Villa Maria uncorks new line

By DITA DE BONI

In anticipation of an exponential growth in wine exports, Villa Maria has unveiled a "future proof" winery in the heart of the Marlborough flatlands.

The new $7.5 million winery is only slightly ahead of several others being built around the country to cash in on New Zealand's rapidly expanding export push, as well as domestic wine tourism.

The who's who of the New Zealand wine industry - including prominent wine writers, the heads of Nobilo, Montana and Babich wineries, and self-confessed culture-vulture Helen Clark - were on hand to sample pinot noirs, sauvignon blancs and chardonnays.

Villa Maria Marlborough will begin processing this year's harvest on Monday - around 2500 tonnes - but the company reckons 30,000 tonnes will pass through the plant each year by 2050.

Grapes will come from local contract growers as well as those grown specially for the company on 133ha at Taylors Pass and Seddon Vineyards.

Both Seddon and Taylors are owned by unlisted public companies established in the last few years to fund expansion.

The new winery boasts a wine shop, 1.6ha of plantings and an apartment for hosting international visitors, designed to reflect both the natural landscape and "Croatian elements," says Villa Maria managing director and owner George Fistonich.

Previously, Villa Maria had used a contract crushing operation in Marlborough and moved the fruit to Auckland for fermentation at its primary plant in Mangere.

But Marlborough has become one of the grape-growing "hot spots" in the last few years as large producers move south from Hawkes Bay and Gisborne.

Marlborough currently houses 43 per cent of the total vineyard area in New Zealand and has a gravelly sub-soil well suited to sauvignon blanc production.

On account of high average temperatures during summer, the area also bears the designation of a "Region One" area for grape-growing, putting it in a prestigious class with Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhine.

Mr Fistonich said the winery would be good for Marlborough and reiterated that winemakers would need to work together for the common good overseas.

"Regardless of brands, the reality is that all New Zealand wineries are members of Team New Zealand Wine and we have to compete against the rest of the world ... it's essential that we present a united front, crucial for the long-term international success of our industry."

Helen Clark said the Government wanted to ensure support of the wine industry as a "go-ahead" industry.

"As well as providing infrastructure and an educated and skilled work force to drive these new industries, there also needs to be a supportive economic climate and trade policy that lowers trade barriers to our exports."

But she warned the industry to beware of "speed wobbles" as exports jump from $145 million this year to an estimated $275 million by 2003.