WINEMAKER

Brett Birmingham

Brett grew up in Marlborough and began his winemaking journey in 1997, building experience with several leading wineries across the region. Along the way, he developed a deep appreciation for New Zealand's aromatics and the craft of creating expressive, food-friendly wines. Harvests in Victoria and Oregon followed, broadening his perspective before returning home to New Zealand.

After more than a decade of additional vintages in Marlborough, Brett joined Waimea in 2020 to lead our Gravity Winery in Nelson. Today, he brings expertise, intuition, and a thoughtful hands-on approach to crafting the Waimea range - vibrant, elegant wines that reflect Nelson’s sunshine, diverse soils, and abundance of flavour. Working within our gravity-fed winery, Brett focuses on aromatic varietal expression, working with more than 10 varieties from our diverse Nelson vineyards. 

“Discover the Taste of Nelson.”

Assistant Winemaker

Tobias Schmid

Introducing Tobias Schmid, our Assistant Winemaker at Waimea Estates. With an impressive two decades of winemaking experience in Switzerland, Toby joined our team in 2019, and we are absolutely delighted to have him on board.

Beyond his work at the winery, Tobi dedicates his time to nurturing the growth of native trees from their very seeds, carefully planting them on his property. Additionally, he has mastered the art of crafting delicious sourdough bread, a talent that the lucky Waimea team can personally vouch for!

When asked about his favourite Waimea wine, Tobi faced a challenge in choosing just one. "That's a tough question for me. If I had to pick one, or maybe two, it would be the Waimea Pinot Gris and the Waimea Cabernet Franc / Shiraz."