Alastair Maling leaves Villa Maria

Villa Maria has announced that its general manager of winemaking Alastair Maling MW is leaving after 12 years to join fellow New Zealand producer Foley Family Wines.

Alastair Maling MW

Praising Maling’s “important role” in the development of this New Zealand producer, Villa Maria’s CEO Sir George Fistonich highlighted his work to ensure that “deep-rooted foundations have been laid to maintain the quality of our winemaking portfolio as the business has grown.”

Fistonich continued: “We know that Alastair will enjoy his new challenge at Foley Family Wines, but also that he will always be a Villa Maria advocate, working to keep New Zealand wine at the cutting edge. We wish Alastair well for the future and are excited by the opportunities that change will bring for him and us, both for our people and our business.”

Maling will remain in his current post until the end of the June “to ensure a seamless transition” of his duties to the rest of the Villa Maria winemaking team, which includes Nick Picone, Dave Roper, Helen Morrison and Josh Hammond among others. Oliver Powrie will remain in place as the producer’s head of viticulture.

Meanwhile Foley Family Wines confirmed that Maling would be joining the company as chief group winemaker and head of viticulture.

Founded in the US back in 1996, the company’s New Zealand interests include Te Kairanga and Martinborough Vineyards, as well as Vavasour and Grove Mill in Marlborough.

Mark Turnbull, CEO of Foley Family Wines New Zealand, highlighted recent efforts to strengthen the company’s position in this country, saying: “Over the past few years, FFW has invested heavily in its wineries, vineyards, bottling and most recently warehousing, providing a strong foundation for future growth.”

Welcoming Maling as the latest step in this development, Turnbull commented: “Alastair brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience, not just of viticulture and winemaking but from a sales and marketing and commercial and strategic perspective. His addition to the senior management team will help take the business to the next level, providing the capabilities we need to move it forward.”

Commenting on his move to FFW, which takes place at the beginning of July, Maling remarked: “I couldn’t help but feel this was an opportunity to work on a group of brands with considerable potential, with a progressive company and most importantly alongside a high calibre team of winemakers whom I have admired, along with the wines they are producing.”