Award-winning vineyard for sale
A Hawke’s Bay vineyard is being marketed as an opportunity for would-be vintners to step straight into production and sales.
The owners of Lime Rock Wines are selling their estate in the heart of Central Hawke’s Bay.
Lime Rock has a reputation for its pinot noir, gru¨ ner veltliner and pinot gris wines. The estate, on Tikokino Rd in Waipawa, is offered for sale by tender in its entire 19ha, including 8.5ha of grapes on north-facing slopes, sitting between 230-270m on quality, free-draining limestone soils.
The property is being marketed through Bayleys Waipukurau, with tenders closing on Wednesday, April 28.
Bayleys Waipukurau rural salesperson Andy Hunter said the opportunity to buy a vineyard in Central Hawke’s Bay was rare, with Lime Rock offering a combination of location, reputation and opportunity for new owners.
‘‘The original owners have invested their lives into establishing Lime Rock as a high-quality, niche winery and have paid utmost attention to its environmental footprint, protecting soil structure and planting many native trees and shrubs to build its biodiversity,’’ he said.
Lime Rock’s hilltop location provides outstanding drainage and aspect for premium vine
health, allowing machinery access across the entire estate for mowing and maintenance. Importantly, the slopes allow cold air to drain away, so the vineyard is frost-free.
The roseberry soils provide a rare structure that is suited to the production of pinot noir. The crumbly limestone base assures good water-holding capacity, with
a thin layer of loamy volcanic topsoil providing good nutrientholding capacity. The vineyard requires minimal inputs of water and nutrients and is highly sustainable. Water supply is assured, thanks to the generous reserve of two 25,000-litre tanks with bore water supplying dripfeed irrigation to offer summersafe assurance over dry periods.
Hunter said the incoming purchasers could step straight into cellar-door sales and production, with the property being sold complete with tractor, mower, spray unit, motorbike and trimmer. All wine production and blending are completed off-premises, and a small cellar facility is incorporated into the property’s shed.
Lime Rock and its wines have established a respected international reputation for excellence, says Hunter. ‘‘Lime Rock has been a passion and a labour of love for the vendors, and the recognition they have received is well earnt. As they seek to retire, they are eager to see Lime Rock taken to the next level by a new generation of owner.’’
The estate, with its unplanted area in pasture, offers potential for further vineyard plantings, or to establish a dedicated wedding and events centre taking advantage of the idyllic hilltop location and 360-degree views. ‘‘Lime Rock offers the surety of a reputable wine label, and the opportunity to explore other business opportunities.’’