OUR WINERY RUNS ON

Kiwi ingenuity

Our winery systems work together to ensure we operate at the highest levels of efficiency and sustainability.

How our winery works

Click the interest points to discover more about our winery.

Tanks
Solar Panels &
wind Turbines
Heat
Insulation
Operations

Rainfall

We recycle the rain

Rainfall from the roof of the winery is collected in swale drains on either side of the building, and either recycled or piped out to our wetlands.

Our Building

Sustainability at every level

 

Opened August 2008, the winery was built under the draft Green Building Code and was the first winery in the world to be accredited CarboNZeroCertTM from inception.  Aesthetically, the building is designed to blend into the landscape with no disruptive contours.

 

 

MEET OUR WINEMAKERS

Natalie Christensen

CHIEF WINEMAKER

Natalie Christensen

Natalie Christensen, named by The Drinks Business as one of the World’s Most Influential Women in Wine in 2018, is a gifted winemaker with well over a decade of winemaking experience under her ever-colourful belt.

With a Masters of Science degree, a Bachelor of Music from Canterbury University, a Graduate Diploma in Oenology, as well as being a classically trained double bass player, Natalie is far from being your average winemaker. Her ingenious blend of science and music facilitates the creation of wines that are both technically excellent and artistically exciting. Natalie became part of the fulltime Yealands winemaking team in 2015 having already worked for other notable New Zealand wineries Saint Clair Family Estate and Matahiwi Estate. Prior to joining Yealands, she was Winemaker at La Cana in Rias Baixas, Spain making albariño for the Jorge Ordonez group. She became Yealands’ Chief Winemaker at the end of 2018. Outside of work, Natalie loves to travel and she also helps up-and-coming women in the wine industry by mentoring as part of the New Zealand Winegrowers Women in Wine mentoring programme.

Andrew Lasenby

WINERY OPERATIONS MANAGER

Andrew Lasenby

Andrew was born and raised in Marlborough, in the heartland of the New Zealand wine industry, and joined Yealands in 2014.

In the 15 years prior to Yealands, Andrew worked at a number of wineries in the region and brings a wealth of experience to our winery team.

Jeremy Tod

SENIOR WINEMAKER

Jeremy Tod

Jeremy studied winemaking at Lincoln University and used his qualification to travel around the world, before joining Yealands as our Production Winemaker in 2016.

With experience in Sonoma California, Hawkes Bay, Hunter Valley in Australia, Coahuila in Mexico, and seven years in Colchagua, Casablanca and Coquimbo in Chile, he moved back to New Zealand in 2015. Outside of work he spends time with his family and enjoys the occasional surf.

Abigail Maxwell

Technical Winemaker

Abigail Maxwell

Abigail loves all aspects of winemaking – with a soft spot for organics, wild fermentation and pinot noir, and using her craft to create something magical for people to enjoy.

With over 10 years of winemaking experience, which includes Australia, Europe, and the USA, and studies spanning biotechnology, wine science, and business, she brings an innovative approach to her winemaking role – not to mention her two-time NZ's South Island Young Winemaker competition award wins. Creating a sustainable future is something Abigail is also passionate about, which led to her selection on the NZ Wine Environmental Committee and participation in NZ Wines Inaugural Young Leaders Forum.

Angela Beattie

PRODUCTION WINEMAKER

Angela Beattie

After graduating with a BSc in Geography, Angela travelled overseas following her passion for Snow Skiing.

On returning to New Zealand, her focus quickly shifted from the Ski industry to wine, after starting work at Rippon Winery. From Wanaka, she moved to the Hawkes Bay to complete a Graduate Diploma in both Viticulture and Oenology, graduating as Valedictorian at EIT. Taking on a job in Marlborough saw Angela move back to her home town, working for Villa Maria for 3 years, now she has joined the Yealands team, as Assistant Winemaker. Outside of work Ange loves making the most of the outdoors; Skiing, Mountain Biking and spending time in the Marlborough Sounds.

Brad Frederickson

ASSISTANT WINEMAKER

Brad Frederickson

Brad is the latest member to join our Winemaking team. Brad studied a Bachelor of Viticulture and Wine Science at EIT from 2007 to 2010.

Brad has an incredible amount of experience all over the globe. Most recently he has been working at Mount Brown Estate in North Canterbury. He has done harvests in France, Italy and the US and already has a taste for Marlborough from doing harvests with Tohu and Kim Crawford.

WINERY UPDATE

VINTAGE

Find out more about the most important date on the winemaking calendar by clicking on the link below

 

 


THIS WEEK IN THE WINERY

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