Pernod Ricard has put the famous Richmond Grove winery in Tanunda on the market and will switch production to its massive Rowland Flat winery.
This comes a few months after Australian Wine Holdco Ltd – which owns Accolade Wines – agreed to buy Jacob’s Creek and other wine assets from Pernod Ricard.
Tom Barrett from Colliers says, “While Richmond Grove’s heritage is entrenched in winemaking, its future could include a mixture of industrial, residential and wine tourism pursuits, subject to necessary consents.”
The winery is known for its historic Flemish-style chateau.
The sale includes 27 hectares of land, 87 million litres of tank storage and 299 tanks, and three climate-controlled warehouses.
The site opened in 1897.
Leo Buring bought it – formerly the Orange Grove Winery – in 1944 and renamed it Chateau Leonay.
It was later bought by Ray Kidd of Lindeman’s before Pernod Ricard’s Orlando label took it over in 1993.
It became the headquarters of Richmond Grove, famous for its Riesling under John Vickery, one of Australia’s greatest-ever winemakers.
His many achievements includes reintroducing the screwcap on the 1998 Richmond Grove Watervale and Barossa Rieslings.
John won the Jimmy Watson Trophy in 1981 for the Lindemans 1980 St George Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
In 2007 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the wine industry as an oenologist, particularly through the development of innovative methods for Riesling production.
The Richmond Grove label was discontinued by Pernod Ricard in 2015.
Expressions of interest close on Wednesday 20 November.
Recent Comments