C r a f t s P e o p l e

Founder & Owner

D r M a x H a h n

Elgin Vintners founding partner Dr Max Hahn is a fount of knowledge on the history of the Elgin Valley and the Elgin Orchards farm that sparked his interest in owning an apple farm “one day”.

Now living in what is believed to be the oldest house in the valley, the tollhouse at the bridge over the Palmiet River that runs through the valley, he knows the stories of the farm’s original owner Edward Syfret, neighbour Jack Green (and the foefie slide, or rope-and-pulley system used to transport apples over the river to his packshed), and the Denniston family who offered recuperation in the Ridgelands manor house on the farm for injured troops returning from World War II.

Those families are remembered in the names of the guest bedrooms in the stately manor house that is now home to Elgin Vintners, luxury accommodation for visitors and a scenic venue for special events.

Max’s father was one of the injured troops nursed to wellness at Ridgelands and became friends with the Denniston family – many visits to Elgin Orchards and the Ridgelands manor house sparking the young Max’s dream of one day retiring to an apple farm in the area.

Co-Founder & Owner

J a m e s R a w b o n e - V i l j o e n

For James Rawbone-Viljoen, the excitement of the wine business is about personal interaction with wine lovers and growing Elgin Vintners’ global family of loyal followers.

“I often say that, for me, growing apples and pears is a very scientific process, as it is with grapes, but once you’ve grown that apple or pear, packed it and sent if off the farm, you have nothing more to do with it.”

“The real attraction for me, with grapes and with wine, is having that personal interaction with the consumer. To sit across the table and share a glass of wine, a product that I love, with people and see their satisfaction in enjoying your product – that’s what I get a kick out of.”

Not content with simply growing grapes to harvest, James’s passion is for the making and the selling of the wine, opening up new markets for Elgin Vintners through personalised wine tasting experiences and giving the brand a face and a personality.

senior winemaker

A g a t h a R o s s i

I’ve always been a wine drinker, but I’d never thought that I’ll ever be a wine maker. It all started with helping Bruno harvest the winery’s first vintage. I immediately fell in love with the process and decided to start working here full time. Never looked back ever since!

My knowledge of wine began in a small
Italian restaurant. The all-Italian staff painted a vivid
picture of what wine meant to them: family, memories, and traditions.

Viticulture Manager

E l l a C a m p o

Growing grapes didn’t start as a passion for me; at first, it was just a job. But the more I did it and the more I learned, the more I became personally invested in the land and the vines. I found my calling being outdoors.

Rotating seasonal jobs took me as far north as Alaska, where I guided outdoor adventure trips and fished for salmon, and to the Southern Hemisphere where I worked in vineyards. I made vineyard management my career and I’ve never considered anything else.