Tancredi Cilia

I was born and raised in Ragusa, in southeastern Sicily, where food and wine were always at the heart of family life. Growing up surrounded by Sicily’s rich culinary traditions sparked my passion for hospitality and for the way food and wine bring people together.

At the age of 21, I left Sicily to pursue an international career. I first moved to London, where I spent five years working in hospitality. My desire to experience new places and cultures then took me to Australia, where I lived for another five years and discovered my true passion for wine.

In 2019, I moved to New Zealand and continued working in restaurants before eventually transitioning into wine sales. Today, I draw on my Sicilian heritage, international hospitality experience, and knowledge of the New Zealand market to share the stories, traditions, and diversity of Italian wine with customers across the country.

For me wine is much more than a product, it is a way of connecting people, places, and cultures.