Villa Maria’s Group Chief Winemaker Nick Picone
Villa Maria Estate has dominated trophy and gold medal wins at the Royal New Zealand Easter Show Wine Awards by taking out the top prize, three varietal trophies and 14 gold medals along with NZ Winemaker of the Year for Nick Picone.
The trophy winning wines cover the winery’s South Island and North Island regions with a trophy for Champion Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough along with Champion Syrah and Champion Chardonnay Trophies for Hawkes Bay wines. The recipient of the Champion Wine of Show title went to the Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014.
The results reinforce Villa Maria’s consistent dominance in the Chardonnay category with the gold medals bestowed on five different Chardonnays, one of which was named as the varietal champion and overall Champion Wine of the Show. lso highlighted in these results is the breadth of quality across many varietal wines, from the popular and renowned Sauvignon Blanc to Bordeaux reds, Pinot Noirs and Dessert wine.
Villa Maria’s Group Chief Winemaker Nick Picone commented, “We hold these trophy winning wines in very high regard and the recognition is a great reward to enjoy with our family of viticulturists and winemakers. While It was particularly pleasing to celebrate the ongoing success of our Hawkes Bay Syrah’s and Chardonnay’s a real highlight was securing the coveted Sauvignon Blanc trophy, given the significance of the category, the high quality of the 2015 vintage in Marlborough and the fact this is the most competitive class in New Zealand wine shows, it’s an achievement we are exceptionally proud of,” he said.
The Royal Easter Show Wine Awards is New Zealand’s oldest national wine competition. It was at this show that Villa Maria started to build its reputation as New Zealand’s most awarded winery with its first entry in 1963.
Villa Maria’s Trophy and Gold Results
Champion Wine of Show – Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014
Winemaker of the Year – Nick Picone
Trophy:
Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2013
Gold:
Villa Maria Library Release Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2010
Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2014
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay 2013
Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2015
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Viognier 2015
Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection 2015
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2013
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2013
Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2013
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Seddon Pinot Noir 2014
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir 2014
Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir 2013
