Pemberton winery Gloucester Ridge Vineyard will go under the hammer on Friday December 10.
Don and Sue Hancock, who bought the property in 1981, believe it will sell on the day following enquiries and expressions of interest to date.
The auction will end what has been a difficult period for the Hancocks following the collapse of their business partner, Boat Torque, but despite the ups and downs of 2004 they will leave Gloucester Ridge on a high note.
The winery recently won the Gold Plate for Best Tourism Restaurant, and Gloucester Ridge winemaker Dave Cleary says this vintage is one of the best, describing the 2003 Merlot as the best red ever produced by Gloucester Ridge.
Xanadu Normans Wine Group brand Next Generation (NXG) has been ranked second in recent AC Nielsen data for the UK multiple specialists (Australian brands).
The ranking puts Next Generation behind Jacob’s Creek in a category that isn’t dominated by the supermarket sector but is rather driven principally by store managers.
The group also recently won the South Australian Agribusiness Exporter of the year award.
