Drummond family buys Torrent Bay winery
Motueka’s Drummond family, owners of Anchorage Wines Ltd, is now also the sole owner of the 1000-tonne Torrent Bay winery at Brooklyn.
Anchorage Wines already owned a half share in the region’s first purpose built contract winery and company director Chris Drummond said purchasing the remaining half meant Anchorage could move ahead with increasing production to meet its growing markets.
Torrent Bay Vintners Ltd will trade as Anchorage Wines Ltd from March 1.
Mr Drummond said that despite the recession, Anchorage’s domestic and export wine sales had increased steadily to the stage where the company now needed to plan for the future. Export markets include Australia, nine American states, Hong Kong, China, Japan and the United Kingdom.
“In taking complete ownership of the winery, we are ensuring it stays in local hands, as well as continuing our commitment to the Motueka area, the wider Nelson region and the growing wine industry here.”
He said all existing contract winemaking clients would continue to be looked after, although there may be limited room for new clients. Staffing will also remain unchanged. “Vineyard production is increasing and we need more space and tanks to cater for our own increased volume,” he said. “The next 12 months will be a consolidation period.”
Already the third or fourth largest producing wine company in the Nelson region, Anchorage specialises in top quality aromatic wines including sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling, gewürztraminer and viognier in addition to chardonnay and syrah.
Pioneers in horticulture and agriculture in the region since the 1800s, the Drummonds planted their first vines a decade ago beside the mouth of the Motueka River, with expansion in later years to the Lower Moutere and Riwaka. The Anchorage label was initiated in 2003.
After initially making the wine in Marlborough for four years, head winemaker Justin Papesch relocated to the region in 2007, to work full-time for the Drummond family and establish the winery. Assistant winemaker Susan van der Poel has also been with the team since the winery was built in Umukuri Rd on the outskirts of Motueka.
For more information contact:
Chris Drummond
Company director
Anchorage Wines Ltd
Ph 03567252
0274 252423
Anchorage Wines already owned a half share in the region’s first purpose built contract winery and company director Chris Drummond said purchasing the remaining half meant Anchorage could move ahead with increasing production to meet its growing markets.
Torrent Bay Vintners Ltd will trade as Anchorage Wines Ltd from March 1.
Mr Drummond said that despite the recession, Anchorage’s domestic and export wine sales had increased steadily to the stage where the company now needed to plan for the future. Export markets include Australia, nine American states, Hong Kong, China, Japan and the United Kingdom.
“In taking complete ownership of the winery, we are ensuring it stays in local hands, as well as continuing our commitment to the Motueka area, the wider Nelson region and the growing wine industry here.”
He said all existing contract winemaking clients would continue to be looked after, although there may be limited room for new clients. Staffing will also remain unchanged. “Vineyard production is increasing and we need more space and tanks to cater for our own increased volume,” he said. “The next 12 months will be a consolidation period.”
Already the third or fourth largest producing wine company in the Nelson region, Anchorage specialises in top quality aromatic wines including sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, pinot gris, riesling, gewürztraminer and viognier in addition to chardonnay and syrah.
Pioneers in horticulture and agriculture in the region since the 1800s, the Drummonds planted their first vines a decade ago beside the mouth of the Motueka River, with expansion in later years to the Lower Moutere and Riwaka. The Anchorage label was initiated in 2003.
After initially making the wine in Marlborough for four years, head winemaker Justin Papesch relocated to the region in 2007, to work full-time for the Drummond family and establish the winery. Assistant winemaker Susan van der Poel has also been with the team since the winery was built in Umukuri Rd on the outskirts of Motueka.
For more information contact:
Chris Drummond
Company director
Anchorage Wines Ltd
Ph 03567252
0274 252423
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