International winemaking assistants working at WISE for the 2008 vintage;

France: Nicolas Gere  

Nicolas comes to us from Bordeaux France. Having graduated in viticulture and oenologie from the I’IREO des Charente a Cognac and the Lycee La Tour Blanche a Sauternes, and coming from a strong winemaking and wine industry pedigree (Nicolas’ uncle Vincent Gere works with Remy Martin in Cognac and was winemaker at their Blue Pyrenees winery in Avoca, Australia through the 1990’s), Nicolas has a long list of impressive Bordeaux Chateaux in which he has worked and gained valuable experience.

Nicolas has previously worked at:

Chateau Luchey-Halde, Pessac-Leognan, Chateau Brane Cantenac (2^nd Cru classe), Marguax, Chateau Olivier (Grand Cru classe), Pessac –Leognan, Chateau Navarro Graves, Barsac, Sauternes, Chateau Suau, Barsac, Chateau Archambeau, Graves,  Chateau Raymond Lafon, Sauternes, Chateau Malleret, Haut-Medoc.

Italy: Stefano Guarneri

Joins us from Brescia, Italy, he is a recent graduate of oenology at the University of Milan and spent the most recent vintage in the Napa Valley, USA. Prior to travelling abroad Stefano worked at Arnaldo Caprai in Montefalco where the legendary Marco Caprai is considered the wizard of the Sangrantino and one of Umbria’s and all Italy’s finest winemakers.

Stefano also worked at the immensely impressive Ca del Bosco winery in the Franciacorta sub-region of Lombardy Italy, on the gentle hills of Brescia to the south of lake Iseo. Founder, Maurezio Zanelli is widely regarded as being on the leading edge of the exciting new wave of Italian winemakers.  International wine writer Hugh Johnson considers Maurezio one of Italy’s best winemakers.

Portugal: Tania Nascimento Ferreirinho

Hails from the Montes de Azurva in Aveiro Portugal

A graduate in agricultural engineering from the University of Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro

Tania comes to us fresh from vintage at Quinta dos Mouros winery in the Douro region. Tania has also undertaken scientific and pedagogic activities in Brazil (as an intern at CEPLAC), Poland, Hungary and the Netherlands.

New Zealand: Jason Exposto

A native kiwi, whose passion for winemaking has taken across his own country and on around the world. Jason has worked with an impressive array of Chateaux and wineries in Hawkes Bay and Marlborough, New Zealand, the Napa Valley, USA, St. Emillion in Bordeaux, France and the Hunter Valley in New South Wales.

We are very excited by the talent, passion and diversity that they each bring to the harvest this year and to the way in which this will ultimately express itself in the wines of vintage 2008.