Maven Wines expands award winning team

Award-winning Marlborough winemaker, Maven Wines, is preparing for future local and international growth by making two key appointments to its executive team, both with a wealth of experience in the local wine and hospitality industries.

They are Ross Burney, Director of Pacific Organic, who will join the board of Maven Wines and Martin Greig, who has been appointed International Sales Manager.

Ross Burney, who has previously been with NZWS, Glengarry Hancocks, Fosters Group, Rongopai Wines and most recently, with Pernod Ricard, will join Managing Director, Bob Paton, his son, Dan, and director, David Henry, on the board of Maven Wines.

Martin Greig began his sales career in the frozen foods and later confectionary divisions of Nestlé New Zealand, and his experience in the wine and liquor industries includes stints at Corbans Wines, where he became market manager for Asia Pacific; and Montana, after it purchased Corbans; Wither Hills and Yealands.

Maven Managing Director, Bob Paton, said the appointments have been made to strengthen the executive team and to help “to create our own destiny”. One of the first projects for the new team will be to establish an independent distribution network for the company. Previously distributed by Lion Nathan, Maven will now be distributed in New Zealand through Gilmours and Tasman Liquor, and Maven plans to be more visible in retail stores and supermarkets.

Maven (the name means an expert or person with special skills or experience)has appointed a sales and distribution manager in Australia, and also organised warehousing in the United Kingdom, and in Antwerp, Belgium to service the European market.

Maven is a relatively new wine producer – it planted its first vines in 2003 in its Cravens Road vineyard in Rapaura, Marlborough, and produced its first vintage in 2005.
As well as the UK and Europe, Maven is also currently exporting its wine to Australia, USA, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore and the company has plans to develop the lucrative United States market further.

Maven wines have distinctive labels displaying artistic photographs of houses, barns and old cars taken in or near its vineyard. Perversely, the wine label is not widely known in New Zealand and Ross Burney and Martin Greig say they have joined the company because it is a quality wine, and they are very keen to “tell more people about it.”

Ross Burney is a director of Pacific Organic, with a number of organic juices and water brands in his portfolio which are sold in the domestic and international markets. Although he will not be based full time at Maven Wines, he is excited about helping the young company take its next sturdy step into the international market.

Says Ross Burney: “I really believe in Maven Wines. It is very good wine and the Sauvignon Blanc is as good as any I have ever tried.”
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About Maven Wines
Maven Wines has an 80 hectare vineyard in the Wairau Valley, Marlborough and produces four varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The vineyard is managed by Damian Adams, a Lincoln University graduate and winemaking is in the hands of Steve Bird, whose 30 years experience include Villa Maria, Morton Estate and Thornbury Wines.

Although the company has produced only three vintages, its wines have already received local and international critical acclaim, particularly in the United Kingdom where Maven has been selected as a wine of choice in Tesco’s Wine Club.

Among Maven’s key successes to date has been a Silver medal at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards for its 2006 Maven Chardonnay and Gold at the London International Wine Challenge, May, 2008 for its 2007 Maven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.