Karin Maxwell has immersed herself in the world of Bordeaux wines and vineyards since the very start of her career. This began in the UK where she established a company specialising in importing wines from the region. So by the time she moved to France to live in 1992 she had already developed a profound working knowledge of the French wine industry.

Her ever growing understanding of local wines, wine growers and vineyard estates made her the ideal choice to be founding partner of Vineyards-Bordeaux with Michael Baynes in 2008.

Her particular expertise in the areas of French law and transaction contracts, both for asset sales and share transactions, enables her to take a leading role in all vineyard sales for all Bordeaux appellations. As well as being fully-bilingual and skilled in all aspects of the transaction process, Karin is holder of a French transaction licence, Carte Professionelle.

Living with her husband Nicolas at St. Emilion in the heart Bordeaux wine community, Karin has a grown a longstanding personal network which is indispensable to the sourcing and sale of some of the finest Bordeaux properties. Her reputation is unparalleled and has attracted an international clientele, the press and distinguished business partners for over 25 years.

Today Michael and Karin work closely together, each with their particular skills, to form an expert team for successful vineyard transactions. Throughout her career, Karin has demonstrated effortless people skills, diligence, optimism, and a generosity that often goes well beyond the call of duty – never giving up even when things get tough and the process is protracted as so often happens in complex vineyard sales

Formerly a keen tennis player and skier, Karin is also well-travelled, having studied in Canada and the US, where she earned her US professional Tennis Registry Diploma. Her travels have taken her all over the world, including the north of Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Hong Kong, the wine regions of Napa Valley, Stellenbosch and Franschoek in the western cape of South Africa as well as Kenya, Tanzania, Beijing and Chengdu in China. But her heart belongs to the Bordeaux vineyard of home.