Women-made wines at the Wine Shapers young talent gathering

This week, Vitoria-Gasteiz played host to a gathering of young winemaking talent. EDA Drinks & Wine Campus, an organisation supported by the Basque Culinary Centre which has been holding events for Spanish winemakers under 40 since 2023, took things a step further with its first major international event, called Wine Shapers.

Spanish Wine Lover was delighted to be involved in an event that aligns with our mission to raise awareness about the young producers who are shaping the future of the wine industry. Yolanda Ortiz de Arri was the  master of ceremonies and Amaya Cervera chaired one of the panel discussions. And, for the first time, it’s great to see that the future looks more balanced in terms of female representation.

Although men still outnumbered women on two of the three discussion panels, women were very much present throughout the day. The photo above captures this well. From left to right: Irene Arranz of Clandelvino (Valtiendas, Segovia), followed by producer Carmen F. Uriarte (Lapuebla de Labarca, Rioja Alavesa), Ester Cardús of Llopart (Corpinnat) who took part in one of the round tables, Lucía Abando of Las Orcas (Laguardia, Rioja Alavesa), Sara Valencia of Casa Genara (San Martín de Unx, Navarra) and Ángela Bello of Bello Berganzo (Rioja Alavesa).

The organisers also made a thoughtful choice by selecting wines made by women for the lunchtime cocktail. These included personal projects by Jade Gross and Carmen Fernández Uriarte, as well as wines produced by winemakers working at renowned estates such as Aiurri (Neza Skrt) and Baynos (Andrea Vuelta),  the Rioja winery owned by Mauro. Most of the bottles, however, came from family wineries in Rioja Alavesa and the txakoli regions, where women play an important role. These included Lucía Abando from Las Orcas, Angela Bello from Bello Berganzo, Judit Valdelana from Bodegas Valdelana, Haizea Aretxabaleta from Magalarte Zamudio (Bizkaiko Txakolina), Miren Martínez from Luberri, and Maider Rezabal from Bodegas Rezabal (Getariako Txakolina).

These were our favourite wines: 

Chiguita by Jade Gross 2024 White (Rioja). This is probably our favourite wine from Jade Gros, a Hong Kong native who studied politics and international relations before discovering a passion for cooking and eventually entering the world of wine. Based in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Gross continues to refine her style, producing wines that are increasingly polished, elegant and balanced. Made primarily from Viura with a touch of Tempranillo Blanco and Garnacha Blanca, this white beautifully highlights white fruit flavours framed by floral and herbaceous notes. It has an enveloping texture and combines honeyed notes with excellent acidity, with the potential to develop in bottle. As with everything Gross produces, quantities are tiny, and the €50 price reflects the meticulous artisan work behind it.

Baynos 2022 White (Rioja). Under the guidance of winemaker Andrea Vuelta, Baynos, Mauro's winery in Baños de Ebro, has gone from strength to strength. With no ambition to produce large volumes and a range limited to just two wines, a red and a white Viura, the focus here is firmly on purity of fruit and expression of terroir, while maintaining the balance and elegance associated with Rioja. Showing reductive notes of sunflower seeds and popcorn reminiscent of white Burgundy, this wine is bound to appeal to wine lovers. Its generous volume and exquisite texture stand out, while the wine's acidity ensures a long finish and ageing potential. €68.

Las Salinas 2025 White (Rioja). Miren Martínez represents the second generation at the winery founded by her parents, Florentino Martínez Monje and María José, who made a name for themselves with their popular Luberri carbonic maceration red. Las Salinas is the winery's first barrel-fermented white. Made from 90-year-old Viura (80%) and Malvasía (20%) grapes grown in the Carravalseca-Las Salinas site, the wine will benefit from a little time in bottle to better integrate the oak.  Even now, however, there is enough concentration of white fruit and a promising interplay of sweet and acidic notes on the palate. €18.

Rezabal 2025 Rosé (Getariako Txakolina). Maider Rezabal is the third generation to lead the family winery in Zarautz, known for its traditional, lightly fizzy txakoli wines, as well as a sparkling cuvée. This rosé, made from Hondarrabi Beltza, is one of the most original wines in the range. Floral and red fruit notes lead ito a juicy palate where the subtle sweet notes soften the region's signature acidity. It offers pure unpretentious pleasure in a glass, and at a price (€10) that makes it widely accesible.

Las Orcas Tempranillo Vino de Laguardia 2023 Red (Rioja). Lucía Abando is a winemaker and the sixth generation at Las Orcas, a small family winery in Laguardia that farms 10 hectares of its own vineyards alongside a further 12 hectares of rented plots. This village wine blends fruit from six Tempranillo vineyards farmed by the family in Laguardia. After 12 months in French oak barrels, the wine displays notes of red and black fruit, delivering a rich and appealing palate. The colourful, eye-catching label is sure to appeal to younger consumers. €15.  

Carmen Uriarte Viñedos en Laguardia 2024 Red (Rioja). This is the first release from Carmen Uriarte, an agronomist who left her job at Viticultura Viva last year to focus on her own project. Carmen Uriarte has taken over the winery of Txutxi Muro, a well-respected cosechero from Lapuebla de Labarca who had no family successor. This village wine comes from four old vineyards in Laguardia and was aged for 10 months in seasoned 500-litre barrels. The depth of the old vines comes through in the generous black fruit and fragrant character of the wine. This full-bodied, flavourful, enveloping red wine retails at €29 per bottle. This is a project to follow closely.

Aiurri 2022 Red (Rioja). Originally from Ljubljana, Neza Skrt brings an impressive international background, having worked in Chile, Australia, Germany and Slovenia before becoming head winemaker at Aiurri, Alma Carraovejas' winery in Leza (Rioja Alavesa). The winery's flagship red seeks to capture the character of the small plots of old vines scattered around the village of Leza. To achieve this, each plot is fermented and aged separately before the final blend is assembled. The wine reflects the warmth of the 2022 vintage in a restrained way, retaining red fruit and fragrant aromatics, while the palate carries greater weight along with a spicy character, finishing with notes of black pepper and liquorice. €43.