Handpicked Wines Chief Winemaker Pete Dillon. Handpicked Wines
Ambitious Mornington Peninsula based Handpicked Wines has bought the Arras sparkling wine brand from Accolade.
Handpicked has bought the brand, the stock and the Bay of Fires winery and cellar door in Tasmania as well as 24 ha of premium Tasmanian vineyards from Accolade. As part of the deal, Accolade will continue to make the Arras wines at its South Australian facilities, with long-standing chief winemaker Ed Carr heading the team, while Handpicked will operate the Bay of Fires winery and continue to make the Bay of Fires and Eddystone Point wines there for Accolade.
“House of Arras is a globally celebrated sparkling house and we are honoured to become the custodians of this admired brand and uphold its tradition of winemaking excellence.” – William Dong
It’s an unusual arrangement, but a very positive development in the chequered life of the Arras brand, which Accolade’s CEO Robert Foye says is a luxury brand that doesn’t fit their portfolio going forward. It’s a move that should please all parties and bring a warm glow to wine lovers who like to see the great Australian brands in the hands of Australian owners. Handpicked founder and CEO William Dong is Chinese-born but has been Sydney based for many years and has demonstrated a steady and ongoing commitment to the premium quality end of the Australian wine scene.
He originally began Handpicked as a negociant-style business, enlisting winemakers in regions appropriate to the grape varieties he
This Article was originally published on The Real Review
