Live From the Vines: Villa Maria
Hosted by Oliver Powrie, Emma Jenkins, Jessica Bell, Paul Robinson, Richard Painter & Patrick Materman
As one of the key protagonists in New Zealand’s Sauvignon Blanc phenomenon which lead to such a dramatic tilt in the wine landscape, it’s hard to underplay the imprint of Villa Maria.
However, Villa Maria’s story and sheer scope of its practice is far more nuanced and textured, as revealed by Emma Jenkins MW, along with Villa Maria’s chief viticulturist Ollie Powrie, head of winegrowing Patrick Materman and senior Hawkes Bay winemaker Richard Painter.
This red-only masterclass features library vintages as well as releases from its Reserve range (which only see the light of day in select years), before culminating in a multi-vintage showing of its iconic, Bordeaux-shaped Ngakirikiri; a wine which palpably demonstrates that, 60 years after its birth, Villa Maria continues to lay down markers.
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Gimblett Gravels 2002
Library Release Cabernet Sauvignon, Gimblett Gravels 2009
Ngakirikiri, Gimblett Gravels 2013
Ngakirikiri, Gimblett Gravels 2014
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Gimblett Gravels 2015
Ngakirikiri, Gimblett Gravels 2018