Australian Vintage invests $7.8m in new wine packaging facility

Winemaker Australian Vintage has invested AUD 11 million ($7.8 million) in a new bottling facility at its Merbein site in Victoria, Australia, allowing it to “significantly increase” production.

For the first time, the company will be able to bottle both sparkling and still wine at the site for its three key brands – McGuigan, Tempus Two and Nepenthe – accelerating its product innovation pipeline and enabling it to bring new wines to market more quickly.

The investment is part of an AUD 19 million ($13.5 million) capital injection into the company’s operations across its sites, including the installation of a solar plant at its Buronga Hill facility in New South Wales, as well as new vineyard plantings totalling over 180 hectares to meet growing demand.

The Merbein facility has the capability to package still and sparkling wine at rates of 11,000 and 7,000 bottles per hour respectively.

Australian Vintage CEO Neil McGuigan, said: “The opening of our new Merbein packaging facility is a landmark moment for Australian Vintage and represents a step change in our capabilities as Australia’s fifth largest wine company.

“The AUD 11 million investment we have made means we now have one of the most technologically advanced packaging sites in the world. We embarked on a meticulous two-year search for the best possible machinery available, which took us right across the globe. 

“As a result, I am confident this investment will take our already outstanding quality reputation to the next level. It will also allow us to create new and exciting products for both domestic and global markets.”