Hawke's Bay part of Villa Maria global success

Hawke's Bay's Nick Picone has been part of the overall Villa Maria success story.

Villa Maria has made the top 10 for the World's Most Admired Wine Brands list for the third straight year, delighting founder and CEO Sir George Fistonich.

It is an accolade to which the Hawke's Bay winemaking community can also raise a toast, as the region is the largest of Villa Maria's four vineyard and winemaking areas.

The company has vineyards across the region including the famed Gimblett Gravels and has made major investments in the Bay's winemaking industry.

It's group chief winemaker Nick Picone is also a Hawke's Bay product who has been with Villa Maria for more than 20 years, taking on his senior role in 2015.

The top 10 list is compiled by world-leading drinks publication Drinks International and the top 10 is determined through a poll of more than 200 wine industry experts made up of key buyers, wine writers, journalists, Masters of Wine and wine educators.

The final list was determined after more than 100,000 wineries around the world were put up for consideration.

"I'm incredibly proud of this achievement and that we continue to rate highly on this most prestigious of lists," Sir George said.

Villa Maria placed fourth on the list and was the only New Zealand wine company to stake a place on it. Sir George said it could be shared by the country as well.

"It's such amazing recognition for Villa Maria as well as New Zealand," he said.

Drinks International editor Christian Davis was also impressed and described Villa Maria as New Zealand's most respected wine producer.

"It is up there with the best of them and rightly so," he said.

"George Fistonich is not only a fine winemaker but he's a talent spotter. He has nurtured some of New Zealand's top winemakers."

Wine experts see inclusion on the annual list as strong for the New Zealand wine industry and the export sector as a whole.