Cellar Selection Sauvignon Gris
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 1 to 4 years from the vintage release while its vibrant fruit and elegant texture are at their peak.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Seared scallops, aromatic Thai chicken salad, and herb-roasted pork tenderloin.
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Villa Maria, founded in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich, has long been a pioneering force in New Zealand's wine industry. While Marlborough is globally celebrated for Sauvignon Blanc, this Cellar Selection bottling highlights its rarer, pink-skinned relative, Sauvignon Gris. Originating in Bordeaux, Sauvignon Gris thrives in Marlborough's free-draining alluvial soils and cool maritime climate. Villa Maria crafts this wine to emphasize texture and complexity, utilizing cool fermentation in stainless steel vessels with a portion undergoing lees contact. This technique coaxes out a luscious, rounded mouthfeel that beautifully balances the grape's natural stone-fruit richness and delicate floral aromas with a crisp, refreshing finish.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich in Auckland, Villa Maria has grown from a visionary one-man operation into one of New Zealand's most acclaimed and globally recognized wineries. The estate meticulously sources exceptional fruit from premier winegrowing regions across the country, including Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Gisborne, to craft expressive wines that reflect their unique regional terroirs. Renowned for its pioneering spirit, Villa Maria was a trailblazer in adopting screwcap closures to preserve freshness and remains deeply committed to sustainable and organic viticulture. Their diverse portfolio is celebrated for vibrant Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc, elegant single-vineyard Pinot Noirs like Taylors Pass and Seddon, and rich, structured Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot blends from Hawke's Bay.