Our People

At the heart of The Wrekin is the culture Andrew and Jan have built over many years.

With people from different backgrounds, experience and age-groups, everyone here pulls up their sleeves to get the job done. We are also fortunate to have Jeremy Hyland and Hätsch Kalberer – both with decades of experience in organic viticulture and fine wines.

A brief history

Jan, Andrew, and their children — David, Libby, and Anna — moved to Marlborough in 1998 and started planting Pinot Noir in 2002 with the guidance from Jeremy Hyland who was consulting as viticulturist for other winemakers at the time.

From early on, Jan felt a strong pull towards organic viticulture. With Jeremy’s enthusiasm, they transitioned to organics in 2012, achieving full certification with Biogro in 2020. In 2017, Jeremy officially joined the team as vigneron and introduced biodynamic practices to the vineyard.

Hätsch Kalberer began making our wines in 2018. His Swiss precision and passion for crafting elegant, textural, age-worthy wines perfectly complements The Wrekin’s long-term vision.

Margaux Demalle has been with us since the 2019 vintage as assistant vigneronnes and is the winemaker behind our Beaujolais-style La Carbonique pinot.

Under their collective stewardship, our 20+ year-old vines are now producing celebrated pinot noir, chardonnay, and chenin blanc.

In 2023, daughter Anna returned home with her partner Andy Crone, to take over sales, distribution, and marketing for the wine side of the business. Their golden retriever 'Tilly' roams the vineyard freely, lifting moral of those she finds on her adventures.

The team

Andrew Johns
Farmer/Owner
Andrew left a career in law in 1990 to go farming. After finding The Wrekin as a sheep and beef farm, he and Jan followed their instincts to plant the first vines within a few years of arriving. A bright mind, he is always considering the long-term approach - this extends across the vineyard, winery, wider farm and his love of planting trees.
Jan Johns
Chief of Staff/Owner
After pursuing a career in physiotherapy, and running her own practice, Jan returned to her farming roots and now works alongside Jeremy to enhance our organic and biodynamic ecosystem across the vineyard and olive grove. In 2012 she completed a certificate for Applied Organics and Biodynamics at Taruna College. She is active in the local community advocating for trees and native corridors and is queen smoko-provider during harvests.
Jeremy Hyland
Vigneron
Jeremy Hyland has been guiding the vineyard since planting the first grapes, officially joining as Vigneron in 2017. A thinker, he is constantly leading innovative improvements to our organic and biodynamic practice. Jeremy is very active in the biodynamic community regularly hosting workshops and educating others on the benefits.
Hätsch Kalberer
Winemaker
Hätsch brings years of Swiss skill and finesse to our winemaking and has been making our wine since 2018. He believes in traditional, "minimal corruption" and elegant wines that express terroir and vintage. Above all, his wines are bone-dry.
Margaux Demalle
Assistant Vigneronne
Originally from Brittany in France, Margaux brings skill in vineyard management, winemaking, and a commitment to biodynamics and French wit to boot. She is contemporary mind behind La Carbonique, the newest addition to our wines.
Anna Johns
Sales & Distribution
Anna left school to pursue a career in engineering and since her return to the farm with Andy in 2023 is running the sales and distribution of our wine. She is also sustainably minded and loves the local biodynamic community and regenerative farming movement.
Andy Crone
Design & Marketing
Andy moved to the farm with Anna in 2023 and uses his career in design to craft our brand, website and online marketing. His design-eye and passion for building and inventing things shows up around the farm for all to enjoy.

Our community

Jeremy and the team are dedicated to organic and biodynamics and are constantly innovating with traditional and new concepts. We host regular biodynamic days open to anyone with an interest and foster enthusiasm with a bit of elbow grease!

Flora and fauna

We farm fine-wool merino sheep, alongside angus and hereford beef which compliment the vineyard with grass control and organic, nutrient-rich manure. We are home to an abundance of native insects and birds including kōtare (kingfisher), kahukura (red admiral butterfly) matuku moana (white-faced heron) all contributing to this a ecosystem.

In the summer months we spot fellow deer wandering down from the back blocks of the farm to graze and drink from the dam – they have a taste for good grapes too.

Meet our wines

We produce small quantities of hand-picked pinot noir, chardonnay and chenin blanc which are now available on our online store and select wine bars, restaurants and stores around New Zealand.