The Team
“We relish the process of transforming our wines into an enduring object of connection, whether they are enjoyed as a simple sip after work, to celebrate a special moment or to take their place in a collection.”
Nicole Samodol
Mitchell Mason
Chef
With a passion for pastry and precision, Mitchell creates refined desserts that balance flavour and finesse.
Densey McInerney
Cellar Door & Member Coordinator
A warm and welcoming presence, Densey guides tastings and nurtures strong connections with Rowlee members.
Mark Lloyd-Jones
Garden & Farm Manager
Caring for the land year-round, Mark ensures Rowlee’s gardens and surrounds shine in every season.
Bon Kuil-Hartikainen
Venue Manager
The heartbeat of the Rowlee experience, Bon leads service, events, and celebrations with warmth, precision, and creativity.
Erick Holborrow
Head Chef
Driven by seasonality and quality produce, Erick creates food that complements Rowlee’s wines and reflects the region
Imogen Fitzalan
Chef de Partie
Energetic and detail-focused, Imogen brings flavour, focus, and heart to every service in the Rowlee kitchen.
Key People
Nicole Samodol
Nicole Samodol is a highly regarded wine entrepreneur, who owns and operates Rowlee Wines. She brings a fresh perspective to the thrill of wine making, leveraging a 17 year corporate career focused on the development and implementation of strategy and business transformation to the industry she loves.
In a bold move, Nicole decided to deviate from the traditional corporate career path and move to the emerging wine region of Orange, NSW to grow grapes and make wine under her own label. In doing so she created one of NSW’s leading wine tourism businesses, with an award-winning cellar door and a variety of visitor experiences that now serves as a benchmark for other Australian wine makers.
Nicole has inspired others to develop and grow their own tourism businesses and her successful formula has caught the attention of state and national wine and tourism bodies, amongst whom she is considered an expert. Her recent speaking engagements include the Australian Tourism Export Council’s National Wine Tourism Conference, Wine Communicators of Australia Direct to Consumer Wine Summit, and Destination NSW’s Visitor Economy Forum.
In addition to running her own wine business, Nicole is a Vice President of NSW Wines and has served as President of the Orange Region Vignerons’ Association. Nicole holds an MBA, a bachelor’s degree in business, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
James Manny
James Andrew Manny is a highly effective Project Manager, with a successful reputation for delivering complex global projects. He brings his varied career history to his current role as Vigneron at luxury boutique winery, Rowlee Wines, where he oversees all vineyard operations and winemaking. He has led initiatives resulting in strong brand recognition, including regional and national awards.
James as a track record of innovation, including pioneering research on European Wasp suppression strategies, and successfully trialling sunscreen products on grapes during heatwaves.
In his diverse career, James co-developed motor vehicle safety technology with EVACast, chaired iCash Payments Systems/Neo ICP, leading the commercialisation of world-first cash handling technologies. As Managing Director of Credit New Holland Group, he navigated the company toa. Saleable scale, merging it with Centerstone for increased customer service and benefits of scale.
With a Bachelor of Business and extensive training, James was a finalist for the Vigneron of The Year Award at the Orange Wine Show, and is an active member of regional, state, and national associations.
