Independent wine consultancy for hospitality, corporate, and private clients.
what we do
Wine is one of the most powerful tools available to hospitality businesses, yet it is often underdeveloped, under-supported, or treated as secondary. If you provide great food, people will visit once; great wine and service brings them back.
Our consultancy was founded with a clear objective: to raise the standard of wine across New Zealand hospitality by providing independent, practical, and experience-driven guidance.
Alongside our work with restaurants and bars, we advise corporate and private clients through tastings, education, and cellar development bringing clarity and structure to every stage of the wine journey.
our founders
Max Badri-Hollander
Max is a sommelier with extensive experience in fine dining hospitality, as well as pubs, clubs, cafes, and wine retail. He has worked in leading restaurants internationally, where precision, guest experience, and thoughtful wine service are central to daily operations.
He holds the WSET Diploma, completed in 2024, representing one of the highest levels of formal wine education globally.
Max brings a deep understanding of producer landscapes, cellar development, and the practical realities of implementing successful wine programmes within hospitality environments.
Education DirectorAleks Shchepetkin
Aleks is a sommelier whose career has been shaped by hands-on experience within fine dining restaurants, where he developed a strong focus on building wine lists that are both compelling and commercially effective.
He also completed the WSET Diploma in 2024, reflecting a rigorous and comprehensive understanding of global wine.
Aleks brings particular strength in wine list development, staff education, and helping hospitality teams build confidence and fluency in wine service.
Managing DirectorCommercial DirectorRonald Liew
Ronald brings a complementary background in corporate strategy and product development, contributing structure, operational clarity, and long-term thinking to the consultancy’s work.
His expertise ensures that wine programmes are not only philosophically sound, but also commercially sustainable, scalable, and aligned with broader business objectives.
Ronald’s perspective strengthens the consultancy’s ability to support clients with practical, structured solutions tailored to real-world business environments.
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Whether developing a restaurant wine programme, hosting an educational tasting, or building a private cellar, we provide independent guidance grounded in experience and clarity.
Our Philosophy
We believe that improving wine culture benefits the entire industry.
Our goal is to raise the tide supporting restaurants, developing professionals, and helping clients engage more meaningfully with wine.
Our recommendations are independent, grounded in extensive hospitality experience, and guided by quality, context, and long-term thinking rather than trend or convenience.
We approach wine not as a product alone, but as a vital component of hospitality, culture, and experience.
