A new global wine company, Vinarchy, has been formed through the merger of Accolade Wines and the Australian, New Zealand, and Spanish wine businesses formerly owned by Pernod Ricard.
The newly created company is owned by Australian Wine Holdco Limited (AWL), a consortium of international institutional investors. Vinarchy will operate as one of the world’s largest specialist wine businesses, with more than AU$1.5 billion in annual net sales revenue and a global workforce of over 1,600 employees.
Vinarchy owns 11 wineries across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Spain, producing over 32 million 9-litre-equivalent cases each year. It also owns Berri Estates, the largest winery in the Southern Hemisphere.
Key global brands under the Vinarchy umbrella include Hardys, Campo Viejo, and Jacob’s Creek, which collectively recorded over AU$2 billion in consumer sales in 2024. Other brands in its portfolio include New Zealand labels Stoneleigh, Brancott Estate, and Mud House, as well as Australian names like Grant Burge, Jam Shed, Petaluma, and fine wine producers St Hugo, St Hallett, and Orlando.
Executive Chairman Ben Clarke, previously at the helm of Accolade Wines, will lead Vinarchy. The company is currently finalising the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer.
“We believe Vinarchy can lead the future of the wine category. We will be a dedicated wine company, with scale, capability, reach, resources, talent, and an exceptional portfolio of leading brands. We want to redefine wine,” said Clarke
“The global wine industry faces serious structural challenges. Global wine consumption has been declining for years, driven by changing consumer preferences and a shift to lower-alcohol drinks. Vinarchy will be bold and imaginative in meeting these challenges. With our enhanced scale, brand investment program, innovation capability and industry-leading talent, we believe can meet many of the challenges that the industry faces.
“I’m excited to be joined at Vinarchy by more than 1,600 colleagues around the globe. We will be an agile, high-performance organisation.”
Vinarchy was developed following transition planning by AWL that began in July 2024. The integration of the businesses is expected to cause minimal disruption to customers and distributors. Pernod Ricard will continue to distribute its former wine portfolio under a transitional agreement. Most employees from both predecessor companies will transition to the new entity.