Tomorrow, March 8th, is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the incredible contributions women make to the world—socially, economically, culturally, and politically.

One industry where women are making big waves is wine. The days of winemaking being a male-dominated field are changing, and more women are stepping into leadership roles, from the vineyards to the cellars and beyond.

During a fascinating Zoom webinar with Priyanka Kulkarni, a winemaker at New Zealand’s Villa Maria, a group of media attendees learned about her journey into the wine world and the unique vineyards where she crafts the world’s beloved Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

***“ It’s amazing how women empower each other in our journeys,” says Priyanka Kulkarni.*** *Photo: @this_is_indevin*.

The webinar, part of Winebow Imports’ Women in Wine Leadership Symposium, offered a window into Kulkarni’s life, shaped by unexpected turns and happy accidents – a theme familiar to many in the wine world.

"I did not dream of being a winemaker," Kulkarni told us. "My dream was to be a pilot." When that ambition didn't materialize, her journalist sister suggested looking into winemaking in their native India. That suggestion sparked a journey that would lead her halfway around the world.

After completing her master's degree in France and working vintages in China and New Zealand, Kulkarni found herself inexorably drawn to the land of the Kiwis.

"I still very clearly remember coming by plane into Blenheim and seeing these tiny patchworks of lush green vineyards, perfectly manicured," she recalled. "You see all these rugged mountains surrounding the region, the rivers going through. It's just a very majestic picture, but, at the same time, a bit untamed."

What began as seasonal work in 2015 evolved into a love affair with the region. "I kept coming back," she said. After returning for four consecutive harvests, the decision was clear: "This place is too nice to say bye to." In 2021, she joined Villa Maria, a pioneer of New Zealand winemaking founded in 1960.

What makes Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc so distinctive? While this white grape originated and thrives in France, Kulkarni described the unique confluence of Marlborough’s environmental factors that give its Sauvignon Blanc such individual character. Surrounded by mountains on three sides and the coast on the fourth, the region benefits from dramatic diurnal temperature shifts—warm days followed by cool nights—that preserve acidity. The plentiful sunshine (Marlborough is New Zealand's sunniest region) provides ripeness, while the evening chill maintains the wine's characteristic zing.

The complexity goes deeper as Kulkarni described Marlborough's sub-regions. The Wairau Valley, with its gravel and alluvial soils, produces most of New Zealand’s Sauvignon Blanc, making wines with pungent passion fruit and grapefruit notes. The Southern Valley and Waihopai Valley, nestled in rolling hills with clay soils that retain moisture, yield more textural wines with stone fruit and tropical flavors. The Awatere Valley, closest to the coast, produces wines with notes of alpinia (ginger flower), cut grass, gooseberry, and minerality.

“One of the best parts about working at Villa Maria,” says Kulkarni, “is the access to all the different vineyards in the sub-regions. It’s a dream to have so many unique parcels to blend and make wines that show completely different characteristics from each other.”

From Villa Maria's flagship Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc to single-vineyard expressions that showcase the unique character of individual sites, the winery crafts Sauvignon Blanc for every occasion—some designed for immediate enjoyment, others capable of aging and developing complexity over time.

Villa Maria's winemaking approach honors Marlborough’s natural bounty. "You need to do very little with the variety to preserve the typicity," Kulkarni explained.

The process involves gentle pressing and cold fermentation to preserve the thiols (aroma compounds) that give Sauvignon Blanc its distinctive character and minimal intervention. "We touch it the minimum to try not to damage any precious flavors," she said.

With harvest commencing the day after the webinar, Kulkarni shared her excitement for the impending "hive of activities" about to transform the winery. For four intense weeks, a team of 150 seasonal workers will join forces to process the crop during the critical window when Sauvignon Blanc must be harvested – not too early, not too late, but at the perfect moment of ripeness.

When not making wine, Kulkarni enjoys baking ("Sometimes I feel the reason I have this job is because I bake and bring goodies to work with me") and exploring unconventional food pairings. She suggests pairing Sauvignon Blanc with Indian food, especially biryani—the wine’s acidity balances the dish’s richness, while its vibrant flavors complement the aromatics.

**A flagship wine: Villa Maria’s Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc.**

Kulkarni described the personality of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with poetic flair: "It's like this person who walks into a party, completely flamboyant, wearing neon colors, so loud in your face." Yet behind that initial boldness lies depth and nuance. "There's a bit of humbleness behind the wine, in spite of the flamboyant nature," she reflected.

As our glasses emptied, one word lingered – "smashable" – Kulkarni's affectionate term for wines that disappear so easily from a glass. It's hard to imagine a better descriptor for these vibrant, zesty expressions that, like their maker, have found their perfect home halfway around the world from France, where their journey began.