Exciting News for Nepenthe Cellar Door Development

The news was announced yesterday, Sunday 17th October, at a press call held at Nepenthe with the Hon Steven Marshall MP and AVL Wines non-executive board director Peter Perrin. Nepenthe Winemaker James Evers was also on site to pour everyone a glass to cheers with! This ran across channel 7 in the early edition and evening news. Watch the clip below.

The refurbishment will see the current cellar door transform into a world class must-visit facility to support the Adelaide Hills region and wine industry. Included in the development is an upgrade of the winery’s cellar door, which will allow for three times more visitors, with a VIP tasting room and dedicated event hosting capability which has the potential to attract longer duration visits to the region. Check out some of the renders below.

Up to 30 construction jobs and an additional 12.5 ongoing jobs will be created as part of a new tourism development for the Adelaide Hills winery, aligning with the Regional Development Australia (RDA) roadmap in creating economic and social benefits for the community.

CEO Craig Garvin says, We’re extremely grateful to receive the state governments support. The grant allows us to proceed with the project immediately, bringing forward the economic and social benefits of the project to the South Australian and Adelaide Hills economies in a time where it’s much needed. The renovation will boost wine sales, create employment opportunities and encourage more tourism to the region from both national and international markets.

Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall said the SA Government’s Tourism Industry Development Fund has helped a total of 80 businesses to grow, innovate and deliver world-class new opportunities within South Australia.

The Nepenthe project is a perfect addition to the Adelaide Hills, and broader wine tourism offering in our state – it not only drives high quality cellar door experiences but also will serve as a focus point for other local wine producers, he said.

This kind of redevelopment is one of several good news stories in this region, and is a credit to the team who are committed to investing in their brand and growing their business.

The ongoing effects of the bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic has had a damaging effect on interstate tourism. With wine being a massive driver of visitors to and within South Australia, the project will further drive traffic and visitation, capitalising on the buoyant regional tourism expected in 2022.

The current Nepenthe Cellar Door will transform into a central hub for the promotion of its vibrant cool-climate wine region. The new centre will give The Adelaide Hills Wine Region (AHWR) a permanent facility which will enable the association to engage more effectively with members, media, trade, and consumers and showcase the region’s high-quality wine products to domestic and international audiences. This will allow the AHWR to solidify the Hills as one of South Australia’s key tourism brand pillars.

The project will also provide regional infrastructure that will be made available to Nepenthe’s neighbouring institutions, particularly smaller family-owned wineries. This common marketplace will allow them to gain access to a higher footfall catchment, further promoting the region. By co-locating the AHWR, the project will allow organisation to improve its collaboration with regional operators and governments.

Nepenthe Winemaker James Evers said the exciting new facility will help to showcase the Nepenthe portfolio wines and cement South Australia as Australia’s world-class premium wine state.

We can show the world the great quality and point-winning wines that we produce here, including our 97-point Ithaca Chardonnay and 94-point Sauvignon Blanc. The improved customer experience will also provide travellers with a more involved buying and learning experience of wine, making it a leading destination to visit within region, he says.

Nepenthe’s new advertising campaign ‘Let it Flow’ commences this October targeting young urban millennials on the Eastern Seaboard to drive awareness of the brand and the Adelaide Hills wine region. The campaign represents the energy, the connection and the wine, all intertwined to enrich the experience. Free flowing afternoons, evenings, weekends, lunches, dinners, conversations - ones that stick in your mind and your recall. This increased brand awareness outside South Australia is expected to translate into a significant increase in inter-state visitation to the cellar door, ultimately providing ambassadors for the region and its products in the east.

The Nepenthe Cellar Door redevelopment project is consistent with AVL Wines’ ongoing focus on sustainability.

The development now moves into the construction phase with the plan to complete the renovations by late-2022.