Mark Polgase

Mark attended Matamata College from 1966 to 1970 and was a prefect in his final year.

He gained University Entrance and Higher School Certificate and was mainly involved in athletics.

After leaving, Mark attended Massey University and graduated with a Bachelor in Science in Biochemistry and Microbiology in 1975, before pursuing a career in the wine industry. He added to this later a Diploma in Business Studies in Marketing also from Massey University, graduating in 1994.

Mark has been Chief Winemaker at Villa Maria and Penfolds NZ, and Cellar Master at Montana Wines Auckland.  He has also held other positions as Distribution Manager for Montana Wines, before starting the Montana Wine College.  Over time this has become the Allied Domecq Wine College, then the Pernod Ricard Wine and Spirit College, training over 5,500 people per year, throughout Australasia.  Since 2009 he has been employed again at Villa Maria as the Cellar Door Manager.

Mark has travelled in mainly the wine growing regions of the world, plus most of England, Ireland and Scotland.

He is married to Brigitte, his beautiful German wife, and they have two great children, Alexander and Sarah, who are studying design and nursing in Wellington.