Plantagenet have a new Chief Winemaker

Plantagenet Wines creates internationally recognised wines in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, and recently announced the appointment of Catherine (Cath) Oates as Chief Winemaker.
Cath has worked in winemaking roles in Australia and overseas, she is a regular judge on the NZ show circuit and has judged several international wine shows. She is currently studying for her Master of Wine.
She returns to her home state of WA after being Group Winemaker at Mud House Wine Group in New Zealand and working as a flying winemaker in California and in Italy.
Cath completed a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture at Curtin University in 1997; she was then awarded a Post Graduate Diploma of Oenology at the University of Adelaide. After graduating she worked in Margaret River as a winemaker for numerous labels and won over 50 show medals and five trophies for her clients.
Jan Skrapac, General Manager of Plantagenet Wines said, “We are delighted to welcome Cath to the Plantagenet team to lead winemaking into a new era for the winery. Cath will be the first female winemaker in our 38-year history.”
“Cath’s local knowledge coupled with her international experience, particularly in the cool climate regions of New Zealand, is a great fit for our Great Southern wines,” said Skrapac.
“I’m excited to return home and work with a winery with such a rich history of winemaking as Plantagenet,” said Cath Oates. “The Great Southern has a variety of microclimates and some fantastic old vineyards, with cool climate varieties that I’ve become attached to, plus my old favourites that I’ve missed making. It’s an exciting time in the brand’s evolution and I’m honoured to be part of the team writing the next chapter.”
Plantagenet Wines was founded in 1974 and was the first winery established in the Great Southern region. They make three tiers of wines; the flagship Plantagenet range, the recently relaunched Omrah range and the everyday-drinking Hazard Hill range.
Recently winning a trophy for the best Western Australian Shiraz at the International Wine Challenge, the philosophy of winemaking and continuous improvement of the company builds on the vision of founder and Chairman Tony Smith, who planted the first Plantagenet vines in 1968.