Lion offer only one so far - Petaluma

Australian winemaker Petaluma - targeted for takeover by brewer Lion Nathan - says it is not holding takeover talks with any other company.

The upmarket South Australian wine producer, which is the subject of a $A222 ($270) million takeover offer by Lion, also said it was not aware of any other parties intending to make an offer.

Petaluma made the comments after an independent director, Chris Roberts, said this week that the winemaker expected other bids would emerge in coming months.

There has been speculation that Lion's raid on Petaluma could be thwarted by British-based liquor giant Allied Domecq, which is rumoured to be considering its own takeover bid.

But Allied continues to say that claims it was buying shares in either Petaluma or Banksia Wines (another Lion takeover target) were only speculation, although it remained interested in Australasian wine assets.

Meanwhile, Lion, again fighting for a foothold in the Australasian wine business following its failed battle with Allied for control of New Zealand's largest wine company, Montana, has appointed a wine company chief, Dominique Bach, as managing director of its wine group.

Before taking up the role, Mr Bach was president and chief executive officer of Chandon Estates, an affiliate company of LVMH (Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton).

Lion Nathan chief executive Gordon Cairns said the company was delighted to have Mr Bach to help build its wine business.

"In making this appointment, we were looking for an experienced wine industry executive who had the capability to develop an international premium wine business for us," Mr Cairns said.

Mr Cairns said Mr Bach had extensive global brand marketing and management experience, having worked for Mars Inc and French consumer goods company Danone.

- NZPA