Award-winning vineyard for sale

Leading winery, Highfield Estate, located in the heart of Marlborough’s wine region in the Wairau Valley has been placed on the market for sale.

Following the death of co-owner and director Tom Tenuwera last year, all of Highfield Estate’s assets have been placed on the market. These include an operating winery, restaurant, tasting and function room and apartment. The sale also includes 82 hectares of vineyards producing 1000 tonnes per year and award-winning wine brands with distribution in 18 countries and wine stocks. Three hectares of wetlands, and two cottages are also included.

Located on an elevated site on the corner of Dogpoint and Brookby Roads, the Tuscan-inspired property is on the southern side of the Wairau Valley. It is part of the local wine trail and easily accessible by bicycle and car.

The property is being marketed for sale with Bayleys Blenheim, through salesperson Tim Crawford, who described the winery’s product as well-known and respected.

"This is an opportunity to invest in a well-established slice of the Marlborough wine industry, which is world renowned.

"It offers potential purchasers a range of revenue streams - encompassing wine production, a restaurant, and a tasting room and wedding and function venue, which have spectacular views over vineyards and mountains. These are particularly well patronised during the summer months," he said.

Highfield Estate’s classic Marlborough wines have continued to be created with a commitment to consistency of quality and style, said Mr Crawford. The winery has a small, focused range of wines - Elstree cuvée brut, pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and riesling, he said.

In 1993 the first Elstree won a gold medal at the National Wine Show of Australia, with further gold medals and awards in the following years for the Elstree, pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. Wine writer Bob Campbell described Highfield’s Elstree cuvée brut as "impressive with a Champagne-like finesse and power".

The winery was opened in 1990. Sri Lankan-born English businessman Mr Tenuwera bought it a year later with Japanese businessman and close friend Shin Yokoi. Under their ownership the wine operation and restaurant have been modernised and expanded to their existing size.

Highfield Estate winery is Biogro-certified for organic production and has an annual processing capacity of 600 tonnes. Cuvee, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling and pinot noir are processed in this facility. The winery houses everything needed to produce the different wine styles, from fruit collection through to bottling, providing full control over every aspect of the winemaking.

Up to 100 tonnes of white grapes per day can be taken in to the winery and the bottling line comfortably caters for bottling runs of 10,000 litres per day. The underground barrel room maintains a cool temperature throughout the year, providing the perfect storage conditions for pinot noir and barrel fermented Chardonnay. Resource consent allows for up to 2134 cubic metres per day for irrigating 97 hectares of grapes, with consent renewal not due until 2017.

Included in the property are a three-bedroom home, two-bedroom cottage plus sleep-out, three-bay shed and a converted ostrich handling facility of 570 square metres.

Further up the Wairau Valley is the larger vineyard has 80 hectares of sauvignon blanc, planted between 2006 and 2008.

Offers for Highfield Estate close on November 29.