Houghton was established in 1836, just four years after the fledgling colony of Western Australia was founded. It is one of Australia's oldest operating wineries and is now the tenth-largest red and white bottle brand in Australia. Since winning its first wine award in 1880, Houghton has amassed thousands of trophies, medals and accolades, and is arguably Western Australia’s most awarded winery.
Houghton has had just 14 winemakers in its rich history and under their custodianship has produced wines with a remarkable consistency of style.
Currently Courtney Treacher is leading the charge. Courntey joined the winemaking team in 2004 as a Cellar hand. She was appointed senior winemaker in 2020, as successor to Ross Pamment.
While studying a Bachelor of Science (Viticulture and Oenology) at Western Australia’s Curtin University of Technology, Courtney put theory into practice both in the vineyards of Perth Hills and Swan Valley and then in the cellars, doing a vintage in Margaret River at Redgate Wines. Graduating in 2002, Courtney then sought to extend her experience, with vintage in the Hunter Valley at Tamburlaine Wines. She joined the Houghton Wine Company as a Cellar Hand at its Middle Swan site in 2004, before being appointed Vintage Assistant Winemaker early the following year. In September 2005, Courtney was appointed Assistant Winemaker. In October of 2007 Courtney was appointed Winemaker and made responsible for Moondah Brook wines. In 2013 Courtney was appointed as the Winemaker/Manager of the Houghton Nannup Winery and as the winemaker responsible for Brookland Valley wines
