International Women’s Day: Introducing Winemaker Feleasha Prendergast

Although every day is a great day to celebrate women in wine, International Women’s Day is a fantastic opportunity to show off one of the exceptional female winemakers here at Evans & Tate, Feleasha Prendergast.

Feleasha is paving the way for female winemakers in Australia where she works hands on at Evans & Tate with some of the best fruit Margaret River has to offer. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role and we are very fortunate to be able to work with such an incredible and passionate female winemaker.

From a young age, Feleasha enjoyed art, chemistry and sport, and she always knew she wanted a job that allowed her to be physically active while having a creative outlet – and winemaking does just that. "It’s science, it’s creative and it’s physically demanding at times.”

After completing her Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology in 2013, she then spent the next few years travelling the world and gaining invaluable winemaking experience in Central Otago and Blenheim, New Zealand; California, United States; Okanagan, Canada; Barossa, Australia; and Nordheim, Germany.

A love for award-winning wines and the Margaret River region brought Feleasha to Fogarty Wine Group, where she worked at Margaret River Vintners for three years, before becoming the winemaker at highly acclaimed Evans & Tate.

As well as her passion for making wine, Feleasha loves Chardonnay and the abundance of beautiful beaches in Margaret River, which is part of the reason that the region also attracts people from all over the world to come and work here. This is one of the things she loves most about working in the wine industry – the opportunity to work with so many people with different backgrounds and experiences, not to mention the amazing Margaret River fruit to make outstanding wines. 

She has some very sensible advice for any budding female winemakers out there too: “Be prepared to work hard. It's not all wine dinners and drinking fancy expensive wines with people. It's long hours over vintage, it's working in the cellar dragging hoses, it's asking questions to winemakers whenever you get the chance. Let the hard work motivate and drive you.”

Shop Feleasha’s Favourite Wines to:

Make:

The Evans & Tate Single Vineyard Chardonnay, Redbrook Estate Chardonnay and Redbrook Reserve Chardonnay.

Drink:

“Chardonnay! Can you tell I love Chardonnay? But if I had to pick one wine to drink, it would be the Evans & Tate Single Vineyard Chardonnay. it's an amazing wine, it’s great value and I love that it's a true expression of the site and vintage.”

Shop all Evans & Tate wines here.