By Brittney Sherman
During Women’s History Month, it’s important to highlight how women have shaped the Santa Clara Valley wine industry—beginning with Louise LeFranc, whose inheritance helped Paul Masson acquire the land for The Mountain Winery. Her father, Charles LeFranc, launched Almaden Wine Company, once the country’s largest wine producer, and jump-started Masson’s career. Today, women in Morgan Hill and Gilroy continue that legacy by owning and managing wineries, crafting the wines, and shaping the stories behind each bottle.