Winemaking in the past has been dominated by men around the world, but times are changing. British Columbia is a great example. If you’ve ever cracked open a bottle of BC wine, there is a high probability that it was made by a female winemaker and/or the winery is female owned. Estimates suggest about 20% of lead winemakers in the Okanagan are women, with somewhat lower percentages in other BC wine regions according to BC Business.
I would like to cover female winemakers and owners so you know more about them and their wines. Don’t forget that International Women’s Day is on March 8, 2026. Raise a glass of wine to one of these wonderful winemakers for making their mark in the BC wine industry.
A Few Female Winemakers Past to Present
Take Sandra Oldfield, who co-founded and ran Tinhorn Creek Vineyards on the Golden Mile Bench for decades. She faced scepticism early on, but built one of BC’s most respected wineries. Today she runs her own wine consultancy, Elysian Projects, and is considered one of the founding figures of the modern BC wine industry.
Heidi Noble co-founded JoieFarm Winery and served as its executive winemaker until 2022, when the winery changed hands. She is now a prominent figure in BC wine history and consulting.
Severine Pinte is a French-born winemaker who oversees production at both Le Vieux Pin and LaStella in Oliver. Severine is a graduate of the illustrious ENSAM (Ecole National Superior Agronomic of Montpellier) where she acquired her Masters in viticulture and oenology, and her National Diploma of Oenology. She has worked in France, New Zealand, and Australia, and has noted that in Canada, women now make up a significant portion of applicants for cellar positions. Since 2021, Severine has been also serving as the chair of Sustainable Wine Growing British Columbia (SWBC).
On the Naramata Bench, Jacqueline Kuepfer co-owns and makes the wines at Bench 1775. Her focus on sustainable viticulture, farming in ways that protect the health of the land for the long term, is a priority she has built the winery around.
At Stag’s Hollow Winery in Okanagan Falls, Keira LeFranc has been the winemaker and Director of Operations since 2018. She studied Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta, then earned a postgraduate diploma in Wine Science from the University of Auckland in New Zealand.
On Vancouver, Brenda Hetman-Craig and her spouse Layne Robert Craig (winemaker), co-own, 40 Knots Winery on Vancouver Island. This is the most northerly grape winery in BC, specializing in sustainably produced, vegan, and low-sulphite wines, and producing wines from Pinot Noir and white aromatic wines.
Also on Vancouver Island, Stacy Hornemann took over as Lead Winemaker at Blue Grouse Estate Winery in the Cowichan Valley in 2024. She came with experience from California’s Sonoma County, and is now applying that expertise to cool-climate varietals like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown on the Island.
At Township 7 Vineyards & Winery, which has locations both in Langley in the Fraser Valley and on the Naramata Bench, Mary McDermott has been the winemaker since 2014. She is particularly known for the winery’s Benchmark Series, limited, single-vineyard wines that showcase the best the region has to offer in a given year and her sparkling wine program. I’ve written an article recently about her fantastic sparkling wine program.
Although not a winemaker, Christine Coletta has been a driving force behind the modern evolution of British Columbia wine for more than three decades. As the founding executive director of the BC Wine Institute in 1990, she helped establish the province’s Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) standards and played a key role in building market recognition for BC wines across Canada. Okanagan Crush Pad, which she co-founded with Steve Lornie in 2011, became Canada’s first purpose-built custom crush winery and a hub for innovative, organic, and minimal-intervention wines under labels such as Haywire, Narrative, and Free Form.
Why Does This Matter to You?
The honest answer: because the story behind a bottle of wine makes it taste better. That might sound like a stretch, but knowing who made a wine, what they studied, what they care about, what region they fell in love with, gives you something to hold onto when you are swirling your glass at home or in their winery tasting room.
BC wine is at an intriguing moment right now. The 2024 winter freeze was devastating for many interior vineyards, so many wineries had to source grapes from Washington, Oregon, and elsewhere to keep production going. Our industry is now rebuilding, replanting, and moving forward. Which grapes to replant? Some areas may have not been too well suited for an area, so a different varietal should be planted. Some wineries may start to plant hybrid grapes, such as Marquette, which is cold hardy. These winemakers will influence in which grapes will be replanted in BC, shaping our wine industry for the future.
While winemakers make all styles of wines, some winemakers and wineries are known to specialize in particular styles or grape varieties. Here is a current table I’ve assembled listing the winemaker, the winery, and the wines each winery is well known for producing. If I am missing a female winemaker, please let me know and I will update this table <Wow, I have found many more female winemakers, thanks to your comments!>. This table should be helpful when you go to your local wine shop to pick up a bottle of BC wine, or when you travel in the summer to visit these wineries.
Current Female BC Winemakers
Winemaker | Winery | Wine Specialties |
|---|---|---|
Mary McDermott | Township 7 Vineyards & Winery | Known especially for Cabernet Franc and Syrah, plus a standout sparkling wine program. Township 7’s Seven Stars sparkling series has won best sparkling wine in Canada twice at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. She also makes Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Merlot across both the Naramata Bench and Langley locations. |
Jacqueline Kuepfer | Bench 1775 Winery (winemaker and co-owner) | Bench 1775 is one of only two Okanagan wineries that has been producing icewine and late harvest wines since 1997. The portfolio also includes table wines using fruit from multiple Okanagan and Similkameen Valley vineyards, with an emphasis on terroir-driven, sustainable viticulture. |
Amber Pratt | Moraine Estate Winery | Specializes in Pinot Noir on the Naramata Bench, with a background in Syrah, Malbec, and Bordeaux varietals earned at CC Jentsch Cellars in the South Okanagan. |
Sandy Leier | Laughing Stock Vineyards | Best known for its flagship Bordeaux-style blend “Portfolio,” one of the Okanagan’s iconic structured red wines built around Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties. |
Kailee Frasch | Quails’ Gate Winery, West Kelowna | Specializes in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris, with experience making cool-climate Pinot Noir in Central Otago, New Zealand before returning to Quails’ Gate. |
Keira LeFranc | Stag’s Hollow Winery (winemaker & Director of Operations) | Produces a full portfolio of award-winning wines using 100% BC-grown grapes, showcasing the unique terroir of Okanagan Falls. The winery is known for pioneering unusual varietals, including Albariño, Tempranillo, Dolcetto, and Teroldego, alongside Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and whites. Her philosophy is low-intervention winemaking that tells a story of place. |
Severine Pinte | Le Vieux Pin & LaStella, Oliver | At Le Vieux Pin, red wines are primarily made from Syrah, while whites are primarily Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne. A French Rhône-inspired style. At LaStella, she makes Italian-inspired wines including Sangiovese-based blends. Her flagship Equinoxe Syrah has been praised by master sommeliers as one of Canada’s finest reds. |
Alice Lugli | Road 13 Winery, Oliver | Known for Syrah, Chardonnay, and Bordeaux-style blends, having trained in Romania, Italy, Portugal, and Australia before arriving in BC. Key wines include the Jackpot Chardonnay and John Oliver Syrah. |
Brook Jesus | Hester Creek Estate Winery, Oliver (assistant winemaker) | Known for robust reds and vibrant whites along the Golden Mile Bench. Hester Creek is particularly renowned for its Trebbiano, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. |
Alison Moyes | Solvero Wines (winemaker and general manager) | Crafts premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Rosé with a focus on minimal intervention to express Garnet Valley’s terroir, with over 15 years of cool-climate winemaking experience. |
Stacy Hornemann | Blue Grouse Estate Winery, Vancouver Island | Produces Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Bacchus, Ortega, Siegerrebe, Gamay Noir, and Pinot Noir, as well as both traditional method sparkling and Charme de L’île, a Charmat method sparkling wine that can only be made from grapes grown on Vancouver Island. |
Lynzee Schatz | TIME Family of Wines, Penticton | Known for structured Okanagan reds such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah, with a focus on balance between ripe fruit and firm tannins. |
Melissa Smits | Intersection Estate Winery (Head Winemaker and Vineyard Manager) | Works closely with estate vineyards, crafting bright aromatic whites and balanced reds. Chardonnay, Riesling, and Bordeaux varieties feature prominently. |
Val Tait | Gold Hill Winery | Crafts approachable yet expressive wines, particularly Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay that emphasize ripe fruit and smooth textures. A good winery if you enjoy big red wines. |
Stephanie Stanley | Peak Cellars | Specializes in cool-climate varieties from the northern Okanagan, including Riesling, Pinot Noir, and aromatic whites with vibrant acidity. |
Corrie Krehbiel | Frind Estate Winery | Produces fruit-forward estate wines from lakeside vineyards, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and bold reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. |
Gina Fernandes Harfman | Nostalgia Wines (winemaker and owner) | Known for elegant, food-friendly wines with restrained alcohol and good acidity, particularly Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Bordeaux-style reds. |
Nikki Callaway | O’Rourke Family Estate | Best known for premium cool-climate wines, particularly estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Lake Country sub-GI. |
Lyndsay O’Rourke | Tightrope Winery (winemaker and co-owner) | Produces small-lot natural-leaning wines using minimal intervention, often highlighting varieties such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, and aromatic whites. |
Paula Cooper | Oak and Sparrow Estate Winery | Specializes in small-batch wines, with a primary focus on Oaked Chardonnay, Unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. |
Catherine Coulombe | vinAmité Cellars (winemaker and co-owner) | Produces small-lot natural-leaning wines using minimal intervention, often highlighting varieties such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, and aromatic whites. |
Manpreet Dhaliwal | Kismet Estate Winery | Best known for producing bold, award-winning red wines, specifically their signature “destiny” blends (Mantra, Karma, Moksha), and premium Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Mireille Sauve | Lakeboat Vineyard & Winery | Specializes in small-batch wines made exclusively from locally sourced grapes, the winery is committed to regenerative agriculture, while supporting sustainability, economic viability, and social responsibility. |
Katrina D’Costa | Okanagan Crush Pad (Production Winemaker) | At OCP, her position is held almost entirely in the cellar, though she likes to work in the vines when possible. Katrina believes the vineyard is where the foundation of wine is created and a place she doesn’t want to stray too far from. |
Kristy French | The View | The View Winery and Vineyard, located in Kelowna, BC, is best known for its award-winning aromatic cool-climate white wines and fruit-forward, spicy reds, particularly those made from Pinotage. |
Danielle Hutton | Fairview Cellars | Is best known for producing premium, bold, and age-worthy Bordeaux-style red wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Their signature, highly regarded red blend is named “The Bear”. |
Karen Yeung | Adega on 45th Estate Winery, Osoyoos | Known for its fruit-forward, dry-finish red wines, particularly Malbec, Syrah, and its signature “Quarteto Tinto” Bordeaux-style blend. The winery is also noted for its unique white port (Portao Da Adega Branco) |
Sharmian Duke | Summerhill Pyramid Winery | Is world-renowned for its organic and biodynamic sparkling wines, particularly the Cipes series, and its unique aging process in a precision-engineered pyramid. They are also famous for producing award-winning icewines and high-quality aromatic whites and Pinot Noir. |
Jaime Flemke | Recline Ridge Vineyards & Winery, Tappen | They grow all cool-climate German and Austrian varietals locally in the Shuswap region. |
Sue Thygesen | KAHA Vineyard @Kraze Legz Winery (co-owner and co-winemaker) | Their wines are hand crafted and small lot fermented from exceptional quality grapes grown on steep slopes of fossilized sandstone and shale. |
Cheers.
You missed some of the best.
Mireille Sauve. And Manpreet at Kismet. And Catherine at Vin Amite.
I had Catherine. I’ve added Mireille Sauve and Manpreet.
Great article Karl. One more would be Kristy French at The View
Thanks, Brent. I will update my list.
And missed Karen Yeung (Gillis) Adega on 45th
Yes, indeed. There are so many women winemakers in BC. It is hard to find them all at once. I appreciate everybody’s comments, which adds to my list. It is quite impressive.
Please add Sharmian Duke, winemaker at Summerhill Winery.