Plantagenet Wines’ Chief Winemaker wins 2014 Lallemand Bursary
The Institute of Masters of Wine and Lallemand are delighted to announce that Cath Oates, of Mount Barker, Western Australia, has won the 2014 Lallemand Bursary.
The bursary, established in 2010, is open to students in the Institute’s study programme and provides a fully-funded place at the Institute’s 8th International Symposium, which is taking place in Italy for the first time in May.
Cath said: ““I am absolutely over the moon about receiving the Lallemand Bursary to attend the MW Symposium in Florence. It is an incredible opportunity to be immersed in the global wine community and to remind me why I started the MW journey in the first place. For an Australian working in a relatively remote region it couldn’t be a better end to what has been an already fabulous 2014 vintage”.
Cath secured the bursary with a 1,000-word essay on the following topic: In the context of current market trends, discuss what viticultural practices a winegrower can employ to influence the aromatic profile, and why s/he would want to do so?
Cath, who holds a Post Graduate Diploma of Oenology from the University of Adelaide, is currently Chief Winemaker at Plantagenet Wines in Western Australia. After graduation, she worked in her home town Margaret River as winemaker for numerous award-winning labels prior to a seven-year spell in in New Zealand. This period fostered her passion for cool climate, aromatic wines, particularly during her time as Group Winemaker at Mud House Wine Group, owner of prestige brands Waipara Hills and Mud House. Cath has also worked as a flying winemaker in California, northern Italy and Sicily.
In addition to working in winemaking roles in Australia and overseas, Cath is a regular judge on the show circuit, and has also judged at several international wine shows including the Concours Mondial Sauvignon Blanc in Bordeaux.
Lallemand, the bursary’s sponsor, is a corporate supporter of the Institute and a leading producer of wine yeast, bacteria and their nutrients, and a distributor of oenological enzymes. It is a privately owned Canadian corporation present in most wine producing countries. Its Oenology Division, based in Toulouse, France, has a major focus on research and development, both in-house and in collaboration with renowned research institutes.
Ann Dumont, Communications Manager for Lallemand’s Oenology Division, said: “The numerous essays submitted for the Lallemand bursary were of high quality, but Cath’s well-researched and documented work stood out. It showed a deep understanding of the influence of viticultural practices on the aromatic potential of the wine, as well as the impact on wine quality and definition, plus wine market trends. Lallemand is proud to be a supporter of the Institute and the excellence demonstrated by the essays reflects favourably on the high level of wine education received by the students.”
Penny Richards, Executive Director of the Institute said: “We are delighted for Cath, and grateful to Lallemand for its continuing support in providing this bursary. We are looking forward to welcoming Cath to our Symposium in Italy, and we are sure it will be a great learning experience for her, as well as a superb opportunity to meet some of the most notable names in wine whilst enjoying a fabulous four days in Florence.”
Ends
For enquiries about this release please contact:
Ben McKeown
Communications Manager, Institute of Masters of Wine
T: +44 (0)207 383 9131
E: bmckeown@mastersofwine.org
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