d’America)
Vitalie Taittinger (Champagne Taittinger, Francia)