Dave Pearce

Chief Winemaker David Pearce has been with New Zealand Wine Company (NZWC) since its first vintage in 1988. Under Dave’s winemaking stewardship NZWC has won national and international trophies for Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Merlot; twice for “Best Wine in New Zealand” and twice for “Best of Variety in the World”.

On being asked…Why Winemaking?

“Winemaking’s one of those few jobs still firmly tied to the concepts of harvest and seasonality. In 22 years at NWZC I’ve only had 22 vintages, 22 chances to do better than the year before. Ultimately, after each vintage, I get to go home with the product of my labor and for better or worse that’s what I made. There aren’t too many jobs you can do that in.”

Dave is a keen cook, with a cookbook collection of more than 1,300, Trout fisherman and gardener. Those interests, and his two children, are the reasons for his ongoing concerns for the environment and sustainability issues.

David Sax

Winemaker, David Sax has been with the NZWC winemaking team since January 2005. Following a BSc from London University, David won a Queen Elizabeth Scholarship to study Viticulture & Oenology at Lincoln University. After three vintages in New Zealand he spent eight years running a successful vineyard & winery in the south of England. In this time he also worked in Chile and Eastern Europe, and became a trade judge for the International Wine & Spirit Competition. He brings a wealth of experience from all aspects of the industry. As a winemaker he is particularly passionate about Marlborough Pinot Noir. In January 2004 David and his wife Deborah moved permanently to New Zealand, where they are now embracing all that Marlborough has to offer.