Villa Maria

In 1961, at just 21 years of age, George leased five acres of land from his father in Mangere, Auckland and started off with just an acre of vines. He harvested his first grapes in 1962 and made his first wine under the name Villa Maria.

Throughout the 1960s Villa Maria was a one-man band, with George’s wife, Gail, supporting him in his venture. He made dry red and white wines, sourcing grapes from the greater Auckland regions. In the early 1970s he started to employ staff and the company began to expand rapidly.

Today, Villa Maria employs more than 250 permanent staff and exports wine to over 50 countries worldwide.

George Fistonich has spent five decades at the forefront of New Zealand’s wine industry that he helped develop. As an icon of the New Zealand wine industry, we are known for bold and industry-changing moves such as moving to 100% screwcap through to the emphasis on sustainable practices in every area of the family owned company.

Auckland

Located in the North Island, Auckland is New Zealand's largest urban area. The Auckland region is the most populous area in the country. Auckland has a warm-temperate climate, with warm, humid summers and mild, damp winters. The average temperature in the Auckland region is 15.3°C. Auckland enjoys a warm coastal climate without extreme temperatures. The Vineyard Park with its volcanic soils, is planted with Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Verdelho.

Gisborne

The region covers 8,355km2, is located in the northeaster corner of the North island and is also referred to as the East Cape or East Coast. The population of the region is 46,8000 (June 2012), will almost three quarters of those living in the city of Gisborne. Gisborne is one of the sunniest places in New Zealand with average yearly sunshine of around 2200 hours. Temperatures of 38°C have been recorded and an average 65 days a year reach a maximum of over 24°C. Gisborne has bountiful sunshine but it can also suffer from frequent autumn rainfall. Gisborne's climate is generally characterised by warm summers and mild winters. The key grape varietals grown in Gisborne include those that need plenty of sunshine but ripen early on in the autumn, like Chardonnay. This us the varietal most planted by Villa Maria Estate in the Gisborne region.

Hawkes Bay

Hawkes Bay is located on the East Coast of the  North Island. The main urban areas are Napier and Hastings. Hawkes Bay has 2198 hours of sunshine in an average year. Hawke's Bay's long, hot summers and cool winters offer the best weather for growing grapes. The climate is dry and temperate. The region offers myriad soil types and a climate ideal for growing a range of grape varietals. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the major grape varietals planted in the region.

Marlborough

Marlborough is located in the northeast of the South Island. Blenheim is the region's capital. It also has the largest population of the area. Because much of the Marlborough region is sheltered by high country to the west, south and in some areas to the east, it is New Zealand's sunniest region with 2435 hours of sunshine. International demand for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has allowed the region’s wine industry to blossom. In recent years, Marlborough has seen newer varietals from this region flourish, particularly Pinot Noir.

Being environmentally responsible is inherent in the long term view we take of the wine business. As a family owned New Zealand business. We at Villa Maria believe that sustainability is not an end point but a journey and therefore we are always finding ways to embed sustainable principles into the culture of the organisation.

ISO14001

An environmental management system that systematically reduces the environmental impact of our wine production

Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ)

We have been a member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) since its inception in 1995. All of our company vineyards and winery sites are either accredited by SWNZ or in the case of new sites, in the process of gaining accreditation.

BIOGRO

In February 2009, we were the first major New Zealand winery to achieve BioGro organic certification for our winery and bottling facilities in Auckland, enabling us to trace organic certification for our organic wines from grape to bottle.

Certified emissions measurement and reduction scheme (CEMARS)

CEMARS is an internationally recognised carbon reduction programme developed in New Zealand by Landcare Research and focuses solely on measuring and managing an organisation’s carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions profile.

In 2010 we started measuring all carbon emissions from the growing of grapes, winemaking and bottling as well as contributing emissions from vehicles, freight, air travel and manufacture of packaging. If you can measure it, you can manage it!

We lay claim to the title of New Zealand's most awarded winery for over 30 years! George Fistonich believes that the secret to Villa Maria’s success does not lie in chasing awards but rather focusing on making superior quality wine that consumers can readily enjoy. Get this right and the awards naturally follow.