Rapaura buys Corbans' Marlborough plant

Montana Wines has found a buyer for the former Corbans winery in Marlborough.

Rapaura Vintners will move gradually into the site this year.

The sale - for an undisclosed sum - signals the start of Rapaura Vintners' multimillion-dollar expansion programme.

The contract wine-making company comprises shareholders Shingle Peak, Nautilus Estate, Wairau River and Babich Wines, which took over founder John Belsham's share last year.

As well as making the partners' variety of wines, the company contracts out services to several other smaller clients and that is expected to grow.

General manager Nigel Taylor said Rapaura Vintners would increase production from 4000 tonnes of fruit a year to more than 6000 tonnes within four years.

The increased production is the result of more plantings in the region, not only from the four shareholders, who have all expanded in the past 12 months, but also from the contract clients.

Corbans' former winery, built in 1990, was closed by Montana last year.

All tanks and wine-making equipment were moved to Montana's Brancott site, leaving the building empty.

- NZPA