Seddon Pinot Gris
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Complements aromatic Thai or Vietnamese cuisine, slow-roasted pork belly with spiced apple sauce, and rich seafood dishes such as pan-seared scallops.
✨ Technical Specifications
Villa Maria, founded in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich, stands as a cornerstone of New Zealand's modern wine industry. The Seddon Vineyard Pinot Gris is a single-vineyard expression originating from the cooler, wind-swept terraces of the Awatere Valley in Marlborough. Nestled on the southern bank of the Awatere River, this site features silty, loamy soils over gravels, which impart a distinct mineral tension to the wine. The challenging, cooler microclimate of the Awatere slows grape ripening, allowing the Pinot Gris fruit to develop thick skins, concentrated stone fruit flavors, and a vibrant natural acidity. To craft this expressive white, Villa Maria utilizes a combination of cool stainless steel fermentation to preserve primary fruit purity, alongside partial wild fermentation in seasoned French oak barriques and extended lees contact. This meticulous process yields a lush, textural palate brimming with poached pear, ginger spice, and honeysuckle, grounded by a stony minerality that reflects its unique riverbed origin.
🍾 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.