Advertiser Newspaper – 24th November 2009 – Alexandra Economou

McLaren Vale’s Haselgrove Wines will expand its production and storage facilities, as the winery shifts its focus to small-batch premium winemaking.

The expansion plans were part of a review of Haselgrove’s operations, which began last year after BankWest sold the winery to a group of businessmen.  The new owners included Festival City Wines managing director Don Totino.

Haselgrove general manager Gordon Grant said a number of the winery’s facilities needed “fine-tuning” to ensure it could meet the requirements of small-batch premium winemaking,” Mr Grant said.

“We have a number of small makers from the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale who make their wine here.”  Haselgrove will install 40 refridgerated storage tanks, ranging in size from 2000 litres to 20,000 litres.  It has also increased its wine cooling capacity.

Mr Grant said changes had been made to Haselgrove’s regional portfolio, which now included a new range of varietals.  Among them was the H by Haselgrove range which was aimed at 25-to-35-year-olds.

“We are really focusing very much domestically to get the Haselgrove name out and about in the hands of domestic consumers,” Mr Grant said.  “We are really being selective about our export markets.  “As the world slowly begins to emerge from recession, we see planty of opportunities for premium Australian wines, particularly in Scandinavia and Europe.”

The expansion meant Haselgrove would have the capacity to store almost four millon litres of wine.