Full Name
Susana Balbo
Job Title
Founder & Winemaker
Company
Dominio del Plata SA - Bodega Susana Balbo
Speaker Bio
STORY OF COURAGE
Susana Balbo studied enology at university and graduated cum laude in 1981, becoming the first female enologist in Argentina. With a career in the wine industry of more than 40 years, Susana Balbo is certainly the most well-known Argentinian female winemaker and is called the “Queen of Torrontés” for her role in transforming Torrontés from a table wine to a world-class variety. She was elected to be president of Wines of Argentina for three terms, during which Argentinian wine exports increased exponentially, taking the country to stand out on the world wine map.
VISION AND CONVICTION
As an entrepreneur, she is the founder of Susana Balbo winery, her family-run winery, which in 25 years has become one of the most important and renowned in Argentina. She also runs Susana Balbo Unique Stays, a luxury boutique hotel located in Chacras de Coria, Mendoza, that she opened with her daughter Ana. Due to her vast career and her influential role as a businesswoman, she was granted the 2019 BRAVO Lifetime Achievement Award by the Council of the Americas and, in 2023, was honored with the “Onorificenza dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia” by the Italian consul in Mendoza.
A COMMITTED CITIZEN
Susana Balbo is a woman of strong convictions and ideas and she firmly believes that, in order to change something, you need to get involved. In 2015 she became National Congresswoman representing the Province of Mendoza, and in 2017 Argentinian President Mauricio Macri selected her as Chair of the W20 (Women 20), the G20 working group dedicated to women’s empowerment on a global scale. The following year, she became the first female Goodwill Ambassador of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), fostering development, inclusion and empowerment, emphasizing matters related to gender and rural youth.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
Her cutting-edge character and essence have earned her many national and international awards and accolades. Susana was distinguished by the British magazine The Drinks Business as ‘Woman of the Year’ (2015) and was included in the top list of ‘The world’s most influential women in wine’ (2018).
Moreover, she was named Winemaking Legend (2020) by world-respected British wine journalist and Master of Wine Tim Atkin, and in 2022, the International Wine Challenge granted her the IWC Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2024, the British magazine Decanter awarded Susana the Decanter Hall of Fame, becoming the first woman in Latin America to receive it and joining a roll call of great names who have made outstanding contributions to the wine world.
Born into a traditional family, Susana's restless spirit and strong convictions led her to choose an unconventional career for her time.
Susana Balbo studied enology at university and graduated cum laude in 1981, becoming the first female enologist in Argentina. With a career in the wine industry of more than 40 years, Susana Balbo is certainly the most well-known Argentinian female winemaker and is called the “Queen of Torrontés” for her role in transforming Torrontés from a table wine to a world-class variety. She was elected to be president of Wines of Argentina for three terms, during which Argentinian wine exports increased exponentially, taking the country to stand out on the world wine map.
VISION AND CONVICTION
As an entrepreneur, she is the founder of Susana Balbo winery, her family-run winery, which in 25 years has become one of the most important and renowned in Argentina. She also runs Susana Balbo Unique Stays, a luxury boutique hotel located in Chacras de Coria, Mendoza, that she opened with her daughter Ana. Due to her vast career and her influential role as a businesswoman, she was granted the 2019 BRAVO Lifetime Achievement Award by the Council of the Americas and, in 2023, was honored with the “Onorificenza dell'Ordine della Stella d'Italia” by the Italian consul in Mendoza.
A COMMITTED CITIZEN
Susana Balbo is a woman of strong convictions and ideas and she firmly believes that, in order to change something, you need to get involved. In 2015 she became National Congresswoman representing the Province of Mendoza, and in 2017 Argentinian President Mauricio Macri selected her as Chair of the W20 (Women 20), the G20 working group dedicated to women’s empowerment on a global scale. The following year, she became the first female Goodwill Ambassador of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), fostering development, inclusion and empowerment, emphasizing matters related to gender and rural youth.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
Her cutting-edge character and essence have earned her many national and international awards and accolades. Susana was distinguished by the British magazine The Drinks Business as ‘Woman of the Year’ (2015) and was included in the top list of ‘The world’s most influential women in wine’ (2018).
Moreover, she was named Winemaking Legend (2020) by world-respected British wine journalist and Master of Wine Tim Atkin, and in 2022, the International Wine Challenge granted her the IWC Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2024, the British magazine Decanter awarded Susana the Decanter Hall of Fame, becoming the first woman in Latin America to receive it and joining a roll call of great names who have made outstanding contributions to the wine world.
Born into a traditional family, Susana's restless spirit and strong convictions led her to choose an unconventional career for her time.
Speaking At
