Villa Maria’s reputation as New Zealand’s most awarded winery was upheld with a total of 12 golds and two trophies at last night’s Royal Easter Show Wine Awards.

Villa Maria took home an impressive 20% of the total gold medals awarded in the 2018 competition.

Group Chief Winemaker, Nick Picone, was particularly excited the golds spanned all four tiers of Villa Maria wines: “We are thrilled the gold medals were awarded to a spectrum of wines from our Private Bin, Cellar Selection, Reserve and Single Vineyard ranges, and from several regions; Gisborne, Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland.”

Photo: Sir George Fistonich and winemaker Gianni Flego, Villa Maria.

The iconic family owned winery took home both the Champion Syrah and Heritage Category with the Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2016 and Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005, 2010 and 2015 respectively.

Villa Maria Founder and President, Sir George Fistonich, believes these awards are an outcome of a passionate and hard-working winemaking team: “These incredible results are an indication that with an unwavering commitment to quality our talented and passionate winemaking team continues to produce world-class wines.”

A leader in sustainability, innovation and quality, Villa Maria is a family owned winery recognised as an icon in the New Zealand wine industry.

Photo: Sir George Fistonich and winemaker Gianni Flego, Villa Maria.

Results:

TROPHIES
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2016 (Champion Syrah)
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot ’05, ’10, ’15 (Winner of Heritage Category) NB: The Heritage Category identifies and rewards a wine label that has demonstrated the capacity to develop elegance and complexity over time, judging its current vintage, five years on and then 10 years.

GOLD
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2016
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2016
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay 2016
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Gewürztraminer 2017
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Riesling 2017
Villa Maria Private Bin Gisborne Viognier 2016
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Seddon Pinot Noir 2014
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2015
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir 2015
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Malbec 2015