Bickfords brings back brandy memories
As Bickfords prepares to open its new Black Bottle Brandy distillery and visitor centre at Renmark’s historic Renmano winery this year, the beverage producer is seeking memorabilia to become part of a permanent collection at the site.
An artist's impression of the new Black Bottle Distillery at Renmark with some examples of Renmano memorabilia.
Cash will be paid for old bottles, ceramic jugs, spoons, coasters, photos – anything bearing the Renmano or Black Bottle brands, says Bickfords group marketing manager Chris Illman.
“We want to reach out to anyone in South Australia to accumulate any historic elements of the Renmano brand to showcase the facility’s history.”
Bickfords acquired the Renmark winery site from Accolade Wines in 2014 after receiving more than $2 million in Riverland Sustainable Futures Funding towards the establishment of a spirit distillery in the region. The Black Bottle Brandy brand was also acquired from Accolade Wines, but a few years earlier, in 2011.
“Before becoming a winery in the mid-1960s, Renmano was originally a distillery, when it was established in 1914, which produced Renmano brandy and fortified wines,” says Illman.
When the Black Bottle Brandy distillery and visitor centre opens in October, Bickfords will already have the site up and running as a working distillery making brandy from locally produced wine grapes.
“We’ve also acquired the original copper-pot Black Bottle Brandy stills from Accolade in McLaren Vale which we’re bringing back to the Renmano site,” says Illman.
St Agnes is the region’s only other brandy producer.
“St Agnes is looking forward to us invigorating the brandy category alongside of their efforts,” says Illman. “They have been the Riverland’s sole brandy producer for a long time so we are looking forward to opening the doors to our historic distillery and educating consumers on how to make world-class brandy.”
Previous Renmano employees and interested community members are invited to attend an event at which they can share memories and memorabilia, enjoy complimentary refreshments, and hear about the plans for the distillery’s collection.
“Even if you’ve got a great story in relation to the site or the brand, we would like to be able to share it,” Illman says.
The event, which will be held on June 26 from 2pm to 5pm at Ruston’s Roses, Moorna Street, Renmark, will also be used to gather names and contact details of people who used to work at the Renmano Winery and to build an alumni group for future events.
For more information, to register interest in the alumni group and for pre-valuation of memorabilia, contact [email protected] or call 8182 1888.
