Winemaking Tasmania bought out two months after entering administration, will be rebranded Tasmanian Vintners

A premier Tasmanian wine and cider producer that entered voluntary administration now has new owners.

Tasmanian Vintners say they are committed to retaining Winemaking Tasmania’s existing contracts. Picture: NATALIE SLADE

A TASMANIAN businessman and a national winemaker have saved one of the state’s premier wine and cider producers, which had entered voluntary administration.

Winemaking Tasmania will be renamed Tasmanian Vintners after being jointly taken over by Western Australia’s largest winemaker, the Fogarty Wine Group, and a family company run by former Webster Limited managing director Rod Roberts.

More than 30 boutique vineyards and orchard brand owners have their production and bottling performed by Winemaking Tasmania but cash flow problems prompted the 18-year-old company to go into voluntary administration in late May.

In a joint statement, Fogarty Wine Group chairman Peter Fogarty and Mr Roberts said they were committed to retaining all Winemaking Tasmania’s contract customers and would continue taking fruit from its grower base.

“Suppliers and customers can have confidence that the business is now well funded and committed to being one of Tasmania’s most successful premium and luxury wine producers,” they said.

“With a strong group of contract customers and fruit growers and the shareholders’ own increasing production volumes, together with access to capital, we anticipate Tasmanian Vintners will be one of Tasmania’s fastest-growing, high-quality wine businesses.”

While under administration, Winemaking Tasmania managing director Jonathan Lord had his employment terminated by administrators Pitcher Partners.

About 20 to 30 people are employed at the company, depending on the season.

Mr Roberts, who was at the helm of Webster Limited until five years ago and stepped down from its board in 2017, runs a medium-sized vineyard near Swansea, on the East Coast.

Fogarty Wine Group runs businesses in the West Australian wine regions of Margaret River and the Perth Hills and recently bought Lowestoft vineyard at Berriedale, in Southern Tasmania.

It also plans to develop more than 200 hectares of vineyards at Forcett.

One-third of awards at the 2019 Tasmanian Wine Show were won by Winemaking Tasmania clients.

Originally published as Winemaking Tasmania bought out two months after entering administration, will be rebranded Tasmanian Vintners