Edmond de Rothschild Heritage is set to acquire New Zealand winery Akarua, subject to approval by New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office. Located in the south island’s Central Otago district, the winery is one of the region’s largest family-owned vineyards.
If the deal goes through, the Rothschild group will gain a 52 hectare estate with 34.5ha of vines in Central Otago’s prized Bannockburn sub-region. Additionally, it will acquire the Akarua brand, which was founded in 1996 by Sir Clifford Skeggs.
The acquisition will bolster Edmond de Rothschild Heritage’s holdings in New Zealand. Ten years ago, the group bought 24ha of Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough to produce Rimapere.
Edmond de Rothschild Heritage combines the non-banking lifestyle assets of the Edmond de Rothschild Group, including investments in wine, hotels, restaurants, and farming. It has 500ha of vines spread across Bordeaux (including Château Clarke), New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, and South Africa.
“We focused our search on Central Otago, the other Pinot Noir region, with a view to pinpointing the best soil there,” commented Boris Breau, managing director of the Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild. “With Akarua, we are adding a renowned family-run winery for over 20 years to our portfolio. Identified as one of the best terroirs of this emblematic grape variety, it still has strong growth potential, enabling us to complete our range and consolidate our position in premium wines.”
For more information on Akarua, head over to the brand’s official website.
In October, for just the second time, Edmond de Rothschild Heritage’s Château des Laurets released 36 special limited edition magnums and 36 bottles of its Sélection Parcellaire cuvée prestige Baron Edmond.