Sam Arnaout revealed as Dalwood Estate winery buyer

Sam Arnaout has emerged as the buyer of the iconic vineyard and winery Dalwood Estate near Branxton.

The boss of Iris Capital paid $3 million plus for the 104 hectare property that fronts the Hunter River.

Established in the 1800s, the property with sandstone winery buildings and a concert amphitheatre is accredited as among the Hunter Valley's oldest wineries.

It was the site of some of the first vines planted in the colony by George Wyndham who also built the now heritage listed Dalwood House.

Pernod Ricard closed the tourism facilities known as Wyndham Estate in October 2014, citing commercial reasons for their decision.

Another purchase last year came when Arnaout bought the prized Sweetwater estate at Pokolbin. It's wines are now served at the Fountain Cafe.

The 48 hectare Pokolbin property came with initial hopes of $30 million, but $12 million was its last price guidance.

It produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz on 16 hectares. 

Arnaout bought the Kirby family Hungerford Hill boutique winery for $4.4 million.

He also owns 1.66 hectares of prime real estate in Newcastle's Hunter Street mall.

Arnaout, who entered the hotel industry in 1995, has a whole-floor penthouse in the Bennelong apartment complex which was bought from Margaret Maloney, the widow of the hotelier Cyril Maloney for $18 million in 2015.

Iris Capital owns expanded site, The Bourbon in Potts Point. 

The king of the emerging Kings Cross residential rejuvenation, has been quietly amassing a huge building site at Kings Cross's northern end around his Bourbon Hotel premises.

His Kings Cross purchases now total $66 million.

This article first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph.