Taylors Pass Chardonnay
β³ Drinking Window
2023 - 2028
π½οΈ Food & Wine Pairings
Pairs wonderfully with roasted chicken, pan-seared scallops in butter sauce, or creamy wild mushroom risotto.
β¨ Technical Specifications
Villa Maria, founded in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich, is one of New Zealand's most celebrated and pioneering wineries. The Taylors Pass Chardonnay showcases a single-vineyard expression from the rugged Awatere Valley in Marlborough. Located on the north bank of the Awatere River, this unique vineyard features stony, free-draining gravelly soils sheltered from harsh winds. The cool climate of this sub-region slows grape ripening, allowing the Chardonnay grapes to develop intense flavor concentration balanced by a vibrant, flinty acidity. In the cellar, the wine is typically fermented in French oak barriques using indigenous yeasts, followed by maturation on lees with regular stirring. This meticulous process imparts a rich, creamy texture, seamlessly integrating notes of ripe stone fruit, toasted brioche, and a distinct mineral backbone that reflects its stony riverbed origins.
πΎ About the Producer
Established in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich, Villa Maria evolved from a modest five-acre leased plot in MΔngere, 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.