With 11-speed mechanical, Shimano has finally caught up with SRAM in offering true adjustable reach for its levers. And its new pivot placement is reported to make braking from the hoods easier. The pull has more "up" and less "back." Still, the hoods themselves are kind of long. Not having small hands, I'm not sure how that would play for your wife, but I believe it's worth looking into.

As for handlebars, every brand offers compact bends, and many offer super-compact WSD bends. The problem with using these is finding levers that can be adjusted close enough to reach from the drops.

I started using SRAM in 2012 and haven't looked back. If you can make one criticism, though, it's that the hoods are a little thick. I believe the 11-speed versions might alleviate this a bit, though.