Meet our people

The power of passion

As a family-owned boutique wine estate, at Bouchard Finlayson a shared passion for heritage, integrity and innovation guides us in crafting world-class wines that showcase the terroir of the Hemel-en-Aarde valley.

Bouchard Finlayson began as a partnership, and today that spirit of collaboration and teamwork is integral to the estate’s continued success. From our dedicated vineyard workers and cellar team, to the administrative staff that keep the estate running smoothly, we are inspired by a spirit of caring, teamwork and a dedication to authentic hospitality.

Victoria Tollman

Vice-President, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection

Since the Tollman family purchased Bouchard Finlayson in 2000, Victoria has worked in partnership with Peter Finlayson to ensure the ongoing growth and success of Bouchard Finlayson as an estate, and a global boutique wine brand. Based in London, Victoria’s talents are focused on operations, sales, marketing and public relations. She perfectly emulates her mother Beatrice, the celebrated founder of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection.

Chris Albrecht

Winemaker

Chris Albrecht is passionate about expressing the remarkable terroir of the Hemel-en-Aarde. A graduate of Stellenbosch University, where he qualified with a degree in Oenology and Viticulture, his practical experience and dynamic detail-oriented approach has taken him across the world of wine, from the New to the Old, working harvests in California, France, South Africa and New Zealand. Chris joined Bouchard Finlayson as assistant-winemaker in 2010, and was promoted to winemaker in 2017.

Stefan Hartmann

Farm Manager

Stefan was born in Switzerland before moving to South Africa where he was raised and schooled in Tulbagh. After completing his degree at the University of Stellenbosch he worked and travelled seasonally in Europe for two years. Having grown up on a farm he still enjoys an active and outdoor lifestyle together with his wife, Suzanne and two children. Being a farmer runs in his blood with his father and brothers all farmers - a natural extension of their personalities.

Roelf du Plooy

General & Financial Manager

Roelf brings a wealth of corporate and management expertise to the Bouchard Finlayson team, making him an invaluable asset in efficiently guiding our operations. In addition to ensuring the seamless functioning of our esteemed working farm, Roelf adeptly manages the financial aspects of our business. With a sincere commitment to exceptional customer service, Roelf is driven to offer an unmatched world-class experience to every visitor to our farm and consumer of our exquisite wines.

Lizette Kühn

Sales Manager

Lizette heads up wine sales for Bouchard Finlayson. A loyal and dedicated member of our team, Lizette’s key responsibility is ensuring the smooth operation of all logistics from the winery to our various export markets. This includes our involvement with ‘Wines of the World’, while local sales calls across the industry ensure a close relationship with our national customers. Her caring and compassionate approach is an inspiration to her team.

Mireille Coetzer

Marketing Manager

Mireille has recently joined the dynamic team of Bouchard Finlayson as the new Marketing Manager. Having had experience and expertise in the field of marketing, brand management, public relations, retail and tourism, Mireille brings a broad base of disciplines to marketing wine. Her outgoing personality, tempered with creativity and passion is a definite plus to this strong brand with a proud history.

Caroline Mullis

Tasting Room Manager

Caroline Mullis has been working in the wine industry since 2017 and has loved every moment of it. She finds pleasure in dealing with clients and sharing a passion for wine with them. She is excited to share her experiences with the members of Bouchard Finlayson and to achieve our desired goals. She looks forward to welcoming each client to the tasting room and providing the best wine tasting experience that Bouchard Finlayson can offer.

Danél Theron

Sales & Marketing Assistant

Danél is responsible for co-ordinating group tastings, pre-booked wine tours as well as our unique vintage tastings. Caring and helpful, she also takes charge of organising large events on the farm, from group lunches to music and poetry evenings hosted in the cellar of the estate’s Homestead. Danél is a valuable resource for the wine industry, keeping the trade informed of Bouchard Finlayson’s latest releases, and ensuring that visitors to the farm leave enchanted with our remarkable wines.

Silke Austin

Accounts Assistant

Bouchard Finlayson’s Accounts Assistant, and an integral part of the financial operations on the estate.

Our cellar stars

Hemel-en-Aarde agricultural community

At Bouchard Finlayson we take enormous pride in offering a fair, nurturing and supportive working environment. As a result, many of our cellar and vineyard workers have been part of the estate’s ‘family’ for decades. From Dina Conradie to Nigel Hansen, Nkosi ‘Lefty’ Maku to Dawnene May, we celebrate the loyalty and dedication of the staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help us craft the remarkable wines of Bouchard Finlayson.