On International Women’s Day, we have decided to celebrate all the remarkable women working in wine.
There is no doubt that there has been an increasing number of women working in the wine industry. Despite its reputation for being dominated mainly by men, many women in this sector have obtained recognition and added significant value to the wine world. They have, in fact, availed themselves notable roles such as enologists, sommeliers and influential wine buyers just to name a few, becoming a point of reference for many.
At Bijou, we value women and the positive impact they have on the wine industry. With this in mind, we would like to share the story of the woman who became a source of inspiration to our flagship rosé, Sophie Valrose.
Her story goes back to the 19th century, when discrimination against women was at its highest. Sophie was working with other women in the vineyards of Languedoc. At that time, it was mainly women who undertook a majority of the work in the vines, nevertheless the crucial role they played was not valued or recognised and they were largely exploited. They were forced to work in deplorable conditions, being mistreated, overworked and underpaid. Sophie decided to put an end to the agony and fight for what she and her peers deserved: equality. Her bravery made her a sort of a local hero, encouraging more and more women to stand for their rights, to believe in themselves and in a better future.
To honour her courage, we source the grapes for Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose from low yielding, handpicked bush vines, alike those that Sophie harvested herself many years ago and pay tribute to her on the back of every bottle.
Despite the progress and all the effort inequality in the workplace still persists at some level. With this issue being still highly relevant today, it is important to reflect and step up for improvement, not only as a moral imperative but also as a contribution to the society as a whole.
