Food Drink

An Adelaide Hills Winery Makes Game Changing Announcement

Where there is wine, it can only mean good news…

Ashwood Estate, A.K.A Sidewood Estate is on of our fave destinations in the Adelaide Hills, and for good reason… The wine, the views, the golf, it has it all. And now they have commenced expansion of their winery business which will see it increase its cider and wine production capacity. Another plus – it will create new job opportunities and benefits to other Hills wine makers.

Sidewood’s Nairne winery is currently undergoing a $3.5m expansion (including an SA State Government Regional Development Fund grant for $856,319). This significant development project will take its wine making production capability from 500 to 2000 tonnes p.a. and includes the installation of new bottling and canning facilities. The fully automated, industry best practice bottling line is expected to produce over 400,000 bottles of wine and cider per annum by 2017. That’s a lot of wine!

Owen Inglis, owner of Sidewood Estate said that the growth and demand for Sidewood Estate wines locally, nationally and internationally in recent years has prompted the need for the expansion. He also explained that it will not only be of huge benefit to Sidewood but the new manufacturing capacity also affords other regional producers with the opportunity for local processing and strong demand is expected.

“The expanded production capabilities of the winery will allow us to grow volumes for our own use and also process fruit for growers in the region where there is a shortage of capacity and where fruit may otherwise be destined for waste.

“This facility will provide highly attractive new options for small wineries and local fruit growers looking for a commercially viable way to value-add processing to their business and expand into new market segments with increased local manufacturing opportunities available to them” said Mr Inglis.

The new canning line will offer a new packaging option for both Sidewood and local producers and improve export competitiveness as a cheaper alternative to bottling. The provision of canning locally is new to the Adelaide Hills region, and will allow the areas boutique cideries and fruit growers to develop and market their own businesses in new markets and categories.

“We are grateful for the funding support which will also allow us to become the only South Australian cider producer with the complete process under one roof – the ability to mill, crush, ferment, keg, can and bottle” said Mr Inglis.

Hon. Geoff Brock, Minister for Regional Development said “the installation of new bottling and canning equipment for cider, sparkling and still wine will significantly increase Sidewood winery’s production capacity.

“The project, which aligns with the State Government’s economic priority of ‘Premium food and wine produced in our clean environment and exported to the world’, create 17 new full time equivalent jobs and five during construction,” Mr Brock said.

The Sidewood winery project is expected to be complete by December 2017.

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