Villa Maria Methode Traditionelle Nv

As the most successful exhibitor in wine judging competitions over the last two decades, Villa Maria has one of the strongest portfolios in the country. However, if there was any one weakness, one style of wine that Villa Maria had not conquered, it was Methode Traditionnelle. This changed with the release of this wine last year. It is the result of a special project instructed by owner George Fistonich and conducted by then chief winemaker Corey Ryan. It is a superb, full-bodied, robust wine, with a style reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of Veuve Clicquot and Gosset. Showing plenty of black fruits character, and bread-like autolysis complexities, there are citrus, savoury and nutty notes adding to the interest. Possessing an excellent texture, it has the breadth and structure to handle a variety of foods. It is a multi-regional blend; being 62% Pinot Noir from Hawke’s Bay, 6% Pinot Noir from Ihumatao, Auckland, and 32% Chardonnay from Marlborough. Fermented with a selected Champagne yeast, the wine spent three years on lees and incorporates base wine going back to the 2003 vintage. The wine is 12.5% alc and carries only 3.5 g/l residual sugar. The bottle is sealed with a crown cap, which harks back to the closure used in aging Champagne ‘en tirage’.  RC Jan 10

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