Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 has been awarded Champion Chardonnay and Champion Wine of the Show at the 2017 New Zealand International Wine Show. Notably, Chardonnay has taken out Champion Wine of Show seven times in the last 10 years, three of which have been from Villa Maria.
“Vintage 2016 in Marlborough required some patience as we waited for ripe flavours,” says Senior Marlborough Winemaker Helen Morrison. “However our patience was rewarded with the 2016 Marlborough Reserve Chardonnay. This wine celebrates both the diversity of white wines from Marlborough as well as the breadth and depth of Chardonnay from the Villa Maria group.”
The New Zealand International Wine Show is judged by some of the country’s leading winemakers and critics and is the largest wine competition in the country with over 2,000 entries. Other Trophy winners were the Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Malbec 2013 and Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Syrah 2015.
Further afield, at the Six Nations Wine Challenge in Australia, Villa Maria received six gold medals and two trophies for Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir 2015 and Villa Maria Single Vineyard Braided Gravels Organic Merlot 2013. The requirements for this show are that 100 wines are entered from each nation (Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and U.S.A.) with a total of 16 categories.
At this years’ New World Wine Awards, Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Syrah 2015 not only received a gold medal but was also the only New Zealand Syrah to feature in the Top 50 wines. Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Rosé 2017 was also awarded a gold medal and named in the Top 50 wines.
The judging panel for the New World Wine Awards includes 15 experienced individuals from the industry such as New Zealand critic Sam Kim and international judge and master of wine Meg Brodtmann.
A compelling start to the awards season for Villa Maria, represented across a level of award shows from consumer driven, to those more premium and internationally focused.
