This International Women’s Day (March 8), we’re raising a glass to the remarkable women shaping the future of the Great Southern wine industry. From winemaking and viticulture to wine education and business leadership, these trailblazers are not only crafting exceptional drops but also redefining industry norms, overcoming challenges, and sharing their passion with the world.
We had the privilege of speaking with some of the region’s most inspiring women, including Pam Lincoln, Owner and Winemaker at Oranje Tractor Wine in Albany.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in the wine industry?
A: I grew up on the doorstep of the Swan Valley (in Guildford) so wine was always there, in the background. As a late teen/young adult I also spent many weekends “Down South” in the emerging Margaret River Wine Region – initially to look for waves, but ultimately to enjoy tasting wines of the pioneer wineries, such as Cullen Wines (where we enjoyed many picnics until they opened their restaurant). In fact, it was during one such picnic at Cullen Wines when the winemaker joined in our conversation and I was fascinated to learn that becoming a winemaker was something you could do at University. But I did not immediately go to study winemaking and finished my nutrition studies concluding with a Master of Public Health. It was almost a decade later that I completed my winemaking degree through the external study program at Charles Sturt University Wagga Wagga.
Q: Can you briefly share your journey to where you are today?
A: In 1993 Murray (the creative genius and husband) and I moved to Albany for the express purpose of setting up the vineyard on part of his parent’s cattle farm. The following year I enrolled in the Wine Science degree at Charles Sturt University, and while I learnt about viticulture and winemaking, we put it into practice, performing everything from site and soil analysis through to installing the appropriate trellis structure, callousing cuttings and then planting them. We had our first wine made in a winery in Porongurup where I was working during the vintage. After the vines were established for a few years, we made the switch to organic viticulture. For a long time, Rob Diletti from Castle Rock made our main wines. Our cellar door/tasting room was opened in 2005 and we expanded it gradually over time and created a small cafe facility. In 2019 we diversified into making Vermouth, following a discussion with some Spanish customers visiting our tasting room. We make the Vermouth ourselves, and Murray calls me the Vermouth Witch (with my tacit approval of course) since I create the tinctures and conduct the blending. Since that time, we have also made more of a focus on Regenerative Viticulture as it more fully fits with our ethos.
Q: What’s the most rewarding part of your role?
A: Seeing/hearing people enjoying our lovely wines.
Q: Have you faced any challenges as a woman in the wine industry? How have you overcome them?
A: Sure, like most women in most male dominated sectors there have been challenges. Some of the challenges were overt, others not so… but most of them only relatively minor and these usually arose from the older generation. My colleagues who were my age or younger were quite accepting of female presence in the wine industry.
Q: What’s been your proudest achievement so far?
A: The success of our Vermouth (winning the Best Experimental Wine in WA 2023, and in the top 10 in Australia more recently) has been hugely rewarding, but moreover, I am so pleased that nearly everyone who tries it at the tasting room walks away with a bottle under their arm to enjoy at home.
Q: What advice would you give to women looking to enter the world of wine?
A: If it’s what you love, go for it.
Q: What excites you most about the future of wine in the Great Southern?
A: The Great Southern is still under-recognised for the quality of wine produced here, so there’s only one trajectory and that is up! It’s also a lesser known and lesser travelled tourism destination so it retains a lot more of its down-to-earth character. You often get to “meet the maker” or at least the owners, and there are many wonderful people in the wine industry here.
Q: Who are the women that inspire you—within or beyond the wine world?
A: In the wine world, it’s hard not to be inspired by some of the women of Champagne, particularly the widows who showed phenomenal strength to create a place for themselves at the “wine table” in the face of blatant sexism that was typical a few hundred years ago. There are many tough, gutsy women of wine in the current era (note: I’m not one of them!!!) who have walked where angels fear to tread, and I applaud them. Beyond the wine bubble, I see women in Science and Health likewise doing amazing things and bringing a different perspective to these fields that improve the lives of all of us.
Q: What’s your go-to drop for an evening with friends?
A: Just one? Never. It’s usually a selection of local wines, especially those that are grown sustainably or produced with low inputs. Bubbles are an important part of the menu (and is often our own sparkling SB) but I do love Great Southern Rieslings and Pinot Noirs, so those are nearly always on the list, along with a little shot of Vermouth either as a digestif or in a spritzer for a low-alcohol alternative to the Sparkling wine. Sometimes, there’s room for something more exotic, like an international wine or at least an unusual variety. The wine world is full of amazing treasures to taste and enjoy.
Q: If you could share a glass of wine with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?
A: Mmmmm. Probably my dad, because he worked his butt off helping us build our home and plant the vineyard and he passed away (far too young) before getting to enjoy our success.