Team

While traveling oversees, after working as an environmental and civil engineer in the Netherlands, Matt’s viticulture career began in 2003 in Wanaka, New Zealand. Always having had an interest in plants it felt right to pursue working with grape vines. Arriving in Canada the following year he worked throughout the Okanagan and Vancouver Island for 14 seasons before returning to the Naramata Bench and calling it home.

Having spent 20 years working with grape vines it has now become second nature to analyze and act on the findings on a daily basis. “No block, no variety, not a single vine is the same.”

The Viticulture program at the Okanagan College provided his base and additional designations of Assistant Winemaking and WSET round out his formal credentials.

Matt additionally approaches viticulture with self-taught, common-sense principles and is adaptable to whatever mother nature and the resultant vines throw at him. With the end goal of creating quality, one must be proactive and act instead of react and never be stuck in your ways if there are better ways.

Born and raised in Penticton, Michelle has witnessed firsthand the development of the wine industry in the Okanagan Valley. The fields that she works in today were her playground as a child. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Calgary, Michelle quickly realized that her heart would always reside in those fields.

She has spent the last 10 years developing her knowledge and skills in organic horticultural practices. Attracted to Little Engine and Caboose Viticulture by the quest for perfection of the French family and their team, Michelle has now turned her energy and enthusiasm to the wine industry and the development of sustainable viticulture.

Scott has worked in the Okanagan Wine Industry since 2005. During that time, he has also worked in New Zealand and Australia and completed a Master’s Degree in Oenology with Distinction from the University of Adelaide.

Scott’s motto is “wine should speak for itself “therefore meticulous winemaking and viticulture techniques are paramount. His involvement in viticulture begins at pruning and ends at harvest and is therefore completely involved in the plants entire cycle. His almost 20 years of industry experience are focused on getting the most from every parcel of grapes, utilizing small batch winemaking and innovative methods at harvest. He is constantly found in all our vineyards from pruning to harvest ensuring communication with our viticulture team.

He has been with Little Engine since the beginning and has seen not only our Estate vineyards but many of our clients’ vineyards mature from initial plantings.

Utilizing a variety of clones, low yields and canopy management strategies for desired wine outcomes is part of his winemaking philosophy.