BOB CAMPBELL
Bob Campbell MW is a master of wine and New Zealand’s best-known wine writer, judge and educator. He’s currently owned by a large (8.5kg) cat but aspires to being owned by a smallish dog that doesn’t require an enormous amount of exercise, doesn’t shed fur and is happy to eat dried dog biscuits.
SUSAN ELLIOTT
Susan Elliott is co-owner and creative director of Giant Dog Publishing based in Sydney, Australia.
EMMA JENKINS
Emma Jenkins MW is a wine writer based in Taupo, New Zealand. When not tasting, writing, judging or teaching, Emma’s spare time is spent attempting to gain control of a large unruly garden populated by small children, dogs, chickens and two pet pigs. This is largely proving futile.
YVONNE LORKIN
In her roles as the host and producer of Thirsty Work on ‘FoodTV’, the drinks editor for Dish Magazine and the weekly syndicated wine columnist for ten regional newspapers, Yvonne Lorkin’s life is a full-time immersion in wine. She writes a weekly column in CANVAS (the NZ Herald weekend magazine), hosts a fortnightly wine segment on Radio New Zealand National and somehow still finds the time to be a senior Wine Competition judge. She’s also an in-demand speaker and event MC, and despite being on the wrong side of 35, she can still play ‘Good King Wenceslas’ on the recorder and do a no-handed cartwheel.
CRAIG McGILL
Craig is a gifted artist and one of the founding principals of Giant Dog publishing. He photographs exclusively for the Wine Dogs series of books and calendars. www.theartofcraigmcgill.com
SAM NEILL
Sam Neill is an itinerant actor who has a longstanding interest in wine, particularly red wine, which accounts for his rude good health. He is very proud of everything about Two Paddocks, and will bore you to death on the subject if you give him a chance. Don’t. Sam has visions of a vast Two Paddocks Empire, but is usually better the next day. He plays cricket badly and also the ukulele. Pretends to be a fly fisherman and is not related to Sam Hunt. Helps provide focus for the talents of New Zealand and Australian filmmakers (see Huntaway Films). Sam is an active proponent of protecting and preserving New Zealand’s precious natural resources. He is a member of the Sustainability Council of New Zealand, a trustee of the National Parks and Conservation Foundation and a Patron for Waitaki First.
JOHN SAKER
John Saker writes about wine regularly for New Zealand’s Cuisine magazine and a number of other publications. He is the author of three wine books: How To Drink A Glass Of Wine, Pinot Noir: The New Zealand Story and Vinacular. He lives in Wellington where he and Sheba are regulars on the tracks of Tinakori Hill
JANE SKILTON
Straight after leaving school Jane Skilton was coerced into applying for a job with the local wine merchant after her Mum decided her chosen career (lying in bed listening to music) wouldn’t wash. 31 years later she has gained a husband, two children, Bingo the Dog and a Master of Wine qualification. A freelance wine writer, judge and educator, she dreams of moving to Greece. In the meantime she is marooned in Auckland.
MISHA WILKINSON
After growing too tall to be a ballerina, Misha Wilkinson leapt into a new direction and worked for some of the world’s largest IT companies, running Asia-Pacific marketing operations based in Singapore. Deciding more was needed out of life, she and her husband Andy established Misha’s Vineyard and moved to New Zealand and have been immersed in wine ever since. Misha was the New Zealand correspondent for Wine Business Magazine for four years and still fits in some freelance writing when she’s not on the road selling wine.
