It was promoted as Villa Maria’s “Fine Wine Launch: Distinctive Expressions of Exceptional Sites”. That’s referring principally to Villa Maria’s Single Vineyard selection, encompassing a pinot gris, albarino, rosé and three sauvignon blancs ($30 each), three chardonnays ($50), a syrah ($50) and two pinot noirs ($60).
But there was more. The company’s top-end-of-the-range tasting also included three “icon” wines, signifying “the very best of what New Zealand can produce”.
When Villa Maria was acquired by Indevin, a giant Marlborough wine company, in August 2021, some industry players worried because Indevin is the country’s key producer of exclusive “own label” wines, supplying overseas supermarkets, such as Tesco and Waitrose in the UK. Would it continue to build on Villa Maria’s reputation for innovation and often superb quality, developed under founder and previous owner Sir George Fistonich,?
Christchurch-based Greg Tomlinson, who controls Indevin, has expressed his intention to “drive focus and increased investment behind Villa Maria, to enhance its reputation for quality and protect its brand value”. These “icon” wines, from vintages before, during and after the takeover, are all compelling, but it’s too early to draw any wider conclusions.
Villa Maria Keltern Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2022
★★★★★
Grown at a cool, inland site in the Bridge Pā Triangle, this arresting wine was hand-harvested from low-cropping vines and fermented and matured for 15 months in French oak barriques (55% new). Bright, light lemon/green, it is mouthfilling, rich and savoury. Highly complex, it has deep, ripe, stonefruit flavours enriched with nutty oak, lively acidity, and a long, very harmonious finish. Already highly approachable, it should break into full stride mid-2025+. (13.5% alc/vol) $80
Villa Maria Ngakirikiri 2020
★★★★★
The company’s flagship Bordeaux-style red is cabernet sauvignon-based (96%), with a splash of merlot (4%). Hand-harvested in the Gimblett Gravels, it was matured for 20 months in French oak barriques (45% new). A commanding but not heavy red, it has bold colour and is dark and youthful. Mouthfilling, it is dense and vibrant, with highly concentrated, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, fresh acidity, and obvious potential for long-term cellaring. Best drinking 2027+. (14% alc vol) $170
Wine of the week
Villa Maria Woven Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2021
★★★★★
This classy, concentrated wine was estate-grown at Fairhall, in a vineyard surrounding Villa Maria’s Marlborough winery. Fermented and matured for nearly a year in seasoned French oak puncheons and barriques, it was then aged on its yeast lees in tanks for another six months before bottling. Bright, light yellow/green, it has a fragrant, complex bouquet. Weighty and savoury, it has deep, vigorous flavours of stonefruit, gentle herbal notes, a subtle oak influence, lively acidity and a finely balanced, fully dry, long finish. Best drinking mid-2024+. (14.3% alc/vol) $60
