Nick Nobilo’s Vinoptima Estate goes into receivership

Winemaker Nick Nobilo’s Vinoptima Estate, famed for its focus on the aromatic grape variety Gewürztraminer, has gone into receivership and will be sold at auction on 4 December.

According to the Gisborne Herald, one shareholder in the boutique vineyard in Gisborne, founded by Nick Nobilo in 2000, was responsible for tipping the business into receivership, the winemaker revealed.

While that shareholder has not been identified, the estate is now in receivership because that party had “called up their advance”, which was more than NZ$1 million.

Shareholders were already looking to sell the estate, and had come close to selling to a business, however that deal is reported to have collapsed around a year ago. The board had been looking at other options since.

Company Office records show shareholders that own the estate include Gisborne landowner Wi Pere Investments, Taupo’s Tuaropaki Kaitiaki, Nobilo Trustee, DMG Trustees and Nick Nobilo.

As well as the vineyards and estate, more than 100,000 litres of unsold wine is said to be stored in bulk at the estate, which will also be sold.

According to the New Zealand Herald, the unsold wine equates to around 133,000 bottles, which at $75 a bottle could be worth more than $9m.

An advocate of the aromatic variety, Nobilo has often stated his belief that Gewürztraminer is “the best” of New Zealand’s white varieties with its ability to age comparable to Riesling, but its potential is largely overlooked.

The Nobilo family has a winemaking history stretching back some 300 years, however Nobilo founded his Ormond vineyard in Gisborne in 2000 under the Vinoptima name, specialising in Gewürztraminer. Despite his confidence in the variety, it is yet to make a significant mark on the market outside of New Zealand.

“For me it’s the best of the white varieties,” said Nobilo speaking at a masterclass in Nelson in 2017. “I still live in wedded bliss after 50 years with Gewürztraminer and it’s just a shame that it doesn’t have the following in the market place and interest.

“I don’t know whether it’s the name but people have not adopted Gewürztraminer, but its time will come – believe me. Maybe I’m not going to be here but like everything its time will come. So we are waiting.”