Grant and Helen Burge have completed the sale of the iconic Grant Burge brand, Burge and Rathbone Fine Wine Merchants business and the historic Krondorf Winery, located within the Barossa Valley region of South Australia, to Accolade Wines. HWL Ebsworth's Adelaide office has provided legal advice to Grant and Helen Burge on the sale.

Grant Burge is one of the 15 biggest wineries in Australia by sales, and produces high quality, award-winning wines across different categories, including sparkling, premium white and red wines and fortified wines.

Accolade Wines is a major New World wine company, and one of the largest wine companies by sales and volumes operating in Australia. Accolade exports its brands, including Hardys, Atlas Creek and Houghton, to markets such as the UK and US, and with distribution in over 100 other countries. The sale is anticipated to give the Grant Burge brand greater international brand presence. For Accolade, the acquisition means that it now has a presence in the Barossa Valley, adding to its historical presence in other major Australian wine growing regions, including Margaret River (in Western Australia), McLaren Vale (in South Australia), Clare Valley (in South Australia) and Bay of Fires (Tasmania).

Grant Burge and Helen Burge founded Grant Burge Wines in 1988. They will continue to play a vital role as brand ambassadors and in the ongoing supply of premium Barossa Valley grapes to the business.

HWL Ebsworth's team of lawyers was led by Jamie Restas (National Head of Commercial Group), which also included Shane Lloyd (Senior Associate, Commercial), Peter Staniszewski and Christopher Bates (in relation to Banking and Finance aspects), Tony Floreani (on Property issues) and Clare Raimondo (for Workplace Relations issues). HWL Ebsworth's team has extensive experience advising clients in the Australian wine sector. The transaction is one of several recent matters involving wineries upon which HWL Ebsworth and its team members have provided legal advice, including advising Australian Vintage in relation to the $15.5 million sale of the Yaldara Winery and brand to 1847 Winery (SA) Pty Ltd late last year.