NATALIE LIONS
CO-OWNER / FULL-TIME WINE GUIDE / CERTIFIED WINE GEEK
Natalie has a passion for wine that is unsurpassed. When she is not guiding wine tours she can usually be found enjoying wine events or brushing up on her general knowledge.
Natalie has worked within the New Zealand wine industry for close to 20 years and has experienced most areas from wine production to fine dining hospitality.
EXPERIENCE:
Natalie has worked as a Sommelier for some of NZ’s best restaurants such as Molten and Bracu in Auckland, Vidal and New Zealand’s number 1 restaurant and 3 hatted restaurant Pacifica in Napier to name a few.
Natalie worked for NZ’s largest family owned winery, Villa Maria as a Sommelier where she trained prestigious NZ companies such as Air New Zealand in wine.
She has her WSET Advanced Level 3, is a Level 2/Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and a New Zealand Diploma of Wine.
She has also gotten her hands dirty and worked in the cellar over vintage multiple times and has been known to throw on a podcast and get out and prune vines in subzero temperatures!
When Nat isn’t gallivanting in vineyards or cellars, she’s cooking, gardening or concocting a new cocktail creation!
COLE LIONS
CO-OWNER / GENERAL MANAGER / TROUBLE MAKER
Cole is usually behind the scenes, though every now and then he will jump in on a tour to grab some promotional photos.
Though not formally qualified in wine, Cole has worked in the wine industry throughout NZ and can usually answer most wine related questions.
EXPERIENCE:
Cole has worked as a wine broker for United Cellars in Auckland, as Tasting room manager for Te Awa and Vidal in Hawkes Bay and has worked as a Vineyard hand for Mudbrick Vineyard on Waiheke Island.
Cole is a Meadmaker, a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker. He currently runs his own artisan bakery creating incredible breads and mouthwatering cookies!