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Rothschild group plans organic wines for Central Otago’s Akarua

10 October 2022 By Arabella Mileham

Edmond de Rothschild Heritage’s bid to buy Akarua in Central Otago had been approved by New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office, paving the way for the Bordeaux-based company to produce its first organic wines.

The company already owns 24ha of Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in Marlborough after acquiring the 24-hectare Rimapere vineyard, in Marlborough, in 2012, in partnership with Craggy Range, but plans to convert the 52-hectare Akarua estate in Central Otago’s prized Bannockburn sub-region to certified organic production.

The estate comprises 34.5ha of vines, which the company said had been identified as some “of the best terroirs” for Pinot Noir, “on a par with Burgundy”, according to Ariane de Rothschild, president of the Edmond de Rothschild Group. It also produces a small amount (around 20%) of Chardonnay and Riesling.

“The addition of our second New Zealand winery is part of our wider strategy to develop a portfolio of premium international wines from exceptional terroirs,” de Rothschild said in a statement. “Central Otago’s international reputation for pinot noir provides a unique opportunity for us to complete our range and move into the production of organic wines – one of the fastest growing categories.”

The acquisition was first announced in May.

Currently the vineyard produces more than 60,000 bottles of wine a year for the international and domestic markets. The estate and Akarua brand acquired by the French company was founded in 1996 by New Zealand entrepreneur Sir Clifford Skeggs. It will continue to be produced, although the 2023 vintage onwards will incorporate portions of the Edmond de Rothschild family crest on the label. Meanwhile, local news site Stuff.co.nz reported that the Skeggs Group will continue to produce its entry-level Rua brand from its 90 hectares of vineyards in the Bannockburn and Pisa sub-regions.

Edmond de Rothschild Heritage – which covers the non-banking lifestyle assets of the Edmond de Rothschild Group, including investments in wine, hotels, restaurants, and farming – owns 500ha of vines spread across Bordeaux, New Zealand, Argentina, Spain and South Africa. Its estates include Château Clarke ,Château Malmaison, and Château de Malengin in Bordeaux, and Champagne Barons de Rothschild in France; Rioja’s Macán (with Vega-Scilia); Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons (with the Rupert family) in Franschhoek Valley, South Africa; Flechas de los Andes (with Laurent Dassault/Dassault Wine Estates) in Argentina.