Our People - at the Winery

Derek Johnson – Sales and marketing manager

Derek and Catherine arrived in New Zealand in 2005 with their Weimaraner dog, Mahbrouk and bought a small vineyard. In order to look after their vineyard, Derek started work in the viticulture division of a large international winemaking company and was then asked to assist in the coordination and production of standard operating procedures across 22 of their vineyards. Derek was born and educated in Scotland and spent 17 years working in sales and marketing at Johnson and Johnson in various markets around the world, including 7 years in Cairo, Egypt. He returned to the UK where he undertook various directorships and consultancies and later owned and managed a small, 4 star hotel in the Scottish Borders before relocating to New Zealand.

Best Remembered Wine
Eppalock Ridge “Kylix” 2003

Favorite Variety
Pinot Noir

Most Embarrassing Wine Moment

Complaining to a BA flight attendant that the small bottles of a certain brand of champagne served on BAEuropean routes would not hack it against large bottles of another brand of champagne served in BAworld routes.  The flight attendant then supplied eight small bottles of the requested champagne to keep Derek quiet.

Also Loves

Golf, cooking, travel, three dogs at home and enjoying breeding championship winning Suri Alpacas

Hailing from the UK, Lois worked for a top London PR agency for three years, specialising in luxury consumer lifestyle after graduating with a degree in French and European Studies.  Having worked on a plethora of drinks and wine accounts, Lois took herself to Italy where she managed a cellar door in Le Marche region.  Since then she has travelled all around the world, settling in New Zealand where she can feed her love of wine and the great outdoors.

Best Remembered Wine
Bollinger 1999

Favorite Variety
Pinot Noir

Most Embarrassing Wine Moment
Having a wine bottle slip through her hands in front of clients at an awards dinner and soaking the table cloth.

Also Loves
Snowboarding, travel, languages, music, cooking, combat class and yoga

Tim Molloy – Sales and logistics coordinator

Originally graduating from Auckland and progressing to the USA to work in large scale logistics projects, a love of food, wine and the outdoors brought Tim back to NZ to settle in sunny Marlborough.  Much vacation time spent travelling North American and the major wine growing regions of Europe fuelled the desire to merge both his logistics background and passion for wine, finding a perfect home within the Highfield team.

Favourite Variety
Every variety has its time as favourite!

Also Loves
Cooking, travelling and anything involving the outdoors