In 2016, Natalie van Rooyen joined the dynamic team at Coastal Wine Export of Paarl as production manager and winemaker and a year later set off on her journey towards attaining her Cape Wine Masters qualification. She graduated in 2024.
Natalie had her first introduction to wine helping her parents over weekends and holidays in their wine business catering for the informal market.
While spending some time doing wine analysis in the laboratory at Simonsig, she met Debbie Thompson who was instrumental in her decision to become a winemaker. She enrolled at Stellenbosch University in 2002, completing a BSc in Viticulture and Oenology in 2005.
After completing her harvest practical at Overhex Private Cellar, she was offered the position of assistant winemaker upon graduation. She completed international harvests in 2006 at McManis Family Vineyards in California and in 2008 at Cave Coopérative Les Costières in France.
By 2007 she had moved up the ranks to become cellarmaster at Overhex, but during the 2009 harvest, she moved into production and sales to meet her new family obligations.
The new position gave rise to international travel and building customer relationships. After eight years she decided it was time for a change, so in 2016 she joined the dynamic team at Coastal Wine Export as production manager and winemaker.