The Team
CEO - Henry Sugden
Operations Winemaker - Poppy Pease-Watkin
Director of Winemaking - Nick Lane
After a career in the British Army, working with small companies in Kenya and a stint in the City, Henry set up Defined Wine in late 2018
Director of Winemaking - Nick Lane
Operations Winemaker - Poppy Pease-Watkin
Director of Winemaking - Nick Lane
Nick was winemaker at Cloudy Bay in New Zealand before spending 5 years in Champagne with Moet and Dom Perignon before joining us during harvest 2020
Operations Winemaker - Poppy Pease-Watkin
Operations Winemaker - Poppy Pease-Watkin
Operations Winemaker - Poppy Pease-Watkin
Poppy has an MSc in Viticulture and Oenology from Plumpton College and completed vintages in Australia, California, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK before starting at Defined during harvest 2019
Winemaker East Anglia - Nora Leitz
Operations Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Operations Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Nora initially studied viticulture and oenology in Vienna before completing her degree in New Zealand. She spent five years as a winemaker for Indevin, New Zealand's premier contract winery, before joining Defined in July 2023
Operations Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Operations Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Operations Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Janneke joined for harvest 2022 and has worked full time for us ever since. She has a BSc in Oenology and Viticulture from the University of Stellenbosch
Technical Winemaker - Cristiano Zorzan
Operations Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Technical Winemaker - Cristiano Zorzan
Cristiano studied winemaking in his native Brazil and has a background in wine research. He joined in Summer 2024 and now runs the lab and leads our research and problem solving
Assistant Winemaker - Isabella Ching
Cellar Supervisor East Anglia- Greg Harries
Cellar Supervisor Kent - Pete Robinson
Bella has a BA in Winemaking and Viticulture from her native New Zealand and additionally had winemaking experience from Australia and France before joining the team in Summer 2024
Cellar Supervisor Kent - Pete Robinson
Cellar Supervisor East Anglia- Greg Harries
Cellar Supervisor Kent - Pete Robinson
Pete grew up in Kent and was in wine retail before becoming our first cellar hand in summer 2019
Cellar Supervisor East Anglia- Greg Harries
Cellar Supervisor East Anglia- Greg Harries
Cellar Supervisor East Anglia- Greg Harries
Having worked in wineries whilst travelling round Australia, Greg joined us for harvest 2022. He grew up in Essex and is now the cellar supervisor for our winery in East Anglia
Cellar Hand - Sam Gartside
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Cellar Hand - Sam Gartside
Sam grew up locally and joined us in time for harvest 2023
Cellar Hand - Heath Arnst
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Cellar Hand - Sam Gartside
Heath did several vintages in his native Australia before joining us for the 2024 harvest
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Irena gained her BSc in Bulgaria before moving to Kent and working in agriculture labs before starting at Defined in January 2021
Lab Technician - Alex Ball
Lab Technician - Alex Ball
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Alex read Chemistry at Reading University before joining Campden BRI as a lab technician. He worked in the wine division for several years before joining Defined in May 2024
Lab Assistant - Tim Morgan
Lab Technician - Alex Ball
Lab Assistant - Tim Morgan
Tim lives locally and started helping out in the lab in December 2023
Production Coordinator - Michelle Brock
Technical Production lead - Chris Norris
Technical Production lead - Chris Norris
Michelle started work for a local company organising logistics before becoming a buyer for Sainsbury's and then Ocado. She joined us in January 2024
Technical Production lead - Chris Norris
Technical Production lead - Chris Norris
Technical Production lead - Chris Norris
Chris worked in financial services in London before seeing the light and moving into wine. He has worked at other English wineries before joining in September 2025
Production Lead - Andy Johns
Production Hand - Ian Carless
Production Hand - Ian Carless
Andy lives locally and joined in September 2023, just in time for harvest
Production Hand - Ian Carless
Production Hand - Ian Carless
Production Hand - Ian Carless
Ian was working elsewhere on Highland Court Farm until joining the team in March 2023
Production Hand - Dave Russell
Production Hand - Dave Russell
Production Hand - Dave Russell
Dave lives locally and joined the team in 2022
Production Hand - Julie Keeves
Production Hand - Dave Russell
Production Hand - Dave Russell
Another local, Julie joined the team in September 2023
Production Hand - Rob Goddard
Production Hand - Dave Russell
Production Hand - Rob Goddard
Another local, Rob joined the team in summer 2024
Accounts and Storage - Nina Julian
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Accounts and Storage - Nina Julian
Nina lives locally and has been sorting out all our stock, storage and dispatch since the summer of 2022. More recently she has taken over running our accounts
Stock - Dienna Davies
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Accounts and Storage - Nina Julian
Dienna, another local, joined the team in September 2023 to help with stock control and production
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Paul has lived in Dover all his life and joined as our warehouse supervisor in November 2021
Office Manager - Carole Cook
Financial Controller - Nicole Smith
Financial Controller - Nicole Smith
Carole started her career working for Yapp Brothers, a Wiltshire based independent wine merchant and has WSET level 3. Having moved to Kent with the family, she has looked after our admin since the start in April 2019
Financial Controller - Nicole Smith
Financial Controller - Nicole Smith
Financial Controller - Nicole Smith
A serial entrepreneur, Nicole has helped to keep a close eye on our finances since joining in June 2023