Queena Wong's journey in the wine industry is marked by significant achievements and unwavering dedication to fostering inclusivity and leadership for women. Recognized as No. 2 in the Drinks Retailing Top 100 Most Influential People in Drinks 2024 and CODE Hospitality’s Connector of the Year 2023, Queena's impact is profound. Her work with Curious Vines has created a platform that supports women in their wine careers through education, mentorship, and community building. In this interview, Queena shares the pivotal moments that shaped her career, the successes of her programs, and her vision for the future of women in wine.

Queena, your recognition as No. 2 in the Drinks Retailing Top 100 Most Influential People in Drinks 2024 and CODE Hospitality’s Connector of the Year 2023 are significant achievements. What does this recognition mean to you personally, and how do you see it impacting your work with Curious Vines?

These are listings that are voted for by others and not an application award. It sends me a strong message that what I am doing is what is needed and that people in the industry want me to continue my work. These accolades help show the wider UK wine industry how meaningful my work is and hopefully will provide more involvement from the industry for the work I do. 

Image: Queena Wong's Recognitions - Drinks Retailing Top 100 Most Influential People in Drinks 2024 - No. 2. and CODE Hospitality's Women of the Year 2023 for naming me as CONNECTOR of the Year.

Your journey in the wine industry includes diverse roles and achievements. What pivotal moments or experiences shaped your career path, and how do they influence your approach to leadership and mentorship within Curious Vines?

My love of wine was nurtured by a sommelier friend. Over a few years, I had built solid foundations and confidence in both tasting and also in purchasing as a collector – without this friendship, I would not have even had the world of wine open to me as my family was not wine drinkers. The collector aspect of wine is very gender-biased and I found female wine friends in the industry. As I got to know more wine industry women, I could see the need for bringing them together and helping provide a space for them to meet each other under the name of Curious Vines. This community gave me a sense of belonging with a nurturing aspect to it – perhaps a reflection of my own path into wine. It is important that women are seen and supported, removing any potential feelings of isolation if they are new to wine or perhaps yet to find a group of peers where they can find camaraderie and friendship around a common passion. I lead by example and encourage others to help those needing a sounding board or an outlet, resulting in a sense of community with stronger networks. Mentorships happen naturally as women connect with each other faster, sharing their experiences of working in wine and gaining empathy or wisdom. They are also learning to reach out to others when they need support – they all have something to give in either friendship, connections, or guidance. 

Through Curious Vines, you’ve created a platform supporting women in the wine industry. Can you tell us some success stories of women who have benefitted from your programs and how these experiences have influenced your vision for the future?

The education support programs aim to help women attain MW, MS, WSET Diploma, and CMS Advanced qualifications. The MW Support Programme last year alone had 30% of its alumni pass the Stage 2 practical exam, achieving its goal of improving pass rates. Not only that, the participants of each program get to know each other over the multiple group sessions which strengthens their personal networks – fulfilling my intention to set them up with their own support systems for their bright futures. The latest Champagne Bollinger Champagne Education Award has already had the award winner gain access to more tastings, visits, and writing opportunities while ensuring she has the theory knowledge to back up the tastings thanks to the Wine Scholar Guild Champagne Masters Course. This level of access to the Champagne category would not have been attainable without this Award. The vision is still the same for the programs – to uplift women in their careers using qualifications as a tool to enhance CVs and to also weave a new network of women going into leadership positions around the industry.

Image: CuriousVines MW Support Programme

How has it been challenging for women to gain knowledge and be part of the Champagne world specifically? How are you hoping to change this with your partnership with  Champagne Bollinger? 

Champagne is an expensive product and the palate learning is hindered by the lack of tasting access partly due to the expense. There are also less people who are champagne specialists to learn from so it is difficult to get exposure to its nuanced palate impacted by things such as lieux-dits and the producer impact given the numerous decisions that affect the end product. The Award provides theory learning for solid knowledge foundations and opens more doors for access to palate exposure and learning from the actual award and also beyond that. It is a gateway into having champagne as a career specialism. 

What does your partnership with the Gerard Basset Foundation mean for Curious Vines’ programs? 

It’s fantastic that gender is recognized as a diversity issue by the Foundation. The lack of diversity at leadership levels is a problem - it is well-researched that diverse leadership results in companies performing better financially. This isn’t about recruiting new women into the wine industry - for Curious Vines it is about uplifting their careers to help the industry address the gender bias at leadership levels.

Image: Agnieszka Swiecka, went on to be crowned 2023’s UK Sommelier of the Year

Your work emphasizes education and mentorship, particularly through sommelier programs for women. What inspired you to focus on this aspect of the industry? How are you seeing the impact of your work in the wine industry today?

As my route into wine was via a sommelier friend, I have a great appreciation for the profession and what it really means to be in wine hospitality. It is a profession that does not fully get recognition for its skill and knowledge and how much a great sommelier can increase profits to the restaurant or bar with a well-crafted wine list or even knowing how to sell more, for example, the second glass or bottle to a table. For the first time, female sommeliers are coming together to do tastings together in a structured way where they can ask questions without worry. The support for the UK Sommelier of the Year aims to achieve one-third female representation in the semi-finals – I am proud to say last year this goal was attained and we had the first female winner in nine years last year, Agnieszka Swiecka, which is a huge achievement. She is highly talented and capable in her own right, though these competitions are tight and extra practice sessions help with nerves and timing as it could be just one mark that makes the difference.

You commissioned the first UK Women in Wine Survey in October 2023. Based on your findings, what are the most pressing challenges women in the wine industry face today, and how is Curious Vines addressing these issues?

The top three pressing issues revealed from the survey data were: 

1. Sexism/gender bias/harassment

2. Underrepresentation in leadership

3. Discriminatory pay and conditions

These present core risks for companies within the sector of reputation risk (especially given the alcohol nature of the industry) and attrition risk. Nearly half of the women currently working in the industry have considered leaving due to the challenges faced.

I have subsequently kickstarted an industry-led UK drinks industry Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiative with safeguarding as a priority. This initiative has now taken these issues seriously. It will take time to address them all and we must support it and be patient. 

Curious Vines continues to operate on its two core pillars – Community Building and Education / Development. These accelerate connectivity, form natural mentorships and with the education support programs help women deal with gender-biased work environments and address underrepresentation in leadership. Curious Vines has lifted the mood of women hence both delaying and offsetting the industry’s attrition risk as I sit alongside industry-wide initiatives to come.

Image: Wine Future Conference, Coimbra Portugal Nov 2023

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the wine industry? Are there particular skills or experiences you believe are crucial for their success and longevity in this field?

For all people entering the industry, I would ensure to work on your wine knowledge. Then get out there! You will find people in the industry willing to help those passionate about wine – the more things you do and get involved with the more mentors you will find naturally to help you navigate your way. If things are not working as you had originally planned, I would consider going through the doors that open – you may be surprised what happens when you flow with where you have skills that are recognized and wanted.

Looking ahead, what are your most important goals for Curious Vines? How do you envision the landscape for women in wine evolving over the next decade?

Curious Vines is here to help foster a more balanced and inclusive workplace in the wine industry. Women who seek support get it and hence become more secure in their career steps and to be ambitious. I also facilitate accessibility and equal opportunity for everyone in all areas of wine – sometimes it is not intentional to have certain arenas “closed off”. Increasing awareness of how sometimes aspects of the industry can appear to be not open to everyone can be all that is required to address things to make opportunities open to everyone. The landscape for women can only improve as I continue to bring education around the concept of conscious inclusion and increase transparency and access. Exciting!

[[relatedPurchasesItems-38]]

Conclusion:

Queena Wong’s work with Curious Vines exemplifies the power of community and education in creating lasting change. By providing support and opportunities for women in the wine industry, she is paving the way for a more inclusive and diverse future. Queena’s vision is clear: to uplift and empower women, fostering a sense of belonging and ambition. As she continues to champion conscious inclusion and equal opportunity, the landscape for women in wine is set to evolve, ensuring that every woman can confidently pursue her passion and career in this vibrant industry.

In conversation with Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network