Villa Maria – Celebrate Sauvignon Blanc Day with Villa Maria!

The countdown is on for International Sauvignon Blanc Day, which is on Friday, May 6. If you are looking for a way to celebrate this year, look no further than New Zealand, a country known for its crisp, fresh, and pure Sauvignon Blancs!  Sauvignon Blanc has almost become synonymous with New Zealand. Villa Maria, a pioneer in New Zealand winemaking has an extensive portfolio of award-winning Sauvignon Blancs.

Villa Maria

The story of Villa Maria is about passion, dedication and perseverance.  In 1961 George Fistonich leased 5 acres of land from his father and then planted an acre of vines.  He had his first harvest in 1962 and bottled the wines under the Villa Maria brand.  Throughout much of the decade, he produced the wines himself.  In the early 70’s he began to hire and expand his brand.  He began exporting wines in 1988.

Committed to the environment, Villa Maria became a role model to other winegrowers in the region for sustainable farming practices and became a member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand in 1995.  In 2001 Villa Maria made a bold and industry-changing move, they transitioned to a cork-free environment and bottled every wine with a screw cap. The winery is also a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand and has played a leading role in sustainability by placing the well-being of the land, people, and the community at the core of its vision.

Having spent 50 years pioneering New Zealand’s wine industry, in 2009 George Fistonich received the country’s first knighthood for his dedication, commitment and service to New Zealand’s wine industry.  In the past 60 years, George Fistonich has taken Villa Maria from a one-man shop into a globally recognized wine brand.

Villa Maria Sauvignon Blancs

Here are three Villa Maria Sauvignon Blancs you must try for Sauvignon Blanc Day and beyond.

Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($16)

Sourced from vineyards across the Marlborough region, this Sauvignon Blanc is dominated by gooseberry, passionfruit, fresh citrus and herbaceous aromas. Showing influences from both the cool climate Awatere and warmer Wairau Valley, the Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc is youthful, fresh, and vibrant.

Villa Maria EarthGarden Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($20)

EarthGarden wines embody a holistic approach that is better for the soils and ecosystems. Sustainable vineyard management means healthier vines and fruit and requires less winemaking intervention to allow the purest expression of the variety. The grapes for this wine come from the winery’s Templar, Resolution, Belmonte and Waterfalls Road vineyards in Marlborough, and produce a wine that shows lifted aromas of citrus fruit with fresh herbs, lemongrass and passionfruit on the palate.

Villa Maria Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($25)

A classic representation of Sauvignon Blanc from the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, with aromas of tropical fruit characters found in this warmer sub-region. This wine shows blackcurrant and passionfruit aromas, and on the palate, there is a mix of ripe citrus fruits and herbs such as fresh rosemary. The grapes for the Reserve Sauvignon Blanc come from both the Upper Waihopai and Lower Wairau Valleys.