More than 25 years ago, a very special ceremony was held at the Ngakirikiri Vineyard in which the site was blessed by Māori elders. After the blessing, Sir George Fistonich planted vines on the century-old riverbed, long considered to be a majestic site with a reputation for astonishing and thought provoking wines.
More than two decades later, Villa Maria has released Ngakirikiri – a 2013 vintage wine featuring Bordeaux varietals (predominantly Cabernet-Sauvignon) that encapsulates Villa Maria’s 55 years of winemaking achievements.
“The passionate pursuit of quality, superior vineyard selection and impeccably timed grape-harvesting has allowed us to create this sophisticated, complex and rare wine,” says Sir George Fistonich.
Ngakirikiri will be positioned at the top of Villa Maria’s portfolio, only to be bottled when exceptional vintages produce truly outstanding wines for consideration.
“We’ve taken extraordinary care in every detail of this beautiful and rare wine,” says Nick Picone, Group Chief Winemaker. “From waiting until just the right moment to pick the fruit to the intricate care in handling of the grapes and resulting wine; from the distinctive label design to the deluxe packaging, we’ve made certain that every aspect of this wine exhibits the special attention that we took in creating it.”
