Seppeltsfield to open Chinese chateau

Iconic Barossa Valley winemaker Seppeltsfield is opening a chateau in China’s central east.

The $75million joint venture - Chateau Seppeltsfield Minquan, is based in Henan Province. Seppeltsfield’s majority owner Warren Randall has taken a 37% stake in the chateau, which is designed as a new sales outpost and tourism platform.

Chateau Seppeltsfield Minquan is located one hour from Henan’s capital city, Zhengzhou, which has a population of 10 million. Minquan is also accessible from Beijing and Shanghai by a recently completed (300 km/hour) high-speed rail system.

The chateau will open on May 13 in partnership with Minquan Jiuding Wine Company and will sell both Chinese labels and Seppeltsfield wines.

Seppeltsfield will also provide bulk wine to be bottled at the chateau in a joint brand, and also for separately marketed Minquan Jiuding wines.

“The chateau will be our platform to attract Chinese tourists to Seppeltsfield and the Barossa,” Randall told The Adelaide Advertiser. “This is also about having some vision and being opportunistic. I want a presence and I want a location."

Huge growth for Seppeltsfield
Last month, Seppeltsfield bought the historic Ryecroft winery and adjoining vineyard in McLaren Flat from Treasury Wine Estates.  

The site, which was once the production hub for Rosemount, will be used as an ancillary crush, fermentation and storage facility for Seppeltsfield. The addition of 100 acres of vineyard will bring Seppeltsfield’s collective ownership of South Australian vineyard area to 5700 acres.
“The Ryecroft acquisition super-charges our premium wine crush and fermentation capacity,” said Randall. “Attached to the original 1888 A-grade winery is 21,000,000L of storage capacity, so we see this as a very supportive addition to Seppeltsfield’s winemaking asset base."