Linton Park Wine Estate in Wellington, the South African jewel in the crown of London Stock Exchange listed Camellia Plc, is set to grow despite tough economic conditions in the wine industry.
Formally Slang Rivier, bought 22 years ago by Camellia Plc, the estate was renamed Linton Park, after the manor house which serves as the headquarters of the holding company in England.
Speaking at a media event on the estate on Thursday, Camellia Plc chairman, Malcolm Perkins, explained the reasoning behind the reinvestment in the property.
“This property has it been kept under the carpet, it’s been kept behind closed doors, for the last 20 years. It’s been a nice to have thing for my company, but now we have decided we have to be more commercial and we think the opportunity is there.”
Camellia Plc is a multinational global business group, which employs more than 76 000 people worldwide.
It has significant interests in the agricultural and horticultural sectors, as well as in private banking and financial services, food storage and distribution, and engineering. Linton Park is the only wine estate in the group’s portfolio.
After purchasing the estate in 1995, significant investments were made in replanting of old vineyards, rebuilding and extending of the derelict wine cellar and restoration of the homestead.
