Accolade Wines has announced the acquisition of Rolf Binder Wines in the Barossa Valley, following a sale process that commenced last year. It’s the second acquisition by CEO Chief Robert Foye since he was appointed to the role in May 2020, following the purchase of Katnook Estate late last year.

Rolf Binder was established in 1955 by Rolf Heinrich Binder and his wife, Franziska, and is now run by his son Rolf Binder (Jnr) and daughter Christa Deans. The Binder family produces a range of highly acclaimed premium Barossa wines using fruit from their vineyards. The Rolf Binder portfolio includes five wines that have received 95 points or more from James Halliday and iconic wines such as Bulls Blood and Hanisch Shiraz.

“We are delighted to bring a business with such legacy and deep experience in the Barossa Valley as Rolf Binder into the Accolade Wines family,” Foye said. “We are excited about the role the Rolf Binder brand will play in our diverse portfolio and the role the Rolf Binder premium red and white grapes will have in supporting Accolade’s other Barossa brands, including Grant Burge and St Hallett.”

The Rolf Binder premium winery, including more than 100 hectares of vineyard, was offered for sale by the family last year in a bid to lay the foundations for the business’s next stage of growth.

Rolf Binder (pictured main) said: “We are excited to announce that Accolade Wines is taking on Rolf Binder Wines. As one of the biggest wine companies in the world, we believe Accolade has the capacity to take Rolf Binder wines global. This announcement is also great news for the Barossa and this additional investment will continue to support the Barossa’s profile as a leading global wine region.”

Accolade Wines said it has experienced strong growth in the first half of FY21, despite external challenges such as COVID-19, and has ambitious targets for the rest of the year.

“We are focused on sustainably growing the future of our amazing brands, the wine industry around the world and the communities in which we work,” Foye said. “We continue to support our core global brands and work with partners in each market to respond to the demand, increasing access of quality wine to wine lovers everywhere.”

Foye also told the Australian Financial Review he was on the hunt for more acquisitions at the higher end of the market.

“Anything that’s premium that we’re able to get our hands on, we’re going to look at,” Foye said. “We can bring the scale.”

Last month, Accolade announced that Teresa Heuzenroeder had been appointed Senior Winemaker and Manager for Accolade Wines’ historic Tintara facility. In addition, Teresa took on the role of Senior Winemaker for the Petaluma and Croser brands.

Last year, Accolade Wines announced that, due to increased demand for the Petaluma and Croser brands, it had reached capacity at Woodside Estate in the Adelaide Hills and outgrown the site. The decision was made to move production of the Petaluma and Croser portfolio to the Company’s Tintara facility in McLaren Vale to support the ongoing and planned growth of Petaluma and Croser, in Australia and internationally. The Company is currently investigating new locations for the Petaluma Cellar Door to reach even more Petaluma consumers and provide new and interesting experiences for wine and food lovers.