As a valued member of the Harcourts Wanaka team, James has a wealth of business knowledge and life experience which brings a special dynamic to our team.
James grew up in Auckland and went on to study a Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology (BV&O) at Lincoln University in Christchurch. He travelled extensively and utilised his study whilst learning from the wine regions around the world and experiencing their different cultures. Upon returning to New Zealand, he continued to make his way down the South Island and settled in Wanaka in 2007 to take on a winemaking role with a local family producer. He thoroughly enjoyed this role where he remained for 10 exciting years, making wines from all over the region.
Out of his love of winemaking, in 2014 James channelled his inner entrepreneur and embarked on a journey to establish his own label - Black Peak Wines. From then on he has been producing boutique wines which are exclusively sold in restaurants and private cellars mainly within the region.
On top of this exciting venture, James and his wife purchased Riverview Lodge, a luxury Bed & Breakfast on the Albert Town Terraces. Whilst running and building this successful boutique business, James and his wife are delighted to host an enormous cross-section of the population from around the globe and have made many friends in showcasing what a wonderful place Wanaka is and all it has to offer.
Pivoting from a scientific and artistic career in wine-making, James enjoys the real estate industry as it puts his customer service skills into play. Listening to the needs and wants of their guests has enabled James to obtain the analytical, creative, personable and customisable characteristics to work within this dynamic industry.
During his downtime, James enjoys flying, golfing, sailing and fishing. And of course, fine dining which goes without saying.
James is extremely motivated, and driven and is a proven communicator which has played a significant role in the success of his previous endeavours. If you need assistance with buying or selling, get in contact with James and reap the benefits that come with choosing a sales consultant that has your best interests at heart.
