David Paterson - ‘the palate’ and winemaker extraordinaire - has a range of experience and a diverse historical quest that has culminated in solid foundations for his future career. Well travelled, David has spent many years overseas throughout Europe, North America and parts of Africa. He supplemented his worldly endeavours with work in the hospitality industry, gaining a myriad of skills and technical knowledge in the art of food and wine matching. David is set to complete his bachelor of viticulture and oenology degree at Lincoln University in 2008, where he has achieved exemplary results.

The Giesen cellar door south of Christchurch is also one of David’s haunts. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of a Saturday morning tasting - escaping the brisk, frosty air - or an afternoon tipple as the sun sets behind the southern alps - there is no doubt your experience would have been enriched by David’s masterful service at cellar door. He also carried out pre-vintage work at the newly established Camshorn vineyards in the Waipara region north of Christchurch during the summer of ‘05/’06.

David joined his Canadian girlfriend in British Columbia at the end of 2006, where he undertook work as a restauranteur at one of Vancouver's finest restaurants. He also assists a local fine wine establishment with advice and tastings, at the same time gaining a strong foothold in the local wine industry. In March '07 David flies back to New Zealand where he will carry out vintage '07 under the close direction of John Kavanagh and Tim Finn at Neudorf Vineyards in Nelson.

Max Marriott

Max Marriott - ‘the nose’ and avid viticulturist - is an Australian currently residing in New Zealand with an intense drive for all things wine. With a passion that was strongly influenced and passed down by his parents, becoming a vigneron beckons as a career and lifestyle choice. Like David, he is completing a degree in viticulture and oenology at Lincoln University in Christchurch. At the same time, he manages the wine department of a local liquor outlet in a part-time capacity, a position that sees him exposed to wines from all over the world. Regular tastings, close ties with consumers, winemakers and distributors, along with managerial responsibility, help to ensure that Max keeps his finger on the wine pulse.

Over the past eighteen months Max has also been heavily involved with local wine operations. This involved caretaking a private vineyard on a lifestyle block, pruning and providing vineyard labour for Langdale Wines, and gaining a pre-vintage work opportunity with the highly acclaimed Felton Road Wines of Central Otago. With an intense viticultural focus, Max worked closely with Gareth King - chief viticulturist - and experienced first hand the various procedures and processes involved with a biodynamic vineyard operation.

As a keen photographer and accomplished writer, Max is a regular contributor to the Australian Wine Front magazine. Working directly with editor Campbell Mattinson - 2005 Australian Wine Writer of the Year - Max’s writing provides continuing insight into the current state of the New Zealand wine industry, in an expressive and creative style. He also writes for Fairfax Media in New Zealand on an ad hoc basis - The Press in Chirstchurch and Dominion Post in Wellington - and he is also a member of the wine review panel for The Press. Max has spent the summer of '06/'07 working for Neudorf Vineyards and he leaves for Tasmania in March, where he will carry out vintage with Tamar Ridge.