Leticia Chacón, wine taster

Leticia Chacon is Mexican, born in Mexico City. It is also a chemical engineer, but mostly it’s a wine expert and a Mexican woman who was able to set the course to a demanding career and very few women have followed: Winemaker. In other words mean someone who specializes in the production and appreciation of wines.

She claims that although in her family there never existed a tradition around wine, her career took an interest in one of the oldest professions in the world and yet very few women pursue.

If you are interested in following a different profession, working close to nature but that also has much to do with science and technology, perhaps the example of the Mexican winemaker Leticia Chacon, an expert taster of Beringer Vineyards in California, can serve as an inspiration.

Chemistry: a solid scientific base

Leticia Chacón studied Chemical Engineering at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, where she graduated in 1991. But in trying to get a job in Mexico, she found that most of the positions were held by men. That did not stop her and perhaps it was her lucky break, she was employed as Assistant Production Manager of Wines in the wine company Allied Domecq in Mexico City. There, in a new world, wine opened doors for her and her curiosity grew.

So Leticia decided to specialize by pursuing a master’s degree in Enology and Viticulture at UC Davis in California. With these credentials and work experience in the Central Valley of California, she is currently working for Beringer Vineyards, one of the few women master wine tasters.

What I can do as a winemaker?

As a specialist in Enology and Viticulture (art and science of producing wines), Leticia not only knows step by step the process of winemaking from harvesting the grapes and juice extraction, bottling and aging, but also may have tips on how to choose and match wines with food. In this profession, you can travel, meet lots of places where the wine is processed and most importantly develop your sense of taste and smell.

Recently, Beringer Vineyards launched a promotional campaign in order to know the varieties of wines that are born in their warehouses in California and how to combine them with fine Latin cuisine. For example, what wines to choose to eat fish, beef or pork with spicy sauce. With these tips you can learn to match wines with the menu you offer to adults in your feast for your fifteen.

The fresh and vibrant flavor of a fish a la Veracruzana can be lost with a strong wine. The Founders Estate Chardonnay Berniger wine is citrus, a perfect complement to your fish.

The Beringer White Zinfandel, strawberry and citrus, helps balance on your palate the spicy taste of a dish like the pork in green sauce.

For a dish strong as milanesa, a robust wine is the ideal beverage. As the strong and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon from Beringer, whose balance of flavors enhances the flavor of the meat.

This post is also available in: Spanish