Women in Wine: Blending the family and the Vine

Wine making is one of the oldest family businesses, where women are just now rising to the top tiers. From managing directors and winemakers to founders and oenologists, women are leading and shaping the future of the wine industry. 

According to a US based report In 2020, women winemakers reported that out of 4,200 bonded wineries in California, only 14 percent had a woman as their lead winemaker and two years later and there’s still progress to be made.  Happily, we are seeing the rise in female leadership in the industry right here in Nova Scotia.  While the talent of women need no occasion to highlight, Family Business Atlantic's Awards of Excellence program is the perfect opportunity to showcase four exceptional women who are making a difference in expanding the industry in our region. 

FBA and our Presenting Sponsors, TD Bank, and Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub are honoured to share the family business stories of Ashley and Devon McConnell Gordon from Benjamin Bridge, Beatrice Stutz of Domaine de Grand Pré and Geena Luckett from Luckett Vineyards.

This is a new FBA Award category - Female Leadership in the Growth and Advancement of the Nova Scotia Wine Industry - and will acknowledge the success of Women in Wine who are blending family with the vine. We are delighted to shine a light on these four successful female entrepreneurs who have helped to shape the success of these three outstanding wineries. Join us as we learn more about their personal and professional journeys and sample some of the wines from each vineyard! 

Your evening includes a cocktail reception followed by a three-course wine paired dinner - and each winery and the TD Bank have donated the following silent auction package - click here to place your bid.

$1,100 Auction Package Includes:

* The Inn at Grand Pré - 1 night's stay in a king room at The Inn at the Winery with breakfast 
* Luckett Winery - $200 gift card plus gift bag
* Benjamin Bridge -  Terroir Tasting for two plus $100 gift card
* TD Wine basket includes a bottle of wine from each of the three awards recipients' wineries plus wine items!

Program for the Dinner - NB: Dress is business casual

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm - cocktail reception - Meet and mingle and enjoy a complementary glass of Benjamin Bridge's NV Brut 

6:00 pm - 8:30 pm - Dinner and Awards Presentation - enjoy Domaine de Grand Pre - L'Acadie Blanc with your appetizer and Luckett Vineyard Rosetta with your main course.

Founder, Gerry McConnell with daughters Ashley and Devon McConnell-Gordon, Benjamin Bridge 

Ashley & Devon now lead the small family-like team. As stewards of lands located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq First Nations, the team has carefully and meticulously grown Benjamin Bridge from a micro-boutique project into a dedicated sparkling wine house.

Beatrice Stutz is CEO and Vice President of Domaine de Grand Pré. Family-owned and operated, Domaine de Grand Pré winery is the oldest farm winery site in Atlantic Canada and was built on love and passion for Nova Scotia and exceptional wine and food.


Geena Luckett is owner and General Manager of Luckett Vineyards. Over the past decade she has overseen the continued growth of the family-run Gaspereau Valley winery, while maintaining the Luckett-brand commitment to customer service and quality.

Presenting Sponsors