A master of wine and general manager winemaking, he will will remain until the end of June to ensure a smooth transition.
CEO Villa Maria, Sir George Fistonich said: “Alastair has played an important role in the development of Villa Maria and has ensured that deep rooted foundations have been laid to maintain the quality of our winemaking portfolio as the business has grown.
“We know that Alastair will enjoy his new challenge at Foley Family Wines, but also that he will always be a Villa Maria advocate, working to keep New Zealand wine at the cutting edge. We wish Alastair well for the future and are excited by the opportunities that change will bring for him and us, both for our people and our business."
The company says the legacy that Maling will leave behind at Villa Maria is an outstanding winemaking team with the experience and expertise to continue Villa Maria’s growth and reputation.
The team, comprises: Nick Picone, Dave Roper, Helen Morrison, Josh Hammond and more. The viticulture team will still be led by Oliver Powrie.
