The mothballed Wickham Hill winery at Griffith is being sold by receivers.
Formerly owned by Pernod Ricard's Orlando wines, and most recently by a group of "national and international private investors" headed by South Australia's Blaxland Vineyards, the big grape crusher is on the market again.
Colliers Agribusiness has been appointed by KPMG, receiver managers of the Wickham Group, to offer the still impressive winery for sale.
Wickham Hill was established in the 1960s and was operated by Orlando until grape oversupply issues hit the industry in 2010.
Orlando spent big and developed the winery to a wine grape processing capacity of about 20,000 tonnes, complemented by more than 18 million litres of stainless-steel tank storage.
It sat idle for several years until it was bought out in 2012 by a conglomerate of national and international private investors, headed by Blaxland Vineyards chairman Neil McKenzie.
At the time, bringing the winery back to working order was expected to cost a million dollars.
"It is a very good winery, it is very modern and efficient," Mr McKenzie said in 2012.
Colliers agents said the winery was well-equipped and strategically located in the heart of the Riverina wine region.
Several of Australia's largest wine producers are located at Griffith, including Casella Wines, De Bortoli, McWilliams, Warburn Estate, and Calabria Family Wines.
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Colliers national director (agribusiness) Tim Altschwager said the winery offered huge potential, particularly because of its location and the millions of litres of large batch storage".
"We expect it to appeal to a broad target market, including wine industry producers looking to expand or relocate their current operations, those seeking additional wine storage, as well as local and overseas investors attracted to the significant wine infrastructure and even the potential opportunity to redevelop the site to alternate uses."
In addition to the winery plant and equipment, the sale includes other improvements including administrative facilities, workshop and staff amenities, a manager's residence, extensive operational shedding and an 80 tonne weighbridge.
It occupies about five hectares of land.
The Colliers agents say large wineries rarely come on the open market, especially such strategically located, well-equipped facilities.
Wickham Hill Winery is offered for sale by expression of interest closing October 28.
For more information contact Tim Altschwager on 0408 814699.
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Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
