“China ready” Randall Wine Group snaps up four more vineyards in McLaren Vale

The Randall Wine Group (RWG), led by executive chairman Warren Randall, has further increased its footprint in McLaren Vale with the acquisition of another four vineyards across the district totalling 142 hectares (350 acres).

Randall says the acquisitions are “to fuel China’s growing thirst” for Australian wine.

The RWG acquired 100 percent of Tinlins Wines in McLaren Vale three years ago and the new vineyard acquisitions were purchased under the Tinlins banner.

The largest of these is the 60 hectare (150 acre) Sellicks Hill vineyard. The four new vineyards are planted to red varieties with 50 percent planted to Cabernet Sauvignon.

These new acquisitions now make Tinlins and RWG the largest vineyard holder in McLaren Vale with 750 hectares (1,850 acres) under vine.

Following the purchase of the 320 hectare Tanunda Hill vineyard in the Barossa in August this year, the RWG has now acquired 760 hectares (1,880 acres) in South Australia’s premium wine growing districts, including 121 hectares in Langhorne Creek and 174 hectares in Currency Creek this calendar year.

Speaking at the Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference (AWITC) in July this year, Mr Randall suggested that South Australia is very well placed to supply the burgeoning Chinese demand for red wine because South Australia produces 82 percent of Australia’s premium red wine.

He also prompted Australian winemakers to be “China ready” as China drinks more than 90 percent of its total consumption of red wine and is expected to be the largest consumer of wine in the world, surpassing the United States of America within the next 15 to 20 years.

“With our Chinese free trade agreement now at 0 percent import duty from 1 January this year, Australian winemakers should continue to visit China and further strengthen their relationships with regards to trust and respect,” Mr Randall says.

“The strength of these relationships will hold Australia in very good stead and in a powerful position to be a preferred international supplier of wine to the Chinese people in the decades to come.”