Recent Awards

Villa Maria strives to produce wines of a consistently high standard. This pursuit of quality and excellence has led Villa Maria to become the most awarded winery in New Zealand.

We are proud to share some of our recent award wins:

International Wine Challenge 2013 (United Kingdom)

• Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Sauvignon Blanc 2012
  Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Syrah 2010

Easter Show Wine Awards 2013 (New Zealand)

• Trophy:
  Champion Merlot - Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2010
• Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Gewürztraminer 2012
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Gewürztraminer 2010
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Dry Riesling 2011
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2009
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2010
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection  Hawkes Bay Syrah 2011
  Silver:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Grenache 2010
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Viognier 2011
  Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Arneis 2012

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Winestate magazine Wine of the Year Awards 2012 (Australasia)

The winning wines were selected after a blind taste-off of the best 11,000 Australasian wines sampled by Winestate's expert judging panel over the past 12 months. To be considered for the Awards, a wine must have previously achieved 4.5 to 5 Stars by judges drawn from professional winemakers and the wine industry across Australia and New Zealand (including New Zealand Editor, Michael Cooper). Villa Maria was thrilled to be once again named as the New Zealand Wine Company of the Year.

• Trophy:
  Villa Maria named as New Zealand Wine Company of the Year 2012
  Merlot - Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2009
• Rated Top Five in Class:
  Merlot - Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2009 & Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2010
  Riesling - Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Dry Riesling 2011

Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2012

• Trophy:
  Champion Exhibition White or Sparkling Wine - Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2011
  Champion Merlot - Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2010
• Pure Elite Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2010
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Omahu Gravels Viognier 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010
• Elite Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2009
• Pure Gold:
  Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Noble Riesling Botrytis Selection 2011
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2010 
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2010
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Grenache 2010
  Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Pinot Gris 2012
  Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2011
• Gold:
  Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2007
  Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah 2009
• Pure Silver:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
  Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Arneis 2012
  Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Dry Riesling 2012

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Five Nations Wine Challenge 2012

• Double Gold:
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Grenache 2007 (& second in Other Red Varieties class)
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2011
• Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Sauvignon Blanc 2011
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2009

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Marlborough Wine Show 2012 (New Zealand)

• Trophy:
  Champion Pinot Noir 2009 and older - Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2009
• Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2009
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Sauvignon Blanc 2012
  Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Dry Riesling 2011
• Silver:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010

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Hawkes Bay A&P Wine Awards 2012 (New Zealand)

• Trophy:
  Chardonnay - Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2011
• Gold:
  Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Merlot 2009
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2010
• Silver:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 

Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2012 (New Zealand)

• Trophy:
  Champion Wine Producer - jointly awarded to Villa Maria Estate and Mount Riley
• Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Seddon Pinot Gris 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Seddon Pinot Noir 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2009
  Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Dry Riesling 2011
  Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Dry Riesling 2012

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New Zealand International Wine Show 2012

• Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Gewurztraminer 2010
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Seddon Pinot Noir 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Gisborne Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2010
  Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Viognier 2010
  
• Silver:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet 2010
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Dry Riesling 2011
  Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Organic Gewurztraminer 2011
  Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012

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New World Wine Awards 2012 (New Zealand)

• Gold:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Dry Riesling 2011
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Viognier 2010
  Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Gewürztraminer 2011
  Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Viognier 2010

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Japan Wine Challenge 2012

• Gold:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010

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Bragato Wine Awards 2012 (New Zealand)

• Trophy:
  Champion Wine of Show - Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2011
  Champion Chardonnay - Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2011
  Sustainability -Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2011
  Champion Merlot - Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Merlot 2009
  Champion Other Red Wine - Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Malbec 2009
• Pure Gold:
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Ihumatao Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2011
  Villa Maria Single Vineyard Omahu Gravels Viognier 2010
  Villa Maria Reserve Gimblett Gravels Malbec 2009
  Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Merlot 2009
• Gold:
  Villa Maria Reserve Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2008
• Pure Silver:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Late Harvest Sémillon 2011
  Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Arneis 2011

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International Cool Climate Wine Show 2012 (Australia)

• Gold:
  Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2010

Gisborne Regional Wine Awards 2012 (New Zealand)

• Trophy: 
  Supreme Wine of Show - Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2010
• Best in Class:
  Chardonnay - Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2010
  Viognier - Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Viognier 2010
• Gold:
  Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Gisborne Chardonnay 2010
  Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Viognier 2010

Decanter World Wine Awards 2012 (United Kingdom)

• Gold:
  Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010

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