Meet our Team

The Robbie family has a rich history in New Zealand’s South Island.

 “We treasure the rich history here and the bountiful rewards that Mount Michael Wines bring us in one of the most amazing places in the world. How better to live the life than with wonderful Central Otago Pinot.” Peter Robbie

 The Robbie family is 100% committed to New Zealand's viticulture industry and its globally recognized wine's premium quality.

A born and bred Southlander, Pip Clarke moved north to Auckland after graduating from the University of Otago. After trying her hand at a few different careers, she fell into the winemaking industry. A love of the job quickly led to a Post Graduate Diploma in Wine Science and vintages in Oregon, Australia, Alsace, as well as Central Otago.

After a five-year winemaking stint across the ditch, Pip finally made it back home to become Mount Michael Wines winemaker just in time for the 2020 vintage. With her love of aromatic whites coming a narrow second to her love of Pinot Noir, she is in the perfect place to continue to explore and expand her winemaking knowledge.

Working with the Mount Michael Wines vineyard and other top-quality growers across the region has allowed Pip access to some of the finest fruit grown in Central Otago. A win at the New Zealand International Wine Show for Champion Pinot Gris in 2020 is a clear reflection of this and her remarkable talents.

Pip loves all that Central Otago offers and is excited to continue making beautifully drinkable and top-quality wines that are the total expression of their stunning location.

With a ten-year corporate background in Christchurch, Emma McDonald, a Southerner at heart, was drawn back to the hills of Central Otago in 2003 to open a local café alongside her mother. 

She then joined Mount Difficulty as an assistant cellar door and functions manager igniting a real passion for wine and hospitality. Completing the Wine and Spirits Education Trust studies to Level 3, Emma joined SOS (a wine tasting group) sampling wines from around the world, eventually taking on the coordinator’s role.

After a decade at Mount Difficulty, Emma stepped further into the wine industry, taking on operations manager at Wine Solutions, a boutique bottling, and warehousing company. The position is now a dual role that includes operations of Mount Michael Wines and perfectly suited to her extraordinary organizational skills. Emma is at the heart of both operations, and no task is too big or small for her to organize.

She has overseen two regional Pinot Celebrations as logistics coordinator and, when not working, can be found hiking or mountain biking the Central Otago hills, exercising with her ‘Famous Five’ exercise group, or participating in multisport.

After gaining a Diploma in Horticulture from Massey University, Graeme Smith broadened his horizons traveling the world. During a stint working in various bars and restaurants in Capetown, South Africa, he developed an appreciation and passion for wine.

On returning to New Zealand, Graeme followed his interests in wine, skiing, and mountain biking to Queenstown, venturing into the world of viticulture enjoying several years working under the vines at local vineyards.

His personable and social character naturally led to a career in sales. If he could convince people to jump off a perfectly good bridge for fun (while working overseas), he could surely persuade people to buy good wine. 

After gaining valuable experience working with food distributor FMCG and a national wine distributor, he represented some of the world's biggest wine brands such as Veuve Clicquot, Laurent Perrier, Louis Roederer, alongside top New Zealand brands Ata Rangi, Pegasus Bay, and Te Mata.

His love of Pinot Noir was further cemented while working at Terra Sancta for six years before bringing his exceptional sales skills to Mount Michael Wines in 2019 as South Island Sales Manager.

A ‘southerner’ with deep roots in the South Island, Andre Wynn spent her childhood holidays in the Central Otago mountains, where she developed an immense fondness for the region.

Her stepping stone into the wine industry was merchandising for Négociants NZ and hospitality management roles while completing a BA in Design at Otago University. This experience has sparked a lifelong quest to discover the perfect Pinot Noir food and wine match.

Andre has over 10 years of experience in wine sales through key account management roles representing quality New Zealand and international wines, including high-profile Central Otago wineries Felton Road, Peregrine, Quartz Reef, and Two Paddocks.

Inspired by the diverse range of New Zealand and International varietals she has worked with, Andre holds a WSET - Level 2 Certification.

Her role with Mount Michael Wines as Auckland Sales Manager perfectly matches her social nature and passion for fine food and wine. 

When not immersed in the world of wine, Andre enjoys spending time with her husband and two children exploring the black sands of Bethell’s Beach on Auckland’s West Coast, planning her next snowboarding trip or perusing design blogs.