Proudly family-owned, Villa Maria sources grapes from the best of New Zealand's wine-growing regions to produce wines of exceptional quality.
The journey began in 1961 when George Fistonich started with just an acre of vines in Auckland. Now an icon of the New Zealand wine industry, Villa Maria is known for bold and industry-changing moves with an emphasis on sustainable practices in every area.
"As a family company, the desire to leave something for the next generation is an ever-present and overriding business objective" - Sir George Fistonich, Founder and Owner.
Villa Maria believes is critical to crafting world-class wines and creating a viticultural landscape built for longevity and sustainability.
They continue to work toward sustainability goals, taking steps towards zero waste, reducing carbon emissions, and encouraging biodiversity for healthy vineyards. As guardians of the land, they work in harmony with it, cultivate their connection to it, and honor the gifts it provides.
When you taste Villa Maria wines, you taste the care put into the soil, the conscious tending of the vines, the careful handling of the fruit produced, and the respect for the relationship with the land.
With vineyards spanning Auckland, Marlborough, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay, Villa Maria is able to interpret terroir and experiment with sustainability practices on a grand scale—leading to innovations with massive impacts that can be shared throughout the country as more vintners move toward sustainable, low-impact farming techniques.
Villa Maria began farming organically in 1999, and 30 percent of their company-owned vineyards are currently managed organically.
Villa Maria became the first major winery in New Zealand to gain BioGro certification in 2009, from grape to bottle and everything in between.
Combining quality with innovation has set Villa Maria apart since its founding, leading the estate to its status as New Zealand’s most-awarded winery. And there’s no doubt this Kiwi powerhouse will remain a leader in New Zealand and beyond.