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Top shelf Barossa winery on market

Regional

Premium South Australian wine business Rolf Binder is on the market for the first time in its 65 year history.

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Owned by brother and sister Rolf Binder and Christa Deans, whose parents established the business in 1955, the sale includes more than 100 hectares of vineyards across five sites, a 1000-tonne capacity winery, cellar door and brands including JJ Hahn and Magpie Estate.

Binder said the time was right to sell after 65 years of commitment to the Barossa.

“This is an exciting opportunity for a buyer to take a significant stake in Australia’s premier wine region,” Rolf said.

“Our vineyard blocks are in the heart of the Barossa, including one directly adjacent to the key vineyards used to supply Penfolds Grange Hermitage.

“The time is now right to hand over the baton and watch the business fulfil its potential.”

The present 1000-tonne winery site on the corner of Seppeltsfield and Stelzer roads at Stonewell was initially built in 1998, ready for the 1999 vintage.

It is co-located with the cellar door and 25ha Chri-Ro Vineyard, which is predominantly planted with Shiraz.

The other four vineyards are dotted around the Barossa and all feature Shiraz with other varieties including Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, Mataro and Malbec.

Rolf Binder produces about 40,000 dozen a year, much of which is exported to the UK and Europe.

The sibling winemakers have worked together in the business since 1994.

Binder said he and Deans were looking for an outright sale or a partnership arrangement and were both prepared to stay on in the short to medium term as winemakers to assist with the business transition.

He said the Australian wine industry was evolving and providing excellent investment opportunities, particularly at the premium end of the market.

“Wine Australia data shows domestic wine sales increased 6.1 per cent in the past year, despite COVID-19. Internationally we’ve seen 3 per cent sales growth while average prices have jumped 16 per cent,” he said.

“We feel the business is well-positioned to capitalise on existing trends and emerging opportunities, with a secure and major fruit source in one of the world’s most renowned wine regions combined with good water allocations, an established distribution network, growing direct-to-consumer sales and an established, motivated and highly qualified team.”

The property and assets will be sold in an EOI process, which will have a closing date in October, in the hope that the transaction can be completed ahead of the 2021 vintage.

However, the sale comes at an uncertain time for the Australian wine industry with the coronavirus pandemic seriously impacting sales to restaurants and bars and threats from China, Australia’s largest export market, of potential sanctions on Australian wine imports.

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