Our talented team have international acclaim and years of experience delivering the highest quality grape growing, winemaking and sustainable wine business environments. We’re a passionate, professional, friendly team who thrive on delivering excellence. Meet our people here…
Curious about how we got here? Take a look at our company timeline below, or click here to skip straight to the story
Alistair is the CEO of Vinescapes. He started planting and working in vineyards and wineries in New Zealand and Australia in the late 1990s. Alistair holds a 1st Class BSc in Viticulture & Oenology, a Masters in Wine Science and PhD in Viticulture & Climate Science.
Alistair applies his 25 years of experience and expertise in wine, viticulture and climate science to assist prospective owners to select the right site and varieties particularly in the face of climate change, is a key consultant on planting projects and consults to many winegrowers in the UK and abroad.
Alistair is also a founding Trustee of the Regenerative Viticulture Foundation, and works with key industry bodies, policy developers and across the global wine industry as an advocate for sustainable wine production.
Paula joined Vinescapes in 2015 to pursue her passion for wine, transitioning from a successful career in Financial Services at various Blue-Chip organisations.
Paula is a certified accountant and works closely with Vinescape’s clients to craft and refine their financial and business plans, providing them with the expertise they need to make informed choices and a successful venture into the English wine sector.
Additionally, Paula offers strategic support to the Vinescapes team and the broader business, providing financial expertise and guiding the overall business direction.
Paula is often your first contact and will help guide you to the expert in the Vinescapes team to support your wine journey.
Joel is a highly regarded and well-known viticulturist, who grew up on his family vineyard in the Cape Winelands, South Africa. Here he spent every opportunity nurturing organic vines and wines with his father. He completed a BSc in Viticulture & Pomology at Stellenbosch University before making his way to the UK.
Joel has seemingly done it all in the UK. He managed an organic vineyard in Hampshire, has consulted and managed multiple sites for clients across the country, coached budding viticulturists and today he works with select clients and manages all operations for Vinescapes.
Joel has a particular penchant for regenerative viticulture and soil management to build resilient and productive vineyards.
Nuffield Scholar and an experienced vineyard manager, Cameron established a reputation for quality grapegrowing and innovation over the 12.5 years he managed the vineyards at Rathfinny Wine Estate.
Cameron is a New Zealander where he trained in viticulture and learned the tricks of the trade. He recently returned to the Antipodes to work at Cherubino in Western Australia but in December, Cameron returns to the UK where he'll be providing Vinescapes' clients with advice on technology, new innovations and the benefits of regenerative viticulture in a changing and variable climate.
As a viticulturist for Vinescapes, Rob is responsible for managing client vineyards. From preparing new sites for planting, to overseeing all viticultural tasks and tractor operations, he works closely with growers to achieve high-quality fruit and sustainable yields for premium winemaking. Rob has been in the wine industry since 2012, working with fine wine merchants in London before gaining a 1st class degree in Viticulture & Oenology.
Vintages in Bordeaux and Beaujolais, before settling in Sussex, have provided him with a practical, ecological, and data-driven philosophy on viticulture. Wine, and farming, are his passions and he says he is proud to oversee regenerative approaches that establish healthy, long-lasting vines; in vineyards that have identity and purpose in our natural landscape.
Rob won the WineGB Sustainability in Viticulture Award in 2024.
Graham works in partnership with our customers to achieve healthy, sustainable and successful vineyard businesses.
He graduated from Plumpton College with a degree in Viticulture & Oenology and has spent the past 20-years managing English vineyards, most recently for the late great Steven Spurrier.
Based in Dorset, Graham takes care of our many clients in Wales and the South and South West of England.
For Graham, great wine is a blend of good fruit, people and place which he works hard for our clients to achieve.
A seasoned vineyard technician, Rory joins the Vinescapes team after 10 years working at Gusbourne Estate - one of England's finest wineries.
A graduate of Plumpton College, Rory loves nothing more than being out in the vineyard from winter through to summer and thrives on the pressure of vintage to get the fruit perfectly ready to create some impressive wine.
Rory has English farming in his bones. Raised on both dairy and arable farms in Wiltshire and Sussex, Rory also has experience working with beef cattle and forestry. He has received qualifications in agriculture, vine growing, as well as pest and disease management.
A viticulturist with experience in France, Australia and with some of the UK's best established wine brands, Charlie is a fantastic addition to the Vinescapes team.
Graduating from the University of Brighton with a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Oenology, Charlie went on to work in vineyards in Sussex, Hampshire, Champagne and the Mornington Peninsula in Australia.
His attention to detail and friendly manner makes Charlie a favourite with clients. He'll be working in vineyards primarily across the South East but you may see him occasionally north, west and further south.
Alistair first works in vineyards while backpacking in New Zealand and Australia. Picking grapes in New Zealand, planting a vineyard near Margaret River in Western Australia and dealing with hail-damaged grapes for raisins to fund his travels - little did he know that vines and wine would become a lifelong passion.
After several years in office-based roles in the UK, Alistair’s passion for wine – first sparked Down Under - leads him to retrain as a winemaker.
Balancing work, family, vintages, lecturing and study, he spends a decade earning a First-Class BSc in Viticulture & Oenology (top student!) an MRes in Wine Science (Distinction), and a PhD in Climate Change & Viticulture.
Under the expert guidance of Prof. Steve Dorling at University of East Anglia, he not only completes his PhD but also develops the business idea that followed…
During his PhD years, Alistair had published and presented research on climate change and wine, including a land and climate suitability model (which now underpins our well-known VineMAP product) identifying some of the UK's most promising vineyard locations.
Now, growing demand from vineyard owners seeking expansion opportunities and greater climate resilience leads him to found Vinescapes, combining climate science and viticulture expertise to help clients grow premium grapes with nature, innovation and passion.
Behind every successful business is a strong operational and financial backbone. For Vinescapes, this comes from Paula, Alistair’s wife, who joins the company as Business and Financial Director, bringing with her many years of corporate and financial sector experience.
Paula quickly becomes pivotal in building the systems, processes and culture that enable Vinescapes to grow and deliver consistently exceptional professional services.
As Vinescapes evolves, we expand from climate risk consultancy into a full-service viticulture and winery consultancy.
Our expertise grows to encompass vineyard site assessment, variety, clone and rootstock selection, soil analysis, vineyard design, frost protection, winery planning, and vineyard establishment.
Despite being a small team, our specialist knowledge attracts clients far beyond the UK, with projects spanning China, Georgia, Spain and Bordeaux and Cognac in France.
Work with Chateau Cheval Blanc, Palmer, Beauregard, Giscours, Du Tetre, Rauzan-Ségla and Hennessey in France ensues and we establish our first dedicated office in Dorking, creating a permanent home for the business and a hub for our expanding global reach.
One key element is still missing from the Vinescapes’ offering: Specialist vineyard management expertise. This changes when Joel Jorgensen joins the business in 2021.
Raised on an organic vineyard in South Africa, Joel has spent his career caring for vines through regenerative and sustainable practices. His extensive experience leading vineyard teams, managing vineyard operations and delivering contracting services across South Africa and the UK brings a depth of practical expertise that perfectly complements our consultancy strengths.
Sharing our values and long-term vision, Joel has become an integral part of the Vinescapes story. He is instrumental in developing our Vineyard Management and Viticulture Services offering and continues to play a major role in shaping the company.
Stephen Cronk, owner of Domaine Mirabeau in Provence, approaches Alistair to discuss a shared ambition: Accelerating the adoption of regenerative viticulture across the global wine industry.
And so, The Regenerative Viticulture Foundation (RVF), an international charity dedicated to advancing regenerative practices in vineyards worldwide, is born, with Alistair as a founding trustee.
Alistair contributes to a major interdisciplinary study that uses the latest climate projections and modelling to assess how climate change is likely to affect the wine sector.
The work provides evidence to support better decision-making, investment, and adaptation strategies. The project brings together climatologists, wine industry specialists and social scientists from the Grantham Research Institute and the University of East Anglia. Its findings are widely disseminated, including presentations at the 2022 Cool Climate Wine Symposium in Toronto and publications in Climate Risk Management and OENO One
In 2023, the CEO of Wines of Great Britain (WineGB) invites us to establish a new Research and Development Group to help define the UK wine sector’s research priorities and strengthen its access to research funding.
Collaborating with leading researchers and industry representatives, we conduct workshops across WineGB’s regional associations to gather insights from growers and producers. This work culminates in the development of a sector-wide research strategy designed to support innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth across the industry.
Since launching its Vineyard Management and Viticulture Services in 2021, Vinescapes continues to attract an exceptional line up of viticulturists and winemakers to its team. Much of the work takes place in vineyards and wineries with clients across the UK and further afield, but as the team grows, so does the need for a place to come together.
In 2024, we move into a larger office in Dorking, creating a dedicated home for collaboration, training, planning and day-to-day operations. More than just an office, it provides a hub where our team can connect, share ideas, and continue building the culture that underpins our ongoing success.
Today, Vinescapes is a highly skilled team of viticulturists, winemakers and researchers working alongside more than 100 clients to deliver tailored solutions that support successful, resilient wine businesses.
Recent projects in India and Scandinavia have reinforced our international reach and grapes we’ve grown continue to contribute to award-winning wines. It’s a testament to the quality of our work and our belief that regeneration and resilience go hand in hand.
As the wine industry continues to evolve, we remain dedicated to shaping its future—providing trusted expertise, nurturing talent and helping to create thriving vineyards, exceptional wines, and resilient businesses for generations to come.
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