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Rothschild group to acquire Central Otago’s Akarua
Edmond de Rothschild Heritage has entered into an agreement to buy Akarua in Central Otago, subject to approval by New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office.
Should the deal go ahead, the Rothschild group will gain a 52 hectare estate with 34.5ha of vines in Central Otago’s prized Bannockburn sub-region, along with the Akarua brand, which was founded in 1996 by Sir Clifford Skeggs, a New Zealand entrepreneur.
The acquisition will bolster the vineyard holdings in New Zealand for Edmond de Rothschild Heritage, which bought 24ha of Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough 10 years ago to produce Rimapere.
The brand Edmond de Rothschild Heritage combines the non-banking lifestyle assets of the Edmond de Rothschild Group, including investments in wine, hotels, restaurants, and farming.
Edmond de Rothschild Heritage has 500ha of vines spread across Bordeaux (including Château Clarke), New Zealand, Argentina, Spain and South Africa.
Commenting on the Akarua acquisition, Boris Breau, managing director of the Compagnie Vinicole Baron Edmond de Rothschild said, “We focused our search on Central Otago, the other Pinot Noir region, with a view to pinpointing the best soil there. 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.”
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