After exploring the British Columbia region in the Americas at the Vancouver International Wine Festival 2018 and the Hungarian wines in Europe at IWINETC 2018, it was time for us to explore the wines from New Zealand. As La Cave India was bringing Villa Maria wines to India, we decided to head to a tasting session at Shang Palace, Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel.
Sauvignon Blanc from Villa Maria wines
Home to the world’s most Southern vineyards, I first tried out a few of New Zealand’s produce at the Vancouver International Wine Festival. One of the major wine regions here is Marlborough, With it’s sunny and dry climate, Marlborough’s favourite grape is the Sauvignon Blanc. Villa Maria’s Cellar Selection Sauv Blanc ‘17 is an explosion of fruity and herbaceous flavours with an acidity that is subtle on the palate and some dryness which keeps the wine fresh and crisp without overwhelming the taste buds.
The Reds from Villa Maria Wines
The story of Villa Maria’s wines goes back more than 50 years when a then 21-year-old George Fistonich planted his first vines on a small piece of land that he took from his father. One of the earliest wines that he had started making was a port and a table red, a mixture still found in the Private Bin Merlot and Cabarnet ‘15 with rich cherry notes along with dark berries and an underlying flavour of tobacco and wood. The vineyards that usually grow these grapes are the ones in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.
Another of the reds from the stable of Villa Maria is the Cellar Selection Pinot Noir ‘16. As DJ Kearney, our moderator at the Pinot Noir session in Vancouver said “Pinot is a teenager, oft prone to bouts of extremes.” This Pinot Noir, though impresses, impresses with it’s full bouquet of berry flavours, herbs with a lovely balance of the acidity and the tannins.
We also tasted two other white varietals including the Private Bin Reisling ‘17 and Chardonnay ‘17, two easy drinking whites that you might plan on trying out. Villa Maria has two wineries at Auckland and Marlborough and other than welcoming visitors to visit their beautifully curated vineyards and the wine-making process. You can also plan to try out some exquisite locally grown flavours of New Zealand.
You can find all of these wines and much more at the La Cave store in Saket. Tell us about your favourite wine in the comments below.
