One of NZ's best performing vineyards for sale
The Waitaki Valley’s highest producing vineyard is for sale along with the successful River-T Estate wine label and cellar door business.
Established and operated by accomplished horticulturist Murray Turner and his wife Karen, the estate sits on 4.45ha of fertile land nestled above the Waitaki River.
It is located alongside the popular Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail, only 4km east of Kurow, making it a sought-after destination for locals and tourists alike.
The high-quality, 2.92ha vineyard is well established and has consistently been the highest producing vineyard in the Waitaki region, delivering quality fruit and outstanding wines.
The vineyard’s success flows from Murray Turner’s 42 years of horticulture experience. He started off growing stone fruit in the mid-1970s before later switching to grapes.
The Turners established their vineyard in 2007, initially supplying contract. They launched the River-T Estate label in 2015 in order to offer their own excellent quality local wines.
The estate’s recently established cellar door offers the label’s own wines, alongside other local Waitaki labels. It has been extremely successful with the local market, where it dominates sales.
Now, after 13 years, the Turners are offering River-T Estate for sale as a freehold going concern.
“I’ve dedicated decades of my life to horticulture in the Waitaki region, so the time is right for Karen and I to move on to other opportunities,” says Murray Turner.
“We’re extremely proud of what we’ve created and are looking forward to seeing River-T Estate continue to flourish under a new custodian.”
The Turners have exclusively appointed Colliers International to market the property at 1/5292 KurowDuntroon Road, Kurow, Waitaki, for sale by negotiation.
Ruth Hodges, National Co-Director of Rural and Agribusiness at Colliers, says it is a superb opportunity to secure a high-quality vineyard with its own wine label, cellar door and wellappointed family home.
“The vineyard performs consistently well and yielded 23 tonnes in the 2020 harvest. The site is warmer than others in the district and quality vineyard management has allowed these consistent yields to be achieved.
“Vine health is outstanding and as the vines are aging past 12 years the quality of grapes is second to none for the Waitaki.
“The vineyard has been accredited by Sustainable Wine NZ for several years without fail. This sectorrecognised process involves annual audits to strict criteria encompassing soil, vine, water, staff, spraying and environment management.”
Hodges says both the vineyard and cellar door are very easy to manage.
“A part-time qualified viticulturist assists with vine management and cellar door duties. The balance of the vineyard has been managed by the Turners with help from part-time staff when required.
“The cellar door has generally been open from August until June each year, employing four part-time staff, and sometimes more at weekends and busy times of the year.”
The River-T Estate label has steadily increased production to around
1,500 cases per season, with around
1,100 cases a year retained for cellar door sales.
Jonny O’Sullivan, Rural Sales Broker at Colliers International, says the property is very well appointed.
“It features a large 240sq m American-style barn, constructed of quality cold rolled New Zealand steel, with a lean-to on the side for additional storage. It includes an insulated wine cellar, a mezzanine floor, and a quality office upstairs.
“Other buildings include a staff bathroom, a 26sq m shipping container for storage, two greenhouses and a pump shed.”