Cellar Selection Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pan-seared scallops, roast chicken with tarragon, or creamy pasta dishes like fettuccine Alfredo.
✨ Technical Specifications
Villa Maria, founded in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich, stands as an icon of New Zealand's modern wine revolution. The Cellar Selection Chardonnay showcases the unique terroir of Hawke's Bay, one of the country's oldest and warmest wine-growing regions. Benefiting from a maritime climate and diverse alluvial soils, this 100% Chardonnay is crafted to strike a harmonious balance between fruit purity and complexity. The winemaking process typically involves partial wild yeast fermentation in French oak barriques combined with cool tank fermentation, followed by a period of lees stirring and partial malolactic fermentation. This technique imparts a creamy texture, subtle toasted brioche, and hazelnut undertones to the vibrant stone fruit and citrus core, reflecting the pioneering spirit of a winery that helped put New Zealand on the global wine map.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich, Villa Maria stands as one of New Zealand's most celebrated and pioneering wine producers. From its historic roots in Auckland, the winery has established extensive vineyard holdings across the premier winegrowing regions of Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Gisborne. Renowned for its steadfast dedication to sustainability and quality innovation, Villa Maria played an instrumental role in shaping modern New Zealand viticulture and championing regional expressiveness. The estate's diverse portfolio ranges from the globally recognized Private Bin series to site-specific single-vineyard and Reserve wines, excelling in vibrant Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, refined Pinot Noir, complex Chardonnay, and structured Hawke's Bay red blends.