Pete Wilkins

VITICULTURIST

Pete began his working career as a nurseryman in Hamilton and, as most Kiwis do, undertook an extended overseas working holiday working as a chef, during the winter and a building site labourer during the summers in Aspen.

After retuning to NZ he moved to Wanaka to pursue his new found love for skiing and in doing so became a ski instructor. He kept that ski instruction going by returning to the USA and starting a 7 year long winter moving between hemispheres returning to Wanaka every year.

It took those 7 years for it to sink in that maybe he should get a “real job” and together with Sarah moved to Marlborough, where he re-entered the industry of growing plants. After developing what was at the time the largest single planting of pinot he was lured to Martinborough to setup Martinborough’s largest vineyard.

In June 2006 Pete joined the team at Martinborough Vineyard where he is now involved in not only tending to the growing of our precious grapes but in seeing them through the winemaking process to the ultimate moment of actually bottling the wine.

Pete lives in Martinborough with his wife Sarah, daughter Molly, son George and dog Hugo.

Email: pete@martinborough-vineyard.co.nz