Cellar Selection Grenache
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed within 2 to 6 years from vintage release to capture its bright, youthful fruit and aromatic spice.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Rosemary-crusted roast lamb, grilled Mediterranean vegetables, or duck confit.
✨ Technical Specifications
Villa Maria, founded in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich, is a legendary name in New Zealand winemaking, celebrated for its pioneering spirit. While Hawke's Bay is globally famous for its Syrah and Cabernet blends, Villa Maria's Cellar Selection Grenache highlights the region's remarkable versatility. Grown in the warm, stony soils of Hawke's Bay—where ancient riverbeds act as thermal heat sinks to ripen this sun-loving variety—this wine represents a rare and expressive New World take on Grenache. The winemaking team focuses on preserving the grape's natural vibrancy, using gentle extraction and seasoned oak maturation to yield a wine bursting with ripe red berries, white pepper, and soft, approachable tannins.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich, Villa Maria evolved from a modest five-acre leased plot in Māngere, Auckland, into one of New Zealand's foremost vinous institutions. Acquired by Indevin Group in 2021, the estate continues its legacy of regional and stylistic breadth, sourcing exceptional fruit from premier microclimates across Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, and Auckland. Viticultural operations emphasize environmental stewardship as a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, complemented by dedicated organic vineyard blocks. Production is delineated into tiers ranging from accessible Private Bin and Cellar Selection expressions to vineyard-designated benchmarks like the Seaspray and Southern Clays Sauvignon Blancs, alongside cellar-worthy Gimblett Gravels Bordeaux blends and single-vineyard Chardonnays. The winemaking team balances modern temperature-controlled stainless steel ferments for pristine aromatic vibrancy with targeted French oak maturation and lees contact for texturally layered, terroir-precise bottlings.