Winery

Villa Maria has three modern wineries. The stunning Auckland winery and vineyard park is built in the collapsed crater of an extinct volcano and was opened in 2005. A dedicated visitor centre is open to the public 7 days a week, offering tastings and tours of the winery. The Marlborough winery is set amid gorgeous scenery just outside the small town of Blenheim. The most recent addition, the state-of-the-art Gimblett Gravels winery, is nestled in the heart of Hawkes Bay’s prestigious growing region and opened in 2018.

At Villa Maria, winemaking is very much a team effort. Guardian of the group’s winemaking, is Nick Picone. Supporting Nick are Helen Morrison, the Villa Maria Chief Marlborough Winemaker and Oliver Powrie, Company Viticulturist.

Our winemaking philosophy is inspired by George’s vision to create wines that are as delicious as they are accessible. Wines made for the moment that encapsulate the unique characters of our Kiwi vineyards and climate, that are as nature intended, clean, fresh, intensely varietal and elegant.

Villa Maria is certified to the following quality standards:

1. ISO 9001 : 2000 Quality Management System
2. ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard
3. British Retail Consortium Standards – Higher Level Certification
4. HACCP – Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (Food Safety Management System)