The Women Changing Wine | Platinum Magazine

This month, I would like to introduce you to two phenomenal women who are shaping the world of wine. In England, Canadian winemaker Cherie Spriggs has helped transform Nyetimber into a sparkling wine that genuinely rivals Champagne. Meanwhile, over in Western Australia, Vanya Cullen has redefined what it means to make Cabernet Sauvignon, crafting biodynamic wines of purity and power while caring for her land as a mother does her children.  

Both women are powerhouses of the wine world, and their wines will be on my Christmas table! 

 Cherie Spriggs – Nyetimber, England Waitrose £42 

Twenty years or so ago, Canadian winemaker Cherie Spriggs was looking for her next job but felt a bit at a loss. One evening, she was out walking with her husband Brad when he turned to her and asked, “What would be your dream job?” 

She thought for a moment and remembered a bottle of English sparkling wine her dad had given her years before (back in 2001). It was from Nyetimber, and the potential in that wine had struck her – the texture and quality stayed with her. She said to Brad, “Probably Nyetimber.” And Brad replied, “Well, why don’t you apply and see if they’ve got a vacancy?” 

So she did! She wrote to Nyetimber’s owner, Eric Heerema, and – amazingly – he wrote straight back. He said he was actually looking for two qualified winemakers (helpfully, husband Brad is also a winemaker). And that’s how they ended up moving to England and joining Nyetimber in 2007. 

Nyetimber helped to put English sparkling wine on the map, and Cherie and Brad are a big part of the reason why. For the first time, English sparkling was seen as a genuine rival to Champagne. At the International Wine Challenge 2018, Nyetimber was put into this global competition, where producers from across the world submit their wines. Typically, it’s always Champagne that wins. But that year, history was made: it was the first time the award was won by a woman, the first time it was won by someone outside Champagne, and the first time it was won outside France altogether. This accolade has been transformative, not just for Nyetimber but for the entire English wine market. And Cherie’s achievements didn’t stop there. In September 2025, Nyetimber’s Blanc de Blancs Magnum 2016 was crowned Champion Sparkling Wine at the International Wine Challenge; she is the only winemaker outside France ever to receive it twice. 

I’ve been a fan of Cherie’s wines for some time now and always love to taste and showcase them. For me, Nyetimber is consistently high quality, refined and beautifully flavoured. Their Classic Cuvée, the flagship blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, is widely available and one of my go-to recommendations. Elegant and intense, with nutty, brioche notes and fresh lemons and limes, it comes very close to Champagne in style. It’s the bottle I’d happily drink all the way through Christmas, from breakfast to smoked salmon bellinis, seafood platters.  

And my top tip? Stock up when supermarkets run their 25% off six bottles offer – it’s one of the best buys you can make for the festive season. 

Vanya Cullen – Cullen Wines, Margaret River, Western Australia Berry Bro, Liberty, VIVNM £83.60 

“Cabernet Sauvignon is king in Margaret River – and Vanya Cullen is its queen.” 

Margaret River in Western Australia is where you’ll find Vanya Cullen, one of the most inspiring women in wine, and someone whose Cabernets regularly outshine the French on the awards circuit. 

Cullen Wines was founded in 1971 by her parents, and today, Vanya is celebrating her 36th vintage. She has become Australia’s most vocal advocate of biodynamics and a true pioneer of sustainable winemaking. Everything she does is delivered with nature in mind - she has over 500 different grasses growing in the vineyards, 1,705 native trees and shrubs have been planted to offset carbon emissions, and every grape is hand-picked! Australia’s first 100% carbon-neutral winery.  

Vanya says she wants her grandchildren to be able to run through the land freely, eat from it safely, and feel that deep connection to the place. She even knows how many different types of grasses there are! 

The result is wines that are pure expressions of the land. Nothing is added, not even yeast. Vanya calls it “walking on the roof of queendom”, a philosophy that has made her a leading voice for the future of wine.  

I have watched many of her interviews over the years, and every time I’ve been struck by what a phenomenal woman she is; caring, compassionate, kind and making incredible wines. People describe visiting the Cullen winery as like walking in The Garden of Eden (I would love to visit one day!). 

Cullen’s wines carry deep personal meaning. The Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot, for example, is named after her late mother, while the Kevin John Chardonnay honours her late father.  

For me, Cullen’s Cabernets is extraordinary – intense, structured, age-worthy – yet still undervalued compared to Bordeaux. To buy a wine of this calibre from France would cost hundreds of pounds. In my opinion, there’s still a ceiling on the price for Australian fine wine. Buy now and keep this wine for 10 years. 

In the glass, it’s full of sumptuous black fruits like blackberry, cherry, cassis, dried herbs and baked earth. The wine has been aged in oak, so expect toasty notes with fine tannins and a full body while still offering lovely bright acidity. It’s just perfect for indulgent festive feasts – and would be magnificent with roast beef and all the trimmings, beef/mushroom and chestnut wellington or even a rich stew. And hard cheeses such as aged Comté, Gruyère, or a good cheddar, then sit back and relax. 

Elizabeth Hawthorthwaite

Written for Platinum Magazine, December 2025