Courtney Treacher admits while she ventured into winemaking not really knowing what to expect, that feeling was quickly eliminated once the art of turning fruit into wine became a reality. Travelling through wine regions on family vacations, along with a keen sense of building a career with a difference, led Courtney to the decision that winemaking was for her in the latter years of secondary school.

Chasing a career that combined science and creativity, Courtney studied a Bachelor of Science (Viticulture and Oenology) at Western Australia’s Curtin University of Technology and later put this study into practice in the vineyards of Perth Hills and Swan Valley and then in the cellars, doing a vintage in Margaret River at Redgate Wines.

In October of 2007, Courtney was appointed winemaker and made responsible for Moondah Brook wines where she had the opportunity to work with fruit sourced from all of the major viticultural regions of Western Australia. Treacher continues to enjoy being a part of a dynamic winemaking team and the challenge of making wines of varied styles under the Houghton, Brookland Valley, Moondah Brook, Goundrey, and Amberley ranges.

Taking her career one step further, Treacher has been involved in wine show judging at the Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne Royal Wine Shows, and was a scholar at the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial in 2011 – what Treacher describes as an unforgettable and amazing experience. When she is not enjoying a traditional Chardonnay, Riesling or Cabernet, you can find Treacher enjoying photography or travelling to exotic locations.

Readers also enjoyed our story on Tintara Winemaker Ella Hoban