As we celebrate extraordinary Australian women this week in the lead-up to International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8, let’s chat with three who are leading the way in Canberra’s wine industry.
Stephanie started making wine when she was nine years old at her parent’s winery and vineyard at Helm Wines.
Stephanie learnt to make wine from her local vintner father, Ken, who is one of the Canberra region's pioneering winemakers, with much of the current plethora of extraordinary wines being produced in the area tracing their heritage back to this man.
She was running her own winery at The Vintner’s Daughter vineyard alongside her husband before she turned 30 and now owns one of Canberra’s most premium boutique wineries.
Her vision extends beyond tradition, positioning The Vintner's Daughter as a winery renowned for its commitment to quality, craftsmanship and the distinct terroir of the Canberra region.
Owner, winemaker and vineyard manager for Canberra vineyard Intrepidus Wines, Chrissie was named in the Top 50 ‘Young Guns of Wine’ in Australia in 2023 and 2024.
Previously working full-time for some other fantastic vineyards and wineries around the Canberra district, she was able to launch her own wine label in 2021 and is now receiving national recognition and honours.
Intrepidus Wines was only born in the 2021 vintage, working from a one-acre vineyard in the Canberra District that Chrissie farms herself. This is critical for her philosophy, with an abrupt career shift leading her to wine and quickly to a vineyard-first approach, recognising that the work done amongst the vines ius just as important, if not more so, than the work in the winery.
The label’s first wines were built around Sangiovese and Shiraz – with a rosé and light red, where Shiraz has been co-fermented with a splash of Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. Recent additions to the range include Chenin Blanc, Nero d’Avola and a Pét-Nat Riesling.
Caitlin is General Manager and Sommelier at one of Canberra’s most beloved venues, Such and Such on Constitution Place in the heart of the CBD.
In 2024 she was named Sommelier of the Year at the prestigious Good Food awards. In addition to her work at Such and Such, Caitlin is also the director of Venus Vinifera, a local education and advocacy organisation for women in wine and hospitality.
This organisation began as a small group of women sharing bottles that they loved together and has transformed into a formalised education community, providing sessions in wine, spirits and beer with industry professionals from across Australia.
