Organic vineyard on Waiheke up for mortgagee sale

Kennedy Point Vineyard, now up for sale. Photo / Kennedy Point Vineyard

A property claiming to be the only certified organic vineyard on Waiheke Island is up for mortgagee sale.

Kennedy Point Vineyard says it is the island's only certified organic vineyard, set among 300-year-old pohutukawa trees overlooking Kennedy Bay.

But now Philip Davis of Barfoot & Thompson's city office is advertising the 5.4ha place for sale in tenders closing tomorrow.

The vineyard is near the car ferry. Photo / Michelle Hyslop

The waterfront vineyard is at 44 Donald Bruce Rd, just up the hill from the car ferry. It serves customers food and drink at its cellar door, offers accommodation and has two dwellings.

Advertising mentioned the option of changing the property to a waterfront residence with a private vineyard.

Auckland Council records show the property is valued at $4.8 million, of which $3.6m is the land. Annual rates are $18,194.21.

In 2014, the Herald reported how the property was for sale with a price indication of $2.9m.

Kennedy Point Vineyard on Waiheke. Photo / Michelle Hyslop

Neal Kunimura and Susan McCarthy, who came to New Zealand on holiday from Hawaii, established the vineyard because Kunimura was looking for land to grow grapes on. They started planting vines and living in the Lockwood home that had been shifted on to the property in 1979 by the previous owners who farmed sheep here.

Property records show 44 Donald Bruce Rd is owned by Sunbow. Companies Office records show directors are Ying Zhong of Kumeu, Allen Wu of Remuera and Preston Zhang of Tamaki Heights.

The business mentioned how the vineyard was founded by the couple from Hawaii but says: "Those first owners have passed the dream on to Elizabeth, born in China, raised her family in New Zealand, and now proud and passionate owner of Kennedy Point."

Heike Sonnenschein is listed as general manager, Randal Peart as winemaker and Nikki Ngati as vineyard manager.