Women’s History Month: The Women Behind the Broadbent Selections Portfolio
March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the leadership and contributions of women across the wine industry. At Broadbent Selections, we are proud to work with a global network of producers where women play critical roles in winemaking, estate leadership, and brand stewardship. From established European regions to emerging New World terroirs, these women bring experience, innovation, and dedication to the wines we share with the trade.
Below, we highlight the women across our portfolio who are helping shape the identity and future of their respective estates.
Broadbent – Portugal
Beatriz Cabral de Almeida, Winemaker
Beatriz Cabral de Almeida leads winemaking for Broadbent’s Portuguese wines, bringing deep experience with native grape varieties and traditional Portuguese wine regions. Her work focuses on expressing regional character while maintaining the balance and accessibility that define the Broadbent style.
Dina Luís, Winemaker
Working alongside Beatriz, Dina Luís contributes to the development and production of Broadbent’s Portuguese wines, helping ensure consistency and quality across the range while maintaining the authenticity of Portugal’s diverse terroirs.
Broadbent California Range – North Coast, California
Lorena Hernandez, Assistant Winemaker
Lorena Hernandez serves as Assistant Winemaker for the Broadbent California Range. Working with North and Central Coast fruit, she plays an important role in crafting wines that reflect California’s vibrant fruit character while staying true to Broadbent’s philosophy of balance and approachability.
Domaines Devillard – Burgundy, France
Aurore Devillard, Co-owner
Represents the fourth generation guiding the Devillard family estates in Burgundy’s Côte Chalonnaise, including Château de Chamirey in Mercurey—an appellation with nearly 2,000 years of winemaking history. Today Mercurey remains the largest vineyard area in the Côte Chalonnaise, known for structured, age-worthy Pinot Noir grown on limestone and marl soils.
Carole Briffox, Winemaker
Works alongside the Devillard family to craft wines that reflect Mercurey’s classic style—structured Pinot Noir with depth and aging potential—through careful vineyard work, native fermentations, and traditional Burgundian cellar practices.
Pierre Mayeul – Burgundy, France
Ludivine Griveau-Gemma, Co-owner & Winemaker
Leads both vineyard and cellar work for Pierre Mayeul, producing elegant wines that reflect Burgundy’s terroir. She also serves as the winemaker and estate manager of the historic Hôtel-Dieu – Hospices de Beaune, the 15th-century charitable hospital and vineyard estate in Burgundy founded in 1443. Today, the Hospices manages approximately 60 hectares of certified organic vineyards whose wines are sold at the renowned annual Hospices de Beaune charity auction to support modern healthcare initiatives.
Spy Valley – Marlborough, New Zealand
Amanda Johnson, Owner
Represents the second generation of family leadership at Spy Valley, helping guide the winery’s long-term vision, sustainability efforts, and future succession. Her family planted their first vines in Waihopai Valley in 1993, helping prove the region’s potential for world-class viticulture. Amanda has played an important role in shaping Spy Valley’s identity, from its distinctive branding to its global reputation for expressive Marlborough wines.
Emily Gaspard-Clark, Winemaker
Emily Gaspard-Clark joined Spy Valley in 2017 after building experience in vineyards across New Zealand, Australia, France, and Canada. A graduate of Lincoln University’s viticulture program, she discovered winemaking after originally planning to study food science. Emily quickly became an important member of the Spy Valley team, bringing global experience and technical expertise to the winery. In 2019 she was named the winner of the Tonnellerie de Mercurey New Zealand Young Winemaker competition, and in 2022 she became Chair of the Marlborough committee for the competition, where she now helps mentor emerging winemakers in the region. At Spy Valley, she works across a wide range of varietals, contributing to the estate’s continued reputation for expressive Marlborough wines.
Gusbourne – Kent, England
Mary Bridges, Head Winemaker
Mary Bridges leads the winemaking team at Gusbourne, one of England’s pioneering sparkling wine estates. Her approach emphasizes meticulous vineyard management and traditional method production, contributing to the rising global recognition of English sparkling wine.
Laura Rhys, Brand Ambassador
Laura Rhys, a Master Sommelier, serves as Gusbourne’s Brand Ambassador. Through education, trade engagement, and global outreach, she plays a vital role in communicating the quality and potential of English wines.
Elderton – Barossa Valley, Australia
Julie Ashmead, Head of Production
Appointed Head of Production in 2019, Julie Ashmead oversees both viticulture and winemaking at Elderton, managing vineyard and cellar operations to maintain the estate’s reputation for world-class Barossa wines. Her role ensures quality across Elderton’s historic vineyards, including the iconic Nuriootpa site planted in 1894.
Lorraine Ashmead, Owner
Alongside her husband Neil, Lorraine Ashmead revitalized the historic Elderton vineyard in 1980, restoring the estate and launching the first Elderton wines in 1982. Today she continues to help guide the family winery’s legacy as the second generation expands the estate across Barossa and Eden Valley.
Bindi Sergardi – Tuscany, Italy
Alessandra Casini Bindi Sergardi, Co-owner & Winemaker
Alessandra Casini Bindi Sergardi represents the 23rd generation of her family’s winemaking legacy in Siena, with roots in the region dating back nearly 700 years. Since taking leadership of the estate in 2005, she has modernized the historic Bindi Sergardi winery while honoring its deep connection to Sangiovese and the vineyards surrounding Siena.
Alheit Vineyards – Western Cape, South Africa
Suzaan Alheit, Co-owner
Suzaan Alheit, together with her husband Chris, produce wines that highlight the diversity and potential of the Western Cape’s historic vineyards.
Vilafonté – Paarl, South Africa
Arlene Mains, Seriously Old Dirt Winemaker
A Stellenbosch native with a Master’s degree in Wine Biotechnology from Stellenbosch University, Arlene Mains brings global experience from wineries including Opus One, Château Mouton Rothschild, and Rupert & Rothschild. Since joining Vilafonté in 2021, she has led winemaking for Seriously Old Dirt, focusing on expressing the character of the Western Cape’s ancient soils through wines that highlight purity of fruit and sense of place.
Women have always played an important role in the wine world, and their leadership continues to grow across every corner of the industry. At Broadbent Selections, we are proud to represent producers where women contribute meaningfully to vineyard stewardship, winemaking excellence, and the future of wine.
