Our Story

Three people smiling and standing outside a Scotch wine bar with a window display that shows the bar's name and hours

Three French people walk into a bar…

That’s how all good stories start, and it was no different when Luigi, Marie and Armelle walked into Scotch. Combining their passions for wine, food and having a great time was a natural progression for the three foodies.

Scotch is the culmination of their life’s dedication to gastronomy and their mode de vie.

A woman smiling and holding a glass of white wine in a restaurant or bar setting.
A smiling woman with short, spiked gray hair, wearing a black shirt and a necklace, in a kitchen or storage room background.
Chef garnishing a beautifully plated dish with a squeeze bottle in a professional kitchen.

  • My kids and I come from the French Riviera, near Cannes, in a little village surrounded by cork oaks and red rocks, in a mountain overlooking the Mediterranean sea.

    Having arrived from France 8 years ago with my 2 kids and just a bag each, I regret none of my decisions.

    We spent 6 years on Waiheke Island in the North of New Zealand, where we met Marie and Luigi, had an instant chemistry and envisioned opening a business together some day.

    This last move to lovely, sunny enchanting Marlborough brought those dreams to us.

    We have lost nothing of the beautiful scenery from neither France nor Waiheke but instead, gained immense quality of life and met an authentic Community.

  • Coming from the Bordeaux region, where wine flows freely, it was obvious to Marie to become an oenologist / winemaker and understand the secrets of creating great vintages.

    Having met Luigi in 2014 on his return from New Zealand, he did not stop selling the merits and beauty of the country to Marie.

    Being a chef since the age of 17, they decided to set off together with their respective children on an adventure to discover this magnificent country. After a short stopover in Auckland, they settled on Waiheke Island where they met Armelle and her children.

    Having long dreamed of having their own business, they decided to go ahead together and take over the Scotch Wine Bar restaurant in April 2023.

    This project brought together their skills in cooking, wine knowledge and service.