There’s more to New Zealand wine than Sauvignon Blanc

New Zealand’s wine production is a mere 1% of the wine in the world, but ever since this world discovered the Sauvignon Blanc grown in its Marlborough region in the late 1970s, the country has never looked back, quickly establishing itself as one of the top quality wine producing countries today.

As for its Sauvignon Blanc, just read of the tasting notes of this grape by experts and you might be tempted enough to rush for the nearest bottle.

(Note the use of superlatives)

Jancis Robinson: “(New Zealand’s) pungently herbaceous style of Sauvignon Blanc, heady with the tropical fruit smells of a cool, prolonged fermentation….”

Wine Folly: “… jaw-dropping herbaceous-yet-floral aroma that’s complemented by a juicy, yet zesty, citrus zing in your mouth.”

No wonder that the Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough – fruity, aromatic and luscious – is among the most popular varietal wines in the world. But is there more to New Zealand wine than its famous Sauvignon Blanc (or indeed, its Pinot Noir)?

Sir George Fistonich, founder of Villa Maria, long established among New Zealand’s best wine brands, is best positioned to comment. And he says yes, there is more, much more. Villa Maria, regarded as one of the world’s best wine brands, is currently Drinks International’s World’s Most Admired New Zealand Wine Brand, and #4 in the world list. It puts its name to no less than 15 varietal wines – from Arneis and Grenache to Syrah and Viognier.

And yes, their Sauvignon Blanc wines remain best sellers.

 Excerpts from the interview:                                                   

New Zealand is strongly identified with its Sauvignon Blanc, especially the Marlborough wines, and it is safe to say these are among the most popular Sauvignon Blancs worldwide with wine drinkers. How do you view this? 

Sauvignon Blanc is incredibly important to the New Zealand wine category, and of course to Villa Maria. No other country in the world can produce the unique and crowd-pleasing Sauvignon Blanc wines like Marlborough. The explosive flavours of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc have dazzled wine critics and wine-lovers throughout the world, setting the international benchmark for the style. It is varietal that awoke the world to New Zealand wine.

One of Villa Maria’s proudest moments was to receive a gold medal for the Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc 2017 at New Zealand’s most prestigious wine competition – the Air New Zealand Wine Awards. Over 1,300 wines are entered into the world-renowned competition and the panel of judges are some of the best in the business. Villa Maria Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc clearly stood out from the pack. The Private Bin range is the entry point for the Villa Maria collection and is exported to 60 countries. The recognition for Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc is a testament to our viticulturist’s and winemaker’s intuition and commitment to their craft of creating wines that people love to drink.

Let’s talk about the ‘other’ grapes of New Zealand besides Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. What’s your view on these and how do they fare on the popularity scale? Do any have the chance of attaining a similar exalted status? Will Chardonnay ever regain its popularity? 

Over 50 grape varieties are grown in New Zealand and we particularly excel in producing world-class Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Above all, I believe Chardonnay is our unsung hero. We produce a wide-range of styles, from fruit-driven and unoaked Chardonnays, to luscious examples with complexity, elegance, and a touch of oak.

I truly enjoyed your Riesling at Villa Maria’s New Delhi dinner. Riesling is consistently underrated… would you agree, as do most wine experts I’ve met, that Riesling is not given its rightful place among the best white grapes in the world? Will it, for New Zealand, always be the also-ran grape after Sauvignon Blanc, and perhaps Chardonnay?

Riesling, typically, is a wine lovers’ wine but unfortunately, consumers around the world are not too familiar with this variety. Wine trends can be cyclic, so there is always a chance it will become popular and New Zealand would be well placed to deliver with a history of producing charming wines from this variety. But for now, Sauvignon Blanc remains very dominant and there is a significant gap between the next most popular white varietals (Chardonnay and Pinot Gris)… and we hope to see the rise of Riesling. We are incredibly excited by the potential of Albariño and have made some excellent wines from this varietal, the wines are incredibly bright and full of personality and the customer response has been strong. We believe it has a real future.

The Pinot Noir is of course also popular in New Zealand, and along with the Sauvignon Blanc, accounts for 70% of the grapes grown. What makes the New Zealand Pinot special? Also, your comment on the Bordeaux red grapes grown in the Hawkes Bay region?

Our skilled and passionate winemakers coupled with the soils and climate of our unique vineyard sites are what make New Zealand Pinot Noir so special.

Hawkes Bay is an incredibly important region for Villa Maria. We have recently completed building a state-of-the-art winery in the region. It is located in the Gimblett Gravels and focuses on small production, premium wines from grapes harvested in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay which are continuing to garner world-wide accolades.

New Zealand is truly a beautiful country. How is wine tourism growing? And some tips perhaps for first-time visitors who want to experience the best f New Zealand wine country?

Tourism is big business for New Zealand and research tells us that around 25% of all international visitors visit a vineyard or winery on their trip.   It is predicted wine tourism will continue to grow which provides a great opportunity for us all to showcase our excellent wines, local food, and beautiful landscapes.

I recommend any visitor to New Zealand should stop in for a wine tasting and chat with our knowledgeable team at our Auckland, Marlborough, and Hawkes Bay cellar doors!

Villa Maria has been in India a while now. What are your views on the Indian market, the Asian one and the view of things to come?

The Indian market is indeed very exciting – wine knowledge and consumption are growing as many people are becoming more aware of New Zealand wines. There is a growing network of wine writers, sommeliers and wine clubs throughout India who are very influential and sharing their passion for our fresh, clean, and elegant wines to Indian consumers. Villa Maria, having been in India for more than 10 years, has a strong reputation and presence in the India market.

Across Asia, every country has their own unique consumption habits and wine preferences. Villa Maria is present in over 10 countries in Asia – we are looking forward to continuing sharing the Villa Maria stories, as well as the high quality of our other varieties beyond the popular Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

A selection of Villa Maria wines is available in the Indian metro cities.