The Story

It is not easy to tell your Dad that you are quitting a career in carpentry to try your hand at making wine. But in 1961, at the age of 21, that’s exactly what Sir George Fistonich did. He leased five acres of land from his father, planted one acre with grapes and started making wine under the name ‘Villa Maria’. Since those first cuttings took hold in the soil out in Mangere, near Auckland, Villa Maria have been determined to be at the cutting edge of quality winegrowing.

Our wines are born of the unique terroir of Aotearoa New Zealand. Grown sustainably in wind cooled valleys and wide river plains, between shifting mountains and crashing seas, and bottled at our winery in the crater of a volcano. Embracing our founding values and heritage, we look to the future and see the potential of the unique wine experiences we can capture, craft and share with the world.