James Hillard
Winemaker
James brings over two decades of winemaking experience to Sileni, from NSW and Italy to Gisborne, the Yarra Valley, and now Hawke’s Bay.
His early career included time with John Cassegrain in Australia and Ricci Curbastro in Franciacorta, making sparkling wine. He later ran the wine programme at Tairāwhiti Polytechnic, then led production for Indevin before joining Sileni in 2022.
A long-time show judge and a steady hand in the cellar, James knows when to step in, and when to leave the fruit alone.