The Team
CEO - Henry Sugden
Operations Winemaker - Poppy Pease-Watkin
Head Winemaker - 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
Head Winemaker - Nick Lane
Operations Winemaker - Poppy Pease-Watkin
Head Winemaker - 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. Poppy is currently on maternity leave
East Anglia Winemaker - Nora Leitz
Assistant Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Assistant Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Nora initially studied viticulture and oenology n 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
Assistant Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Assistant Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Assistant Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Janneke joined in time for harvest 2022 and is now working for us full time. She has a BSc in Oenology and Viticulture from the University of Stellenbosch
Cellar Supervisor - Pete Robinson
Assistant Winemaker - Janneke van der Merwe
Cellar Supervisor - Pete Robinson
Pete grew up in Kent and was in wine retail before becoming our first cellar hand in 2019
East Anglia Cellar Supervisor - Greg Harries
East Anglia Cellar Supervisor - Greg Harries
East Anglia Cellar Supervisor - Greg Harries
Having worked in wineries whilst travelling round Australia, Greg joined for harvest 2022 and is now working for us full time
Cellar Hand - Sam Gartside
East Anglia Cellar Supervisor - Greg Harries
East Anglia Cellar Supervisor - Greg Harries
Sam grew up locally and joined us in time for harvest 2023
East Anglia Cellar Hand - Toby Russell
East Anglia Cellar Supervisor - Greg Harries
East Anglia Cellar Hand - Toby Russell
Toby grew up in Suffolk and joined the team in April 2024
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
East Anglia Cellar Hand - Toby Russell
Irena gained her BSc in Bulgaria before moving to Kent and working in agriculture labs before starting at Defined in Jan 2021
Lab Technician - Alex Ball
Lab Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Lab Technician - Alex Ball
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 Supervisor - Irena Petsova
Lab Technician - Alex Ball
Tim lives locally and started helping out in the lab in December 2023
Production Manager - Pete Brissenden
Assistant Production Coordinator - Michelle Brock
Production Manager - Pete Brissenden
Having spent over ten years in the brewing industry - brewing, bottling, quality control, logistics and sales, Pete made the switch into wine and living in East Kent joined the team in Jan 2020
Production Coordinator - Louis Wood
Assistant Production Coordinator - Michelle Brock
Production Manager - Pete Brissenden
Louis has vintage experience from his native South Australia as well as France and the USA and was previously Logistics Manager at Indigo Wines in London before joining the team in May 2021
Assistant Production Coordinator - Michelle Brock
Assistant Production Coordinator - Michelle Brock
Assistant Production Coordinator - Michelle Brock
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
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 Mar 2023
Production Hand - Harry Ilman
Production Hand - Jarred Lysaught
Production Hand - Jarred Lysaught
Harry grew up in East Kent and joined the team in June 2021
Production Hand - Jarred Lysaught
Production Hand - Jarred Lysaught
Production Hand - Jarred Lysaught
Originally Australian, Jarred settled locally and joined the team in Mar 2022
Production Hand - Dave Russell
Production Hand - Jarred Lysaught
Production Hand - Dave Russell
Another local, Dave joined the team in 2022
Production Hand - Henry Roberts
Production Hand - Henry Roberts
Production Hand - Henry Roberts
The Head Groundsman for our local cricket club and others in the summer, Henry has been helping over harvest and the winter since 2021
Production Hand - Julie Keeves
Production Hand - Henry Roberts
Production Hand - Henry Roberts
Another local, Julie joined the team in Sep 2023
Stock Controller - Nina Julian
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Stock Controller - Nina Julian
Nina lives locally and has been sorting out all our stock, storage and dispatch since the summer of 2022
Stock - Dienna Davies
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Stock Controller - Nina Julian
Dienna, another local, joined the team in Sep 2023 to help with stock control and production
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
Warehouse Supervisor - Paul Jillings
A local all his life, Paul joined as our warehouse supervisor in Nov 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
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 Jun 2023
Accounts Assistant - Leandri Hein
Financial Controller - Nicole Smith
Accounts Assistant - Leandri Hein
Leandri had experience of running legal and small business accounts before moving to the UK in 2023 and joined the team in January 2024