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Natalie Cleghorn Joins Katnook Estate

By Friday 27 November 2020April 22nd, 2021No Comments

Highly-regarded winemaker Natalie Cleghorn has been appointed senior winemaker and manager of Katnook Estate in Coonawarra.

She is currently employed at Yalumba and will take up her new position in January.

“I am thrilled to be joining Katnook Estate and the broader Accolade Wines team,” Natalie says.

“I have a great passion for the wines of Coonawarra and the region as a whole.

“I am looking forward to being able to fully immerse myself focusing on the region, wines and winery and I am excited by the prospect of working with the experienced team to guide this historic brand into the future.”

Accolade Wines recently completed the acquisition of Katnook – the company’s first acquisition under the new leadership team and Carlyle group ownership.

Natalie has been making wine from Coonawarra for more than 10 years. She becomes the fourth female senior winemaker on the team at Accolade Wines.

Accolade Wines CEO Robert Foye says, “We’re looking forward to seeing great things from the Katnook Estate winery under the guidance of such a distinguished winemaker as Natalie Cleghorn. We are happy to have Natalie on board and believe she will bring even more experience to the winery at Katnook.”

Natalie is an experienced wine show judge, having judged in numerous capital city and regional wine shows as well as being a graduate of the Len Evans Tutorial.

She is a two-time finalist for Winemaker of the Year in the Australian Women in Wine Awards.

A former track rider for the Hayes family at Lindsay Park, Natalie joined Yalumba in 1999 in the laboratory while undertaking her Bachelor degree in Wine Science from Charles Sturt University.

Since completing her studies, Natalie has enjoyed both commercial and artisan experience working for the Hill Smith family’s estate vineyards, including Yalumba, Oxford Landing Estates and Dalrymple. She has also undertaken an international vintage at Clos Figueres in Priorat, Spain, an ultra-premium winery producing world-class DOQ wines.

Accolade Wines started as Thomas Hardy and Sons, founded in 1853, and has grown to become one of Australia’s largest winemakers. Today, Accolade Wines produces a range of wine brands including Grant Burge, Petaluma and St Hallett.

Katnook has twice won Australia’s most prestigious trophy, the Jimmy Watson, as well as a number of international awards.

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