Who we are

My name is Martin Cahnbley.  I was born in Germany and grew up in South Africa.  I was lucky enough to attend the University of Cape Town, close to some of the most beautiful and welcoming vineyards and wineries in the world.  I started collecting red wines from the exceptional 1978 South African vintage and the cellar continues to grow.  I have been involved in marketing roles in the wine industry in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and further afield since 1987, and founded Planet Wine in 2003.

My team and I love the sociability of the world of wine, the stories, the families, the history, the natural surroundings and the laughter and fun that is shared around the world in the company of wine and food.  

We travel the world and visit wineries (and great restaurants) to find wines and spirits that make an impact on us and, we believe, will entice you too. We focus on brands and products that are different, that have a story to tell, that have history and character.  We are proud of representing our suppliers.

As our name implies, we will continue to add interesting and marketable wines and other alcoholic beverages from other, premium wine-producing regions to the portfolio.

Our philosophy is to build a community around our products, from the winery, to our people, to our customers, with a focus on building long-term relationships.  We pride ourselves on our approachability and customer service and look forward to talking to you about our great brands.

We hope that you enjoy browsing our website and portfolio.  If you have questions, feel free to send an email to enquiry@planetwine.co.nz.  We like receiving feedback from our customers.

Martin and the team