Tell us about your journey into the wine industry.
I never really knew what I wanted to do for a career and ended studying Psychology at University. I didn't really enjoy it and I realised that this path was not really for me. During my time at University I started training at a Thai boxing gym and this kept me busy. I started competing professionally and thought about spending my life pursuing a career fighting. This path also ended up not being for me after some deep thought.
When I was a kid I really loved working with animals and always wanted to work with them so I found a job on a city farm called Vauxhal city farm. This is the job that started my love for farming. I then set about trying to find work on farms outside of London and after a while I found a job on a dairy farm in Sussex, after that I worked on a commercial fruit farm in Kent and found out that I really liked the idea of going fruit. After bouncing around for some time trying to find a home, working on sheep farms, market gardens and arable farms. I ended up unemployed after covid and my mum told me that I should think about finding a job on a vineyard. I applied for a job at Newhall Vineyard and that is where my first career started.
Tell us about your current role.
Currently I work at Saffron Grange 2 days a week and on the other days I work on some smaller vineyards in the Hertfordshire area. A typical day for me depends on what time of year it is and consists of day to day tasks like pruning, tying down, bud rubbing, spraying etc. My main responsibilities are to make sure what ever task I have been given on any vineyard I'm working on has been done to the best of my ability. In my role I take pride in being versatile and being happy to help in anyway I can.
I think the skills that are most important in my role is having a good attention to detail, taking instructions well and being able to learn from mistakes. I've made lots of mistakes and learnt loads from it. Admitting you don't know something and asking for help is also very important.
I think common misconceptions about working on a vineyard are that it can be quite monotonous, but it really depends on how you look at it. I find that most of my days are varied with lots of decision making, problem solving and often lots of walking, which I enjoy.
What are your long-term career ambitions?
I would like to hopefully one day become a small vineyard contractor. I would also like to run my own small vineyard one day.
What has been your career highlight or standout achievement so far?
My biggest achievement so far was winning the Vintners Apprentice award in 2025. It meant a lot to me and I'm very grateful for my colleagues for encouraging me to go for it.
Are there any emerging trends in the wine industry or in your role that you're excited about?
I'm really interested in learning more about running a vineyard organically or using integrated pest management.
