When Pete embarked on his OE, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to be “when he grew up”. After 6 years exploring Europe, he found his passion, not only for wine itself but for the way it connects with regional cuisine and culture. His winemaking career began by completing his Post-Graduate Diploma in Viticulture & Oenology at Lincoln University in 2003 (after already completing a degree in Journalism in 1996). The next step was an internship in South Africa under Bruce Jack of Flagstone Wines, followed by short stints in Marlborough, France, and longer ones on Waiheke Island and West Auckland. In 2013, he finally landed in Waimauku where he was Senior Winemaker of Matua’s North Island wines until the winery closed in 2016. After a brief sojourn to Marlborough, he was enticed back after hearing about the plans for opening The Hunting Lodge. Pete was excited to jump on board and help us to bring to life a new and exciting opportunity for the Auckland wine industry, wine tourism and the community and has been with us since we opened.