Well-known Barossa Valley winery Seppeltsfield has added an extra 330 hectares to its extensive vineyard portfolio, with the company's holdings now including one-fifth of the Barossa's red vineyards.
Seppeltsfield Wines executive chairman Warren Randall said the acquisition of the Tanunda Hill vineyards from a private investment group was a "very powerful statement" from the company.
"It is two clear statements of intent; our belief in the importance of the Barossa as Australia's premier winemaking region, and our strong desire and commitment to supply the burgeoning demand for luxury Australian red wine in China," Mr Randall said.
Seppeltsfield now has 1600ha of vines across the Barossa Valley - which the company says amounts to the largest ever vineyard holdings by a single producer in the region, since vines were first planted by European settlers in 1843.
"This brings Seppeltsfield holdings to 20 per cent of the Barossa's total red vineyards, putting us in a strong position to consistently supply in excess of 12 million bottles of Barossa luxury red wine to the world."
Wine from the Tanunda Hill vineyards will be made in Seppeltsfield's historic gravity cellar, which dates back to 1888 and has been recommissioned in recent years.
With the Barossa recognised as one of the world's top five wine growing regions - alongside Bordeaux, Champagne, Tuscany and the Napa Valley - Mr Randall said the opportunity to acquire such a large area of vineyards was a "once in a lifetime opportunity".
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