This International Women's Day – Sunday, 8th March, Cramele Recas Celebrates Its Female Team

Cramele Recas, Romania's largest wine producer and exporter, proudly celebrates its incredible female team this International Women's Day.

From winemaking to laboratory innovation, these talented women are redefining what it means to succeed in an industry traditionally dominated by men. 

With 80% of its winemaking team composed of women, Cramele Recas stands as a beacon of inspiration and progress.

Meet the Team Behind the Wines

Nora Iriarte

With over two decades of experience in winemaking, Nora brings her deep expertise and passion to Cramele Recas. A veteran of the winery, she has been instrumental in crafting wines that have gained international acclaim. Nora's meticulous approach ensures that each bottle reflects the unique terroir and character of the 1,200-acre vineyard.

Elena Alejos

Elena joined Cramele Recas in 2020 with a remarkable career spanning more than 20 years in the wine industry. A Technical Director for Spanish vineyards early in her career, Elena has since worked internationally, lending her expertise to wineries in New Zealand and China. Her portfolio includes exceptional work across nearly all wine categories, from reds and whites to sparkling and fortified wines. Elena's contributions have been recognised with prestigious accolades, including two medals at the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2012 and 2019.

Elvira Cox

Elvira Cox plays a pivotal role in introducing Cramele Recas wines to new audiences across the globe. As Export Director, she spearheads the winery's expansion into international markets, overseeing an ever-growing export operation. Thanks to Elvira's efforts, Cramele Recas wines are enjoyed in over 40 countries, strengthening the brand's reputation worldwide.

Cristina Handaric

Cristina Handaric ensures that every bottle of Cramele Recas wine meets the highest standards. As Head of Laboratory & Quality Control, she oversees meticulous testing and analysis at every stage of production, from fermentation to bottling. Her expertise guarantees consistency, precision, and excellence, allowing Cramele Recas wines to shine in competitive international markets.

Floarea Miron

Behind every successful operation is a skilled accountant, and Floarea Miron ensures Cramele Recas runs seamlessly. Her expertise in financial management keeps the winery's operations efficient, supporting the company's growth and helping it maintain its position as Romania's largest wine exporter.

A Vision for a Diverse Future

The winemaking team at Cramele Recas exemplifies the power of diversity in crafting exceptional wines. Each team member brings their own unique style, expertise, and perspective, creating a dynamic synergy that translates into the high-quality wines enjoyed worldwide.

“We're incredibly proud of our team and the strides they're making in reshaping what leadership looks like in winemaking,” says Founder, Philip Cox. “Their dedication and skill continue to drive Cramele Recas to new heights.”

"As a winemaker, I've learned that every bottle tells a story—not just of the land it comes from, but of the people who craft it. At Cramele Recas, our team's strength lies in its diversity, and I'm proud to stand alongside so many talented women reshaping the face of winemaking. This International Women's Day, we celebrate not only how far we've come but also the endless possibilities ahead for women in this industry." – Nora Iriarte, Winemaker

As International Women's Day serves as a reminder of the importance of gender equality, Cramele Recas remains committed to fostering inclusivity and paving the way for more women to thrive in the wine industry.

Female Trailblazers of the Cheese World Share Wise Words for International Women's Day

French women have long been trailblazers in the art of gastronomy and today is no different with some fantastic female talent working in the world of French cheese, undoubtedly one of Europe's most admired culinary crafts. 

Here are four women who deserve to be celebrated this International Women's Day. In France, a dedication to perfecting skills is celebrated with “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France”, a competition founded 100 years ago in 1924. It is staged every four years with regular updates to make sure modern day trades and fields are included.

Those wishing to achieve the accolade must spend several years training in order for them to create a masterpiece from the materials given to them on the day of the competition. 

From the outset, the exam has been a validation of the mastery of know-how in a professional situation. In 2007, Laëtitia Gaborit was named one of the best cheesemongers aged just 28 with her innovative and impressive cheese display.

Laëtitia began a career in cheese with a passion inspired by her father, a cheese dairy worker, who would take her to visit producers during her school holidays. 

She took on the challenge of the Meilleur Ouvrier de France in her twenties to discover where she stood professionally. Laëtitia recalls her planning: “I prepared for the competition with a lot of tenacity, desire and, above all, passion. It wasn't easy, I had moments of self-doubt and financially it was quite challenging, but you always have to keep on moving forward.”

Now a cheese trainer, Laëtitia also has her own range of dairy products and cheeses.

Charlène Bouy, founder of Fromagerie Charlicot left a successful career in Mergers and Acquisitions in Paris before retraining to become a cheesemonger. Having left the company her friends encouraged her to pursue her passion in cheese and she's never looked back, citing her former colleagues and the salary as the only elements of the finance job she misses. 

When it comes to the qualities that women bring to the industry, Charlène, whose beautiful platters you can see on her Instagram Fromagerie Charlicot, suggests, “Women bring a more marked sensitivity to aesthetics, particularly with cheese platters - the famous “touche féminine”. However, within the industry, I find the women and men who love the profession all share the values of passion, commitment and beautiful presentation.”

At just 23 years old, Pauline Guillot is currently in the process of launching a dairy on the family farm. There she produces AOP Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage from a herd of 35 dairy cows. Having worked on the farm from an early age, Pauline wanted to manage the process from farm to fork. She says being able to transform the milk to a cheese that sets in five hours is nothing less than magical. 

Her day begins at 5.30am when the cold milk arrives from the previous day. The process of adding the ferments and rennet, placing the curd in the molds and flipping the curds takes them up to lunchtime. After a well earned break, the team returns in the early afternoon to flip the molds again and at 5pm the cheeses are salted and finished before the 21 day maturation process can start.

Pauline says being a woman in the industry means there's extra pressure to produce high quality products and there's an additional need for women to prove they can handle the physical demands of all stages of the production. She believes that women bring rigour and organisation to the production process as well as a different perspective to the male dominated traditions. Her advice for future female producers, “Be passionate about what you do, don't listen to criticism and trust yourself. Remember, we are just as capable as men we just need different approaches.”

The world of cheese is not just about producers and cheesemongers, CNIEL's director of international communications Marie-Laure Martin's followed her passion for working in agricultural products by studying food sociology. She worked briefly in the meat sector and then in fruit and vegetables before joining CNIEL to develop the international promotion of French dairy products.

For Marie-Laure, it's the human dimension of her job that appeals the most, and she is proud to represent the men and women dedicated to producing quality food. There is no such thing as a typical day as her time is divided between internal meetings, meetings with agencies around the world, creative brainstorming, administrative and reporting tasks and travelling to different territories. Her advice to anyone considering a job in the dairy industry is to “do something that you care about.”

The world of cheese is constantly developing and Laëtitia, Charlène, Pauline and Marie-Laure all share a commitment to sharing its qualities, traditions and craft to ensure its legacy for generations to come. It is wonderful to celebrate them this International Women's Day.

Support Women All Over the World This International Women's Day With Double Dutch's Exploration Pack

To celebrate International Women's Day, award-winning female-founded tonic and mixer brand, Double Dutch, will be donating 30% of sales from its top-selling product to a charity raising vital funds for young women. 

For every exploration pack (£20.15) purchased via Double Dutch's website throughout March, 30% of the sale will be donated to the Change A Girl's Life campaign, which is run by The Prince's Trust Women Supporting Women community. 

The exploration pack features 10 of Double Dutch's most popular mixers and tonics, that are full of flavour, fun and no fuss, including unexpected dual-flavours such as Cucumber & Watermelon, Pomegranate & Basil, as well as Double Dutch's newest product, Pink Grapefruit Soda.

Female founders, Raissa and Joyce De Haas, who set up the Female Bartender Scholarship programme in 2021 to elevate and educate women in the hospitality industry, chose to support the Change A Girl's Life campaign after research showed that women were most impacted by the pandemic, with 78% losing jobs. 

The Change A Girl's Life campaign is raising funds to provide vital support to help nurture, empower and inspire young women to build their futures through employment, self-employment, education or training. 

Said Raissa de Haas, Co-Founder of Double Dutch: “As a female-founded brand, we feel very strongly about the development of female talent across all industries and unlocking career opportunities and progression, which The Change A Girl's Life campaign supports. 

“We know how difficult some industries are for women, for example, the hospitality industry is particularly tough as women are so underrepresented in senior and management positions. With this in mind, we wanted to do something to help women in the industry and encourage them to flourish and we hope that by donating a percentage of sales, we can join forces in making a difference to young women's and girls' lives.” 

You can double down on flavour with Double Dutch's full range of products available via the Double Dutch website, with some of the brand's mixers available at Waitrose, Ocado or Tesco, as well as being available to purchase via Amazon. 

For more details and to register your interest in the Female Bartending Scholarship Programme for 2023, please visit: https://doubledutchdrinks.com/pages/scholarship-application 

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