Vital part of Tasmanian wine industry up for sale

(ABC) - A pioneer of the Tasmanian wine industry Julian Alcorso says it's the right time to sell Winemaking Tasmania after 12 years of successful operation.

Julian Alcorso originally set the Cambridge based business up to make wine for vineyards around the state.

He says the company crushed just 100 tonnes of grapes in its first vintage in 2002, and the business has grown tenfold, achieving a record throughput of more than 15 hundred tonnes in 2013.

Julian Alcorso says Winemaking Tasmania makes more than 20 per cent of Tasmania's wines, and has between 40 and 50 clients across the state.

Julian Alcorso says "the owners and certainly the board are all of an age where we are retiring and the new and exciting developments in the business need a new and younger team."

Expressions of interest will be taken up until the end of April before a decision is made on the successful purchaser.

Julian Alcorso says there has been strong interest already from a number of areas for the company and says the big wine companies in Australia have expressed interest in the business.

The company is owned by 15 shareholders and he says some of those could in theory group together and purchase the company.

The expected price has not been disclosed but Julian Alcorso says the board has a firm figure, although the sale won't be based on price only.

He will remain contracted for the next two years at least and says any company wishing to takeover the business will be expected to continue making wine for growers on a contract basis.