Argentine billionaire backs Barossa winery

Renowned wine consultant Alberto Antonini has teamed up with an Argentine gas and oil billionaire to launch a new multi-million winery in Australia’s Barossa Valley.

Wine consultant Alberto Antonini will advise on the project

Billionaire Alejandro Pedro Bulgheroni bought Greenock Farm, a 40 hectares property in Barossa, in October last year for AUD$1.95 million, which forms part of Bulgheri Family Vineyards.

Bulgheroni spent three years exploring Australian wine regions with Antonini before settling on this Barossa Valley property, which joins a portfolio that already includes wineries in California, Argentina, Uruguay, France and Italy.

Just 12 hectares of Greenock is currently planted with Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and Semillon, with plans to plant a further 18 hectares with the same varieties. The project, which will be overseen by wine consultant Alberto Antonini, will include a 180-tonne winery, a cellar door and high-end accommodation.

“The Barossa has great terroir and has built a great reputation, but what I taste now is not what we think the Barossa is capable of delivering”, said Antonini. “We will focus on the origin of the grapes, the unique place, not the variety. Varieties are generic, but places like the Barossa are unique.”

Prior to this purchase, Bulgheri Family Vineyards spent US$85 million on a vineyard and winery development at Bodega Garzón in Uruguay. When completed, Bodega Garzón will feature a luxury hotel and a $180,000-entry-fee wine club where members will be able to create their own wines.

The group has grown rapidly in the past six years, snapping up wineries at a rate of two per year since 2011.

The first vintage produced from its Barossa winery, under a label name that is still going through the international trademarking process, is expected in 2018.