Virginia Women in Wine: Pioneers & Rock Stars

I have been a champion and advocate for the Virginia wine industry long before I opened my own retail wine shop. I remember my first few visits to Virginia wineries back in the mid-2000s, and it made me wonder why no one was talking about this wine country at all.

Fast forward to 2026 and the word is out — loud and clear — this region is one to experience and behold. Our local wine industry has been written up with accolades in many respected wine publications and by all the top wine writers in this country. We are no longer an afterthought or the ugly stepchild of the wine world. Virginia is figuring out its own personality in this industry and carving out a unique path.

But how did we get here and who are the pioneers that got it started? Being that it is Women’s History Month, I thought it would be appropriate to showcase some of the women who have charted a path in this business and paved the way for our current-day female rock stars who are showing the wine world how it’s done.

The Trailblazers

Lucie Morton

Morton is an internationally recognized author, viticulturist, and ampelographer — the botanical science of identifying, describing, and classifying grapevine varieties. Morton planted one of the first contemporary vineyards in Virginia at her family’s farm in King George County in 1973, and her research and growing expertise helped shape viticulture practices across the entire East Coast. She is known for discovering a fungus that causes “black goo,” which can decimate a vineyard if not treated. In 2018, she was awarded the Virginia Wineries Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Juanita Swedenburg

Juanita Swedenburg of Swedenburg Estate Vineyards notably won a landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 to allow wineries to ship directly to consumers in other states (Swedenburg v. Kelly). I was so fortunate to meet Ms. Swedenburg and visit her winery right before she passed away in 2007.

Emma Randel & Felicia Warburg Rogan

I have to include Emma Randel and Felicia Warburg Rogan in this cadre, as they both founded wineries in the Charlottesville and Shenandoah areas, respectively. Randel started her Shenandoah vineyard in 1979 and successfully helped establish Virginia’s first American Viticultural Area in the Shenandoah Valley. Felicia Warburg Rogan, founder of Oakencroft Vineyard & Winery in Charlottesville, was an equally bold force — joining international trade missions in the 1980s and ’90s to promote Virginia wine on the world stage.

All of these women blazed their own trails and paved a clear path for our current female wine rock stars in Virginia.

Let’s Take a Look at Some of Today’s Rock Stars

Emily Hodson — Veritas Vineyard & Winery and Flying Fox Vineyard

Emily Hodson worked alongside her father, Andrew, at the inception of Veritas, the family’s vineyard in the Blue Ridge foothills, before earning her master’s degree in fermentation science from Virginia Tech and taking over as head winemaker. Under Emily’s leadership, Veritas has become one of Virginia’s most award-winning wineries — a true testament to what happens when deep family roots meet serious technical training.

Maya Hood White — Early Mountain Vineyards

Maya Hood White is winning awards at Early Mountain Vineyards, where she also produced Virginia’s first Pétillant-Naturel — a lightly sparkling wine made using an ancient method. She earned an M.S. in viticulture and oenology from UC Davis, but her path to wine was anything but conventional: before jumping headfirst into the wine industry, Maya was working in mathematics and engineering for the defense industry. Her analytical precision and creative instincts have made her one of the most exciting winemakers in the state.

Melanie Natoli — Cana Vineyards & Winery of Middleburg

Melanie Natoli brought a physical therapist’s patience and precision with her when she transitioned careers to become the winemaker and vineyard manager at Cana Vineyards in 2015. The results speak for themselves: she was recognized as Woman Winemaker of the Year at the International Women’s Wine Competition in 2017, and in 2019 won the prestigious Governor’s Cup — one of only two women ever to claim that honor.

Melanie Natoli of Cana Vineyards & Winery of Middleburg

Katell Griaud — Slater Run Vineyards

Katell Griaud brings an Old World focus to the hills of Virginia’s Hunt Country. Raised at her family’s wine estate, Château Kalian in southwest France, she received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in winemaking from the prestigious University of Bordeaux. Slater Run has earned multiple Governor’s Cup silver medals under her watch, and Katell’s French training paired with Virginia’s unique terroir continues to produce some of the most distinctive wines in the state.

Kirsty Harmon — Blenheim Vineyards

Netherlands-born and Charlottesville-bred, Kirsty Harmon got her start working with Virginia wine legend Gabriele Rausse before earning her master’s in viticulture and enology at UC Davis. She returned to plant her flag at Blenheim Vineyards as winemaker and general manager. Kirsty is not only one of the finest winemakers in the state but also a genuine ambassador for Virginia wine on the national stage.

From the trailblazers who planted the first vines to the rock stars winning gold medals today, Virginia’s women in wine have shaped this industry at every level. As Women’s History Month reminds us, their stories deserve to be told, celebrated, and continued.

And if you want to taste the fruits of their labor, stop into Wine Gallery 108 to pick up a bottle...or two.

SEE ALSO: Beyond the Bottle: The Art of Wine at Wine Gallery 108