The Cellar Selection offers a magnetic combination of quality and value. Photo / Getty Images
The Cellar Selection offers a magnetic combination of quality and value. Photo / Getty Images
Review by Michael Cooper
Michael Cooper has 45 wine books and several literary awards to his credit. In the 2004 New Year Honours, Michael was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
With their familiar gold labels, Villa Maria’s widely available, mid-priced Cellar Selection wines have for decades offered a magnetic combination of quality and value. The company’s ownership changed nearly four years ago, and 2022 and 2023 were both tricky vintages in Hawke’s Bay. Are the wines still delivering great value?
Priced above Villa Maria’s Private Bin range, which despite the name is made in huge volumes, and below the top-tier Reserve and Single Vineyard wines, the Cellar Selection white wines retail in the $16-$20 range and the reds at slightly more than $20. At those prices, they are well worth buying.
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Gris 2024
★★★★
Bargain-priced, this vigorous, slightly off-dry wine was grown in the Awatere Valley. Full-bodied, it has generous peach and pear flavours, slightly spicy notes and fresh acidity, with a sliver of sweetness that gives easy-drinking charm. Already drinking well, it should be at its best mid-2026+. (13.5% alc/vol) $16-$20
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2023
★★★½
From a wet growing season, this full-bodied, smooth wine was fermented and lees-aged in stainless steel tanks and oak barriques. Bright, light lemon/green, with a slightly creamy bouquet, it is dry, with lively, peachy, gently toasty flavours, woven with fresh acidity and considerable complexity. (13.5% alc/vol) $16-$20
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2024
★★★★
This bright, pale pink wine is fresh, light-bodied and very lively, with delicate strawberry and watermelon flavours, crisp and basically dry. Full of youthful drive, it’s currently delicious. (12.5% alc/vol) $16-$20
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2022
★★★★
This youthful, graceful red delivers good value. Full-coloured, it is a fragrant medium-to-full-bodied wine with very good depth of vibrant plum and black pepper flavours, a distinct touch of complexity and a smooth, harmonious, lingering finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $20-$22
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2023
Priced right, this ruby-hued red was aged in French oak barriques. Mouthfilling and supple, it is still youthful, with fresh, lively cherry, plum and spice flavours, savoury notes adding complexity and very good depth, vigour and harmony. (13.5% alc/vol) $22-$26
Wine of the week:Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024
★★★★
This great-value, strongly varietal wine was fermented and lees-aged in tanks. Bright, light lemon/green, it is highly aromatic, vibrant and tangy. Balancing ripe, passionfruit-like flavours with green capsicum-evoking notes, it shows very good vigour and intensity. (12.5% alc/vol) $16-$20
