Kiwis are drinking a lot less wine, with our annual consumption dropping from 21.2 litres per capita in 2015 to an estimated 16.6 litres in 2023. So, there’s no shortage of good wine on the shelves, and plenty of real bargains.
I recently tasted 18 new releases from Villa Maria, which also owns the Vidal, Esk Valley and Thornbury brands. Here are my picks, in terms of their notable value for money.
Villa Maria Earth Garden Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023
★★★★
Certified organic, this full-bodied wine is a very satisfying mouthful, with generous, ripe, tropical-fruit flavours. It is fresh, crisp, dry and vigorous. (13% alc/vol) $18-$20
Villa Maria Reserve Clifford Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023
★★★★★
Named after Clifford Bay, into which the Awatere River empties, this intensely varietal wine is mostly from coastal sites. Fresh, punchy, and tightly structured, it has excellent vigour and depth of passionfruit, melon and green capsicum flavours, a hint of saltiness and a basically dry, crisp, lasting finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $20-$25
Vidal Reserve Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2023
★★★★½
This refined wine was grown in the Keltern Vineyard at Maraekakaho and Phoenix Vineyard, in the Tuki Tuki Valley. Partly barrel-fermented and aged on its yeast lees for nine months, it has vibrant, citrusy, peachy flavours gently seasoned with toasty oak, a hint of butterscotch and excellent delicacy and depth. Best drinking 2026+. (13% alc/vol) $20
Villa Maria Private Bin Hawke’s Bay Rosé 2023
★★★½
Priced right, this pale pink wine is a merlot-based blend, with smaller amounts of syrah and malbec. Fresh and lively, it has good depth of peach and watermelon flavours, gentle spicy notes and a dryish, crisp finish. (12.5% alc/vol) $15
Villa Maria Private Bin Hawke’s Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
★★★★
This bargain-priced red was aged for 18 months in tanks and oak barrels. Full-coloured and mouthfilling, it has strong, youthful plum/spice flavours, hints of herbs and spices, savoury notes adding complexity and a moderately firm finish. Still developing, it should be at its best mid-2025+. (12.5% alc/vol) $15
Wine of the week
Vidal Reserve Hawke’s Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
★★★★½
Looking for a classy, great-value red? Grown in the Gimblett Gravels and matured for 18 months in French oak barrels, this 4-year-old is mouthfilling, with strong red berry and blackcurrant flavours, finely integrated oak, spicy, nutty notes adding complexity and ripe, supple tannins. Best drinking 2026+. (13.5% alc/vol). $20
