Dames Wines

Les Dames d’Escoffier was founded in New York City in 1976, in honour of Auguste Escoffier, whom Les Dames’ mission statement credits with having “single-handedly brought the culinary art into the modern era.” Escoffier “elevated the role of cooks from that of laborers to artists;” when he died, he “left the world a new art, that of dining.” With expansion to other cities, Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI) was formed in 1985 to operate as an umbrella organization. Membership is by invitation only and exclusive to women who have distinguished themselves in the respective fields with which Les Dames is concerned.”

British Columbia has its own chapter.

Each bottle of Les Dames d’Escoffier BC supports food and beverage education for BC’s dynamic women. Limited production of three wines, a white, a red and a rosé sourced from vineyards in British Columbia’s beautiful Okanagan Valley, are available for online purchase and at select retail locations and restaurants. The Dames Wines were crafted by Mireille Sauvé in Okanagan Falls, BC.

The wines are crafted by Mireille Sauvé, director of the Wine Umbrella and member of the BC Chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier. The grapes were grown in the Okanagan; 20% of the white from Ann Sperling’s vineyard in Kelowna, and the red from 100% organic vineyards. Both wines were crushed as a custom crush at Meyer Family Vineyards, and bottled with the help of many Dames and women supporting Dames. Proceeds from the sale of the dames wine will support food and beverage education for women in BC.

Mireille Sauvé, was Canada’s youngest sommelier when she became certified at the tender age of 22. Mireille is the founder and president of The Wine Umbrella, a Vancouver based wine industry consulting agency

The BC chapter started in 1992 Other women in this project

Cheryl Bishop, Assistant Winemaker, Meyer Family Vineyards

Ann Sperling, Viticulturalist

Katie Holmes, Viniculturalist, Summerhill Organic Winery

Janice Meyer Stevens, Co-owner of Meyer Family Vineyards

Christine Moulson, Branding Consultant and Designer

Dame Allison Markin, Marketing and Digital Content Consultant

Dame Jennifer Schell, Media Consultant

Dames wines were made exclusively from Okanagan Valley fruit and were produced at the Okanagan Falls’ Meyer Family Vineyards as a custom crush. Produced are Dames White Wine, Dames Red Wine and Dames Rose Wine.