In 1961, at just 21 years of age, George. Seddon vineyard

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Buddy Hunter
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1 WINERY REVIEW: VILLA MARIA Seddon vineyard Zealand s wine industry that he helped develop. In 1961, at just 21 years of age, George Fistonich leased five acres of land from his father in Mangere, Auckland and started off with just an acre of vines. He harvested his first grapes in 1962 and made his first wine under the name Villa Maria, and the story starts Throughout the 1960s Villa Maria was a oneman band, with George s wife, Gail, supporting him in his venture. He made dry red and white wines, sourcing grapes from the greater Auckland regions. In the early 1970s he started to employ staff and the company began to expand rapidly. Today, Villa Maria employs more than 250 permanent staff and exports wine to over 50 countries worldwide. George Fistonich has spent five decades at the forefront of New As an icon of the New Zealand wine industry, Villa Maria is known for bold and industrychanging moves such as moving to 100% screwcap through to the emphasis on sustainable practices in every area of the family owned company. Being environmentally responsible is inherent in the long term view Villa Maria takes of the wine business. As a family owned New Zealand business Villa Maria believes that sustainability is not an end point but a journey and therefore they are always finding ways to embed sustainable principles into the culture of the organisation. Villa Maria has always had a focus on finding the best vineyard sites from very early in its history, and now owns vineyards throughout the great wine regions of New Zealand.

2 Ngakirikiri vineyard Mr Nguyen Tan Dung Prime Minister Socialist Republic of Viet Nam visits Villa Maria

3 In Auckland, where it all began for George, the Ihumatao vineyard is planted on the site of an old volcanic crater. The vineyard surrounds the Villa Maria Winery and is planted in mix of Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Verdelho. The vineyard has produced some exceptional wines with the Single Vineyard Chardonnay producing consistently great wines. Their vineyards in the Gisborne region have a real focus on Chardonnay. Two of the three vineyards are situated on north facing hillsides and produce distinctive wines from the region. Other varieties which they source from the region include Pinot Gris, Viognier, Gewurtztraminer and Albarino. Hawkes Bay, situated on the east coast of the North Island offers an incredible diversity of soil types and micro-climates and for Villa Maria is the source of grapes for making their tasty Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Syrah wines. A unique soil type called the Gimblett Gravels is very much the key to the success of these wines. It offers a very deep gravel soils which have up until 1867 been an active riverbed. This amazing soil type offers free draining soils which along with high density vine planting provides a very low vigour environment which ensures the vines put all their energy in to producing ripe grapes. Villa Maria owns over 30% of the 800 hectares of Gimblett Gravels designated land. Hawkes Bay is also renowned for Chardonnay and very much key to the success of Villa Maria s Chardonnay has been the Keltern Vineyard. The Keltern vineyard is situated about 6 km west of the Gimblett Gravels and older, more silt-loam soils, over gravel and high diurnal temperatures produce very distinctive wines with high fruit intensity and natural acidity. Vineyards

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5 In Marlborough they have a number of vineyards situated both in the Awatere Valley and the Wairau Valley. We have selected sites for both Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir which we believe reflect the very best characteristics of the region. With Sauvignon Blanc, Villa Maria has planted vineyards on a mix of free draining river beds and older river terraces which offers an array of flavours and blending options. The very high diurnal variation in temperature plays a large part in the incredible intensity of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and so this is key when selecting sites to plant. George Fistonich, a determined innovator and wine lover is a great example of how a single person determined to make great wines can succeed, even when going against the flow, making the great wines that Villa Maria has to offer. Villa Maria is distributed in Vietnam by Celliers d Assie Red Apron Pinot Noir however, is planted on soils with higher clay content which minimises the need for irrigation but also provides the best conditions for Pinot Noir. Marlborough Taylors Pass Vineyard

6 tasting George

7 hawkes bay Cellar door tasting

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