Villa Maria Estate

Sir George Fistonich was just 21 years old when he leased five acres of land from his father in Mangere, Auckland in 1961 and planted one acre of vines. The first wine under the Villa Maria name followed in 1962. The company grew substantially through the 1970s and 1980s as New Zealand wine found an international audience. In 2000 Villa Maria opened its Marlborough winery, followed by a new Auckland facility in 2005. George Fistonich was knighted in 2009 for his services to the New Zealand wine industry, and he also opened New Zealand's first licensed winery restaurant at Vidal Estate in Hawke's Bay in 1979.

• First vintage in 1962 from a single acre of vines in Mangere, Auckland, just one year after the land was leased
• Marlborough winery opened in 2000, followed by a new Auckland facility in 2005, reflecting the shift in production toward New Zealand's largest wine region
• Sir George Fistonich received his knighthood in 2009 for services to the New Zealand wine industry
• After selling Villa Maria, Sir George launched the boutique Cuvar Winery in Hawke's Bay in 2023

In 1987, Villa Maria Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 1986 won the inaugural Champion Wine of the Show at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, establishing the producer as a quality benchmark. By 2010, Villa Maria had accumulated 56 trophies at those awards, including three Champion Wine of the Show titles and six Runner's Up trophies, the highest total of any producer. The winery held the title of New Zealand's most awarded winery for over 30 consecutive years. Villa Maria is the number one New Zealand wine brand in the UK by volume and value.

• 56 trophies accumulated at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards through 2010, including 3 Champion Wine of the Show and 6 Runner's Up titles
• Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke's Bay Syrah 2018 won New Zealand Wine of the Year plus Champion Syrah at national awards
• Number one New Zealand wine brand in the UK by off-trade volume and value
• Trophy wins span multiple categories including Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah across domestic and international competitions

Villa Maria has six quality tiers: Private Bin, Cellar Selection, Reserve, Single Vineyard, Platinum Selection, and Ngakirikiri. The entry-level Private Bin blends Wairau and Awatere Valley fruit for consistent, fruit-driven style and is the range most widely available in global retail. Cellar Selection and Reserve tiers offer greater regional specificity and structure. The Single Vineyard range, released only in exceptional vintages, highlights individual sites such as Taylors Pass in Marlborough and Keltern in Hawke's Bay. Ngakirikiri is the icon wine: a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend from the Gimblett Gravels, produced only when conditions are truly exceptional.

• Private Bin: Entry-level, blending Wairau and Awatere Valley fruit for aromatic, fruit-driven Sauvignon Blanc available in major markets worldwide
• Reserve and Cellar Selection: Mid-to-premium tiers with regional specificity across Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Gisborne
• Single Vineyard: Site-specific releases including Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc and Keltern Chardonnay from Hawke's Bay, released only in exceptional vintages
• Ngakirikiri: Flagship Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend from the Gimblett Gravels, first produced in 2013 to mark 25 years of Villa Maria's presence in the appellation

Villa Maria operates across four New Zealand regions: Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, and Auckland. The Marlborough winery is the primary production hub, capable of processing large volumes during the focused harvest window. The Auckland site, located in the crater of a volcanic hill in Mangere, houses the packaging facility and a cellar door with restaurant. Hawke's Bay vineyards focus on premium reds from the Gimblett Gravels and Chardonnay from the Keltern vineyard, planted in 1999. Indevin, the parent company, controls supply from more than 3,000 hectares of vineyards across Marlborough, Gisborne, and Hawke's Bay.

• Marlborough: Primary production hub for Sauvignon Blanc from both the warmer Wairau Valley and the cooler, herb-driven Awatere Valley
• Hawke's Bay: Gimblett Gravels site for Ngakirikiri and Syrah; Keltern Vineyard for single-vineyard Chardonnay planted 1999 on ancient riverbed soils
• Gisborne: Source of Barrique Fermented Chardonnay and other white varieties from the Gisborne plains
• Auckland: Historic home base in Mangere with volcanic soils planted to Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Verdelho

Villa Maria prioritises ripeness in its Sauvignon Blanc wines, often picking later than other producers to ensure maximum fruit flavour balanced against the variety's natural acidity. The winery was a pioneer in sustainable viticulture, becoming a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand in 1995, and around 30 percent of its vineyards are certified organic under BioGro. The industry-changing move to 100% screwcap closures in 2001 reflected a philosophy of wine quality and consistency over convention. The EarthGarden range is sourced entirely from Villa Maria's certified organic vineyards in Marlborough.

• Later picking for Sauvignon Blanc to maximise fruit ripeness and balance powerful natural acidity, using gentle pressing to retain aromatics
• Founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (1995); approximately 30% of vineyards are BioGro certified organic
• First major wine company globally to move to 100% screwcap closures, implemented for the 2002 vintage
• Ngakirikiri yields are kept to 4.5 tonnes per hectare with bunch thinning to one bunch per shoot, prioritising quality over volume

Villa Maria's parent company FFWL, owned by Sir George Fistonich and his wife Karen, was placed into receivership in May 2021 after being unable to service debts to Rabobank and ANZ. Following a nine-month sale process managed by Calibre Partners and UBS, Marlborough-based Indevin agreed to acquire 100% of Villa Maria's shares in August 2021, with settlement completed on 30 September 2021. The sale included Villa Maria's Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland wineries, vineyards, and the brands Esk Valley, Vidal, Leftfield, and Thornbury. Indevin, which controls supply from more than 3,000 hectares of vineyards, stated its vision was to become the leading New Zealand global wine business, spearheaded by the Villa Maria brand.

• FFWL, Villa Maria's parent company, entered receivership in May 2021; sale completed to Indevin on 30 September 2021 for an undisclosed sum
• Indevin is a Marlborough-based, privately owned New Zealand wine company founded in 2003, with three wineries and over 3,000 hectares of vineyard supply
• Sale included all three wineries and brands Villa Maria, Esk Valley, Vidal, Leftfield, and Thornbury
• Indevin chairman Greg Tomlinson stated the acquisition was a logical step toward becoming the leading New Zealand global wine business