New Marlborough Winery and 60th NZ Anniversary

Delegat’s Wine Estate Opens New Marlborough Winery and Celebrates 60th Anniversary of Winemaking in New Zealand

Delegat’s Wine Estate will today officially open its new Marlborough winery, one of the largest and most technologically-advanced wineries in New Zealand.

The opening of the new winery fast follows the successful listing of Delegat’s Group Limited on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 2006, as well as coinciding with Delegat’s 60th anniversary of winemaking in New Zealand. Delegat’s is now 67% owned by brother and sister team Jim and Rosemari Delegat and is New Zealand’s largest publicly listed winemaker.

Jim Delegat, Managing Director of Delegat’s Wine Estate says “Delegat’s Wine Estate was established in 1947 by Nikola and Vidasava Delegat and our family’s 60 years of winemaking in New Zealand is something we are exceptionally proud of. Rosemari and I
are not unaccustomed to achieving significant industry initiatives in order to deliver on the opportunities that the New Zealand wine industry offers today.

“Both Rose and I are natural business builders who focus on the long-term and thrive on participating in an industry we feel very passionate about. Last year we decided to take the company beyond family ownership and invite the investing public to participate in the substantial growth of the company. It is our successful past, but more importantly, our future that manifests itself in this winery.

“Our new winery will not only serve to support the significant ongoing growth from our global markets but will also enable Delegat’s to continue to lead New Zealand wine category growth and establish Oyster Bay as New Zealand’s leading Super Premium wine brand globally. This success will no doubt benefit the New Zealand wine industry as a whole,” he says.

Situated on State Highway 63 Vineyard in the central Wairau Valley, the new multi- million dollar winery took four years to complete and employs extensive research and technology from the leading wine regions of the world, including California and South Australia. The winery, which will employ more than 50 staff for the 2007 vintage, will process fruit from Delegat’s Marlborough plantings which feature Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. By 2010, the winery is planned to process 26,000 tonnes of grapes annually.

Delegat’s Wine Estate has outperformed New Zealand wine industry export growth over the last four years with a compound annual growth rate of 50%. Annual Global sales are now in excess of one million cases. Currently Delegat’s exports account for 11% of total New Zealand wine exports.

Today Delegat’s Wine Estate today exports to 28 countries and has offices in New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, United States and Canada.

Delegat’s Marlborough Winery
594 State Highway 63, Blenheim.
Key Features
- 10,000-square-metre winery; the largest winery in New Zealand to house all its tanks under one roof
- 6 storeys high. The height of the impressive structure was driven by the size, height and volume of the wine tanks
- Supports 2000 hectares of Marlborough vineyard plantings, processing up to 2000 tonnes per day of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir grapes
- Ultimate processing capacity of 26,000 tonnes
- Employs more than 50 staff during vintage season

Project Overview
Whilst meeting the company’s processing requirements has been a key consideration in finalising the winery’s design, it has also been designed to blend in with its surrounding environment. Key environmental forms considered in the design process were the Richmond Ranges, Wairau River and Wairau Valley and accordingly, the winery’s roof form is curved and layered to reflect the Richmond Ranges in the background while a large curved glass wall emulates the serpentine from the Wairau River. Pre-cast concrete has exposed aggregate to relate to the stony riverbed while the structural frame is exposed externally to reflect the character of the nearby vines.

Delegat’s expect the new state-of-the-art Marlborough winery to provide the company with a number of operational and financial benefits. All winemaking processes are designed for the gentle handling of fruit for the production of Super Premium quality wine and to deliver increased processing capacity and significant cost efficiencies.
The major environmental advantages of housing all the tanks inside the winery under one large roof is that it allows for much greater energy efficiency and more effective temperature control during the winemaking process.

ENDS

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