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Women in Wine
Jen Lordan
Beverage director, Dovetail
Experience: Studied with a master sommelier; worked at BLT Steak and BLT Fish.
Her list: Global artisanal producers. "Greek wines and Austrian reds have recently caught my interest."
Customer reaction: "Most people are more surprised that I'm young."
Bargain picks: Italian wines and German Rieslings. "Just stay out of California."
Photo: Melissa Hom
Belinda Chang
Beverage director, The Modern
Experience: Trained at Café Annie in Houston; GM at Fifth Floor in San Francisco and Charlie Trotter's in Chicago.
Her list: "We're representing Argentina, New Zealand, and little cult producers in Washington and Oregon."
Female advantages: "In real-estate terms, we have more taste buds per capita."
Bargain picks: In California, look to Anderson Valley in the north and then south to the Central Coast.
Domestic preference: "I'm all about supporting the home team."
Photo: Melissa Hom
Heather Branch
Beverage director, Eighty One
Experience: Grape-phrenology seminars; Sommelier at Fifth Floor in San Francisco; Ran wine program at Craftsteak Las Vegas.
Her list: Focus on boutique producers; strong American selection; exclusives from California. "We have a Marjoram Syrah that's only ever been on mailing lists."
Female advantages: "Sometimes, a male guest will need to prove himself against the male sommelier. As a woman, it's very easy to disarm that."
Bargain picks: Argentina. The quality of the Malbecs and Cabernets for under $20 are phenomenal.
Courtesy of Eighty One
Lee Campbell
Beverage director, Provence
Experience: Wine stores ("There's a lot more time for book learning"); maître d'–manager at Verbena, Gotham Bar and Grill, Punch, and Union Pacific.
Her list: All-French, drawing from Provence and the Southern Rhône Valley; considering some Long Island wines.
Customer reaction: "People are surprised about my whole package: My hair is kind of wild, I happen to be African-American, a woman, and I speak French."
Bargain picks: From Austria, Grüner Veltliner; little-known reds like ones made from the varietal Blaufränkisch.
Courtesy of Provence
Juliette Pope
Beverage director, Gramercy Tavern
Experience: Cook at Union Square Café; waiter at Gramercy Tavern; mentored by Paul Grieco.
Her list: Varietal-focused. "It helps the staff find better what diners are looking for."
Customer reaction: "Women seem especially pleased. They say, ‘Oh, I thought this was just a boys' club.'"
Girls' club: "Your ears perk up when you hear someone takes over a sommelier job. Score another for the team."
Bargain picks: Austria. The Grüner Veltliner grape is a great alternative to a Sauvignon Blanc.
Photo: Melissa Hom
Laura Maniec
Beverage director, B.R. Guest Restaurants
Experience: Sommelier at Blue Fin ("I was working a $20 million wine program, and I was 21"), wine service at Fiamma Las Vegas, and other B.R. Guest restaurants.
Her list: "I do all the buying for the entire company."
Female advantages: "We are more intuitive. We better extrapolate from guests what they're looking for."
Side gig: French Culinary Institute. "All the teachers are women."
Bargain picks: Jumilla wines from Spain; New Zealand's Sauvignon Blanc: "It's always under $15, and nobody doesn't like it."
Courtesy of B.R. Guest
Ania Zawieja
Sommelier, Fiamma
Experience: Wine director and buyer at the Ritz-Carlton in Miami, Café Gray, the Modern, and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon.
Her list: International; 650 selections. "Our highlight is definitely Italian: Piemonte, Tuscany."
Customer reaction: "Four years ago when I came up to a table, someone would say, ‘No, no, no, we asked for the sommelier.'"
Female advantage: "I don't think our egos get in the way as much."
Bargain picks: "A beautiful little appellation called Rosso Piceno" from the same region as Fabio Trabocchi.
Courtesy of Fiamma
