Wedding cuisine at the Italian-style vineyard restaurant. Photo / Libby Robinson
Wedding cuisine at the Italian-style vineyard restaurant. Photo / Libby Robinson
An upmarket Italian-style Waiheke Island vineyard which hosts weddings and major events is up for sale, with both the property and business being sold.
Graham and son Ollie Wall are marketing the vineyard, olive grove, restaurant, cellar door and events venue Poderi Crisci in Awaawaroa Bay.
That is for saleby negotiation.
The Walls said the vineyard is internationally celebrated and the property is 7.7ha in two titles.
Of that, 2.5ha is planted in established vines producing grapes for the estate, which now sell for $500 for a mixed dozen, $575 for 12 reds and $420 for a dozen whites.
The property went on the market on February 16 and has a three-bedroom, four-bathroom house as well as a restaurant, winery, cellar door, olive grove and wedding venue which does large-scale events popular on the island. It is valued at $4.6 million.
“For sale as a going concern,” the Walls’ advertising says, indicating both the business as well as the land and buildings are available.
Aerial images show the circular driveway, in-ground pool sheltered between the olives and grapevines, two-level events centre and many other buildings.
The venue was founded by Italian chef Antonio Crisci who has won much praise, with wine and food delighting thousands over the years but Graham Wall said: “He now plans to retire and spend more time in Italy.”
Crisci was also involved with establishing other Auckland restaurants Toto, Non Solo Pizza, Bar Vino and Il Forno.
In 2012, he was featured with his nephew Sergio Maglione talking about nurturing Italian cuisine in this country. He was nicknamed the “cool uncle” of Taste of Auckland, praised for bringing Italian influence to the city.
Poderi Crisci vineyard is for sale as a going concern - land, plantings and all buildings. Photo / supplied
Auckland Council’s valuation on the 3.7ha property at 205 Awaawaroa Rd is $3.8m. That has 600sq m of improvements or buildings on it.
The neighbouring property 205a-215a Awaaroa Rd is 4.07ha and valued at $880,000, of which only $50,000 is improvements.
Property records show 205 Awaawaroa Rd is owned by Antonio Crisci, Vivienne Joy Farnell and Toto Trustees. ANZ has a mortgage over the title, lodged in 2008. Christensen Estate and Fisher Partners Trustees were previous owners.
A Herald review by Viva’s Amanda Linnell described Ponderi Crisci as “simply outstanding”.
Restaurateur and chef Antonio Crisci in the open kitchen of Waiheke restaurant Poderi Crisci. Photo / Babiche Martens
She told how Crisci had arrived by yacht into Opua, sailing from the other side of the world, following a dream to discover a Pacific island. It was “one of the things I had to do in my life”, he told her.
His business acumen came from his father’s side because they run a successful textile and fashion business but his passion for food from his mother’s family, who were in the wine and hospitality trade. Crisci learned to cook from his grandmother, Linnell reported at the time.
Another article said when he arrived in 1991, he was puzzled about why he couldn’t find prosciutto, salami, mozzarella, gelato and coffee worthy of his memories in Italy. He falsely deduced it must simply be that Kiwis didn’t like the stuff.
He helped to introduce Italian products, including San Pellegrino sparkling water, and set up the now-shut Toto.
Ponderi Crisci says the first merlot vines were planted in 2000. Their success led to the planting of other varieties and vegetables. The business was founded in 2008 and the restaurant opened in 2010.
It can cater for 60 seated in its main restaurant or 100 for cocktails. The wine cellar can accommodate 70 people seated or for cocktails.
“The acclaimed Poderi Crisci Restaurant is widely recognised as one of the finest on Waiheke. In 2014 Poderi Crisci was the only Waiheke restaurant to receive the recognition of being a Metro Top 50 restaurant as well as being listed in the Cuisine Good Food Guide containing the best 70 restaurants in New Zealand,” it says.
But its site also says the entire venue will be shut during June and July this year, only re-opening on August 5.
It is rated 4.5 stars out of five stars on TripAdvisor.
Companies Office records show Crisci is a director of Poderi Crisci, Dolce Gelati, Gig Consultancy, Pizza A Metro, Gig Cafe and Gig Catering.
The Herald reported the chef and restaurateur had returned to New Zealand after being sentenced in a United States cold case. He was arrested after fingerprint scanners at Los Angeles Airport matched him to a 25-year-old arrest warrant for “Mario Starace”.
Crisci refused to comment at the time but when convicted in Court he apologised for his role in the case, the Herald reported in 2012.
