Villa Maria takes bow and reds take top honours

MEDIA RELEASE
6 March 2009

Villa Maria Estate takes a bow and its reds take top honours

Three of 15 trophies go to kiwi producer at International Cool Climate Wine Show, Australia

Villa Maria, New Zealand’s largest privately-owned wine company, has won three of only 15 trophies at the 10th International Cool Climate Wine Show – a key event on the global wine awards calendar dedicated to benchmarking cool climate growing areas and varietals.

In a field of more than 650 wines from 140 wineries predominantly from Australasia, Villa Maria was named ‘Best Mature Vintage Cool Climate Estate’ and awarded the trophy for the ‘Best Estate Made and Bottled Red’ (for its 2006 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah) and ‘Best Pinot Noir 2007’ (for its 2007 Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir), as well as five gold medals.

George Fistonich, owner and Managing Director, Villa Maria Estate says: “This is a significant achievement for Villa Maria and reinforces the premium quality of fruit we are producing in our New Zealand vineyards.

“Winning 20 per cent of the trophies is exciting, but being recognised as a best estate is a huge honour.”

“Typically cooler climate grapes are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris so it’s particularly exciting to see the emergence of exceptional cool climate Syrahs from New Zealand. And of course, we are delighted by the continuing success of our Pinot Noirs,” adds Fistonich.

Some of the most prominent judges in the wine industry featured in the tasting including James Halliday and Chairman of Judges, Mike DeGaris.

A summary of trophies and gold medals collected by Villa Maria Estate and its associated wine company, Esk Valley Estate are included below:

Trophies:

• Best Mature Vintage Cool Climate Estate – Villa Maria Estate

• Best Pinot Noir 2007 - Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir 2007

• Best Estate Made and Bottled Red -Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah 2006

Gold medals:

• Villa Maria Cellar Selection Syrah 2006

• Villa Maria Reserve Pinot Noir 2007

• Villa Maria Reserve Clifford Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2008

• Villa Maria Single Vineyard Rutherford Pinot Noir 2007

• Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay 2006

• Esk Valley Reserve Chardonnay 2007

Note to editors:

Cool climate wines are defined as those produced with grapes grown south of latitude 37.5 degrees South, or north of latitude 37.5 degrees North; or any property in the southern or northern hemisphere which has average January/July temperatures below 19 degrees Celsius (°C).

ENDS

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