Raquel Latre Latorre
THOSE WHO PRESIDE THE TABLE
Raquel Latre (President CRDO Somontano)
Born in Barbastro, capital of Somontano , she has a degree in Business Sciences, a Master's degree in Oenology, Viticulture and Wine Marketing. she has the level III of Wine & Spirit Education Trust , the highest and most recognized international training organization in the wine world and she is professional sommelier graduated from the Rovira y Virgili University.
One of the creative minds of enodestination , a travel agency dedicated to wine tourism , she combines her busy business life with the position of President of the Somontano Denomination of Origin.
“When I was proposed for this position, someone believed in me more than I did in myself. Perhaps we should be more courageous, believe more in our abilities, take risks and, above all, feel like one of the others, make the news our job and not our condition” says Raquel.
She believes that gender equality in wine and in all sectors is possible. “Society evolves, women are increasingly more qualified and develop more skills and we are also more visible. We must want and believe in our possibilities: confidence and passion go a long way ”, she sentences.
Handicap for being a woman? " Fortunately, in the workplace, I have had the good fortune to surround myself with very professional people and I have learned something from all of them. From my beginnings as a stewardess to today as an entrepreneur and as President of the Somontano Denomination of Origin. There is always someone to learn from and who helps us to be better ".
Raquel Latre Latorre
Carmen San Martín (President CRDO. Rueda)
Valladolid, 39 years old, she has a Law Degree with two Masters, in Legal Advice from the Instituto de Empresa (Madrid) and in Direction and Management of Wine Companies from the Valladolid Chamber of Commerce. She has been the manager of the family winery ** Hijos de Alberto Gutiérrez ** since June 2012 and a member and president of the CRDO Rueda since 2016.
"In side. Rueda, the presence of women is very broad, I would even say that majority in technical positions, export or communication Y numerous in managerial and managerial positions in many of our wineries ” says San Martin.
Carmen assures that it is a very creative work and connected with nature: “ It is learning from the “elders” and try to improve processes. We work to try to make the lives of others more pleasant, for their enjoyment, and that is very gratifying”.
Handicap for being a woman? "Honestly no. Moreover, the colleagues I have worked with have tried to teach me and help me and, thanks to them, grow professionally ”.
Carmen San Martin
THOSE OF THE FIVE SENSES
**Gemma Vela (1st Sommelier at the Ritz Hotel) **
In the world of wine since 1987, she studied Hospitality and Tourism, and Oenology in Madrid. She was Veedora in the DO Ribera del Duero and passed through prestigious restaurants such as ** Martín Berasategui (Lasarte-Donostia) ** and El Amparo (Madrid). she is currently 1st Sommelier at the Ritz Hotel in Madrid , now under renovations . Curious fact: At 23 years old, she was the first woman to work in that position in a luxury hotel in Spain..
“When I started in this profession, more than three decades ago, it was a more closed and quite exclusive space . Today, everything has changed and we women have been able to demonstrate that we are one more. The advantages only come thanks to professionalism. For my part, I have always liked discretion and I enjoy seeing that a client is enjoying the wine that she has requested or with which she has been advised”, comments the sommelier.
And she also adds that there are more and more women who carry out important functions such as: winemakers, winemakers, distributors, in marketing companies, in specialized stores and in restaurants. "This is a long-distance race, but we are already a reality in this sector."
Handicap for being a woman? "In my case, so far, I have had no negative feelings, for which I feel really grateful."
Gemma Vela
María José Huertas (Sommelier of the Terrace of the Madrid Casino)
She discovered the world of wine studying Agricultural Technical Engineering at a time when she did not like to drink.
She has been working since 2000 at the Terraza del Casino de Madrid as a sommelier where she manages the warehouse and customer service. She also belongs to the committee of tabletop and large payments tasting and the group from the Academia del Terruño . Oh, and she's an avid runner.
“ I believe that equality already exists in the world of wine fortunately . We must continue to progress in this direction, but I also think that terms are sometimes confused and we dawdle along the way instead of coming to the point more forcefully. At the beginning we were few girls in wineries, vineyards, etc, but today, fortunately, the panorama has changed a lot” says Huertas.
The sommelier understands the world of wine as a way of life; work and everything that surrounds them: tastings, wine trips. She loves a profession in which, as she herself assures, ·"You have to study and taste more and more every day".
Handicap for being a woman? “No, I would be lying if I said yes. If you respect yourself and try to do a good job and be more educated every day, it is more difficult for them to step on your ground ”.
Maria Jose Huertas
Nuria Spain (Manager of El Portal Group sommelier)
She was awarded at III FACYRE National Gastronomy Contest with the First Prize of the National Sommelier Contest r and she has been a finalist in the last three years that the national contest was held The Golden Nose.
Titled as Maitre y Sommelier, she obtained the Bar Master Reserve . Two years ago she trained as Ambassador of Canarian Wines in the Peninsula her, she makes three that she has the third level of the WSET. And she makes one that she is one of our influential women of gastronomy in Traveler.
“In the labor market, women are no longer under the cloak of visual surprise , we have reached the professional cum laude and we are treated and considered as equals. We are in some prodigious years, in which we are appreciated by all audiences”, Nuria is sincere.
For this great woman, categorizing a great wine no longer depends only on itself, but of people's ability to appreciate them , the serenity to enjoy them Y need to share them.
Handicap for being a woman? "From my point of view, the great obstacles along the way were already solved by women a generation before ours."
Maria Spain
THE TECHNIQUES
Ruth Rodríguez (Izadi Winery Winemaker)
Pure-bred Riojan with Galician ancestry, she learned a lot from her grandfather, who was a winemaker. She studied agricultural engineering and then oenology. She has worked in wineries in New Zealand, Chile and Italy.
For 8 years she has been the technical manager of Bodegas Izadi, where she coordinates the production of Rioja Alavesa wines from old vineyards in this area.
“There are many women in charge of large wineries and a generation of young people passionate about the world of wine that we have a lot to say”, says Ruth.
The winemaker believes in a future of gender equality in the world of wine and in all aspects of life in general. “We are in that beautiful moment in which women have a great specific weight in the sector both in technical and management positions", adds
Handicap for being a woman? “ the statistics say , there is still much to be done in all sectors for there to be true equality. However, in the team, I am one more and personally I have never encountered any obstacle due to the fact of being a woman”.
ruth rodriguez
**Maria Berzal (Brand Ambassador Bodegas Luis Alegre) **
De Riaza (Segovia), agricultural engineer and Master in Oenology and Viticulture, from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. In 2014 she founded her company dedicated to technical advice to wineries and the positioning of different wines. She currently also performs the duties, in Madrid, of Brand Ambassador of ** Bodegas Luis Alegre **.
“We women are changing the panorama because for us it is a professional opportunity for which we are perfectly trained , as we have shown. My grain of sand may be the fact that I try to spread the wines from the most absolute passion . I like to talk about wines, transmit the benefits of wine, everything that is behind a bottle and many times I forget about the commercial part” says María.
Handicap for being a woman? “Most of the time It has been due to poor company management and lack of training in management positions . see to well educated women capable of carrying out a managerial job did not fit in easily. It's hard to say but I have experienced the "displeasure" of having a woman in charge of the technical direction making important decisions and developing a job recognized by consumers".
Mary Berzal
THE BOSS
Mar Raventós (President of Codorniú)
At only 24 years old, she started in the family business. She went through multiple departments until in 1998 she was elected president of Codorníu. The brilliant businesswoman is very happy to celebrate her 41st anniversary in the group , passing from produce only cava to acquire vineyards and wineries where great wines are made.
Today the group owns 10 wineries in the most prestigious denominations of origin in the world such as La Rioja, Penedés, Priorat, Ribera del Duero, Costers del Segre, Valle del Cinca, Napa Valley (California) and Mendoza (Argentina).
“Today I I do not see differences in management based on gender, beyond a woman's sixth sense to perceive certain sensitivities. What I believe is that in the world of wine and cava there are great enthusiasts, people who believe in their product and love what they do”, explains Raventós. For her, it doesn't matter at all if they are men or women. "You feel it or you don't feel it, you're worth it or you're not worth it," he concludes..
Handicap for being a woman? “One of the main challenges that I have had to face as president, together with my human team, has been the cope with the economic situation of a few years ago . Crises make you strong, they force you to be better and more strategic”.
Sea Raventos