Uncategorized

Our New Release Single Vineyard Wines

Published 30 October 2024

On the 1st November, we are incredibly proud to release some highly anticipated wines from our Single Vineyard collection, our most regionally and stylistically diverse range of New Zealand wines.

Our New Release Single Vineyard Wines

On the 1st of November, we are incredibly proud to release the highly-anticipated vintages from our Single Vineyard collection.

 

Each Single Vineyard site is chosen having long produced our most exceptional wines, embodying the influence of diverse terroirs. The wines capture a moment in time, each imparted with a unique story of season, soil and growing environment. Every year is different, and their characteristics not only talk to a sense of place, they embody the pride, skill and passion of the entire Villa Maria team.

 

These wines from the outstanding 2023 and 2024 vintages represent the best of Marlborough and the culmination of over 60 years of winemaking experience in Aotearoa New Zealand.

 

Read on to discover more about our exceptional Single Vineyard sites and the unique collection of new vintage wines.

 

 

Growing Region

Marlborough

Marlborough sits on the north eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand, surrounded by the inland Kaikoura Ranges to the south and the Richmond Ranges to the north.

 

These rugged mountains are responsible for New Zealand’s driest and sunniest climate with an average of 2,435 hours of sunshine, regulated by the cooling ocean influence, elongating the ripening period.

 

Marlborough is composed of three sub-regions, each with their own distinctive characteristics and nuances, which are experienced in every taste.

 

2024 Growing Season

The 2024 Marlborough growing season started off with low rainfall and cooler weather at flowering. The season progressed with Marlborough’s classic dry conditions, warm days and cool nights. The idyllic weather and low crops produced pristine grapes with concentrated flavours and fresh acidity.

 

 

Marlborough

Bankhouse Vineyard 

Located on the western bank of the Waihopai River, Bankhouse is the single largest vineyard in New Zealand.

 

It has a very unique terroir due to its scale, tectonic history and geology, with a close-planted vineyard with a myriad of soil types and aspects which provide diverse expressions from which to craft a wine.

 

Marlborough

Bankhouse Sauvignon Blanc 2024

A dynamic wine with riper tropical flavours from the clay soils and emphasised minerality and freshness from the riverbed gravel soils.

Discover this wine

Marlborough

Seaspray Vineyard

Seaspray Vineyard lies against the rugged eastern coastline of the Awatere Valley where the fresh ocean air slows the growing season to develop Sauvignon Blanc of incredible power and concentration.

 

The vines are still young, so we expect the wines intensity to only increase as the vineyard reaches maturity.

Marlborough

Seaspray Sauvignon Blanc 2024

The 2024 Seaspray Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc has distinctive briny seashell characters and lively acidity derived from the nearby oceanic influence. Flavours of kaffir lime, capsicum and freshly picked culinary herbs represent the cooler windy coastal Awatere sub region in Marlborough where these young Sauvignon Blanc vines struggle to grow in the sandy river gravel soil.

Discover this wine

Marlborough

Taylors Pass Vineyard

Located on the northern bank of the Awatere River, the average vine age in our Taylors Pass Vineyard is between 14-19 years old. Sheltered from prevailing cool easterly winds, each terrace of the vineyard has varying soil types, stony gravels are  nearest to the river, whereas the mid-terrace has silt over gravels and the highest terrace is deeper silt over clay-papa base.

 

This patchwork of soil types provides the vineyard with dramatically variable ripening patterns.

Marlborough

Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc 2024

The 2024 Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc displays bright and intense aromas of new season blackcurrants and snow peas mingling with lime zest, freshly cut sage and coriander. The palate reveals flavours of jalapeno and lemongrass, with a persistent and salivating, salty finish capturing notes of white peach and basil. Moorish fresh acidity completes this wine.

Discover this wine

2023 Growing Season

The Marlborough growing season started well with very little frost pressure during spring and healthy soil moisture levels providing lush and vibrant vine canopies. The start of summer 2023 was mild; February temperatures were below the long-term average. However, the weather settled over harvest and delivered a beautiful, dry and warm Indian summer allowing for optimal ripening conditions.

 

 

Marlborough

Taylors Pass Chardonnay 2023

A cooler climate, mineral-driven style of Chardonnay, this wine exhibits complex aromas of white peach, fresh citrus and toasted almonds. The palate is layered and textural, with flavours of grapefruit, quince and nougat, all tied together with fresh and focused acidity.

Discover this wine