After 10 years on the market, Northland’s biggest contract winery has been sold to British interests, enabling the continuation of the restaurant and winemaking services to around 30 vineyards in the north.
The Overseas Investment Office (OIO) has released its decision on the sale of Kerikeri’s Marsden Estate Vineyardand Winery.
Vineyard founders Rod and Cindy MacIvor sold the business.
“The land has been on the market for approximately 10 years and due to lack of interest in the full property, was in the process of being subdivided to sell as lifestyle blocks which would have resulted in the restaurant closing,” the OIO decision said.
“The key benefits of this investment are the continued operation of the restaurant and winery including the retention of jobs.”
British buyers the Mike and Shirley Endean Marsden Charitable Trust were cleared to purchase the vineyard and restaurant on 6.7ha at 56 Wiroa Rd for $3.7m.
The Overseas Investment Office listed two other applications as the buyers: British-owned New Zealand-registered companies Marsden Winery and Marsden Winery Restaurant.
The land included the Marsden Winery restaurant business, being sold along with its adjoining vineyard and winery, the Overseas Investment Office said.
Rod MacIvor founded the Marsden Estate Vineyard and Winery with wife Cindy in 1993.
The winery and restaurant will initially be leased to Marsden Winery which will run both, although the restaurant may subsequently be leased to Marsden Winery Restaurant, the decision said.
The buyers were listed as British people Michael Bruce Endean, Richard George Ashwell Palmer and Paul Jon Young as trustees of the Mike and Shirley Endean Marsden Charitable Trust, the OIO said.
The vendors are Cindy Jane MacIvor, Roderick James MacIvor and Dennis Robert Pleydell-Bouverie as trustees of the Marsden Trust.
Rod MacIvor said: “The deal has gone through. Mike’s already got properties in Kerikeri. He has got his own vineyard: Kerikeri River. So the connection is that we’ve been making wine for him for a number of years already.
“He was concerned the restaurant and winery would close,” MacIvor added.
“He wanted to protect 22 jobs as well as the contracting business We’re the largest wine contracting business north of Auckland. So if that were going to close, there wouldn’t be too many options for the wine industry in the north,”
Shirley Endean has died and Mike Endean lives in Britain and is in his late 70s.
“I’m really happy someone is going to take this to the next level. The future of the wine industry in Northland is secure,” MacIvor said today.
The business was established in 1993 when 4ha of vines were planted.
Marsden Estate, under its own label, produces a sparkling rose, and pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, fume blanc, viognier, rose, chardonnay, muscat, tempranillo, Chambourcin, pinotage, merlot, vigot syrah, and port.
Wines have won awards from the International Wine Show, the Royal Easter Show, the International Chardonnay Challenge, the Bragato Wine Awards, and the Siegelau International Wine Competition.
The estate grew to the point where the business crushed grapes and produced bottled wine for 32 Northland vineyards and boutique wine labels, the Northern Advocate reported in 2022.
The winery’s expansion led to medals for contract-produced labels such as The Landing, Omata Estate, Morepork, Ft Pig, Dancing Petrel, Estuary Wine, Te Whai Bay, Paroa Bay, Brooke Lane, and Kainui.
The venue also operated a well-established lunch-only licensed restaurant.
MacIvor said today he and wife Cindy would continue in the wine industry.
They had bought a vineyard with 550 vines at Opito Bay about 12km from Kerikeri.
“We move out of here on February 1 and arrive at the new place on February 5,” he said.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 24 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
