Villa Maria launches ‘flagship’ £90 Ngakirikiri wine

New Zealand’s Villa Maria has launched its most expensive wine to date, naming its Ngakirikiri from the Gimblett Gravels as the brand’s new flagship wine.

Villa Maria’s Ngakirikiri was officially launched in November 2016 and carries an RRP of £90 – the most expensive wine the producer has ever launched.

Nagkirikiri (nah-kiri-kiri), which means ‘The Gravels’ in Maori, is made from a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot from the Gimblett Gravels in Hawke’s Bay, on New Zealand’s north island, and was officially launched in November 2016.

First released with the 2013 vintage, it is made from vines with an average age of 22-years-old, de-stemmed and aged in French barriques for 18 months, 52% new. Just 1,000 cases have been produced.

At £90 a bottle, it is the most expensive wine that Villa Maria has ever released, and will only be produced in the very best years.

“2013 was considered an amazing vintage, said Karen Fistonich, chair of the Villa Maria board and the daughter of its chief winemaker Sir George Fistonich, the founder and owner of Villa Maria. “My father was calling it the vintage of the century, but then next two vintages were fabulous as well.

“It will only be released when the vintage is up to it but given that  the ’14 and ’15 were amazing vintages as well, I’m sure there will be follow up vintages hot on their heels. They are all competing for the vintage of the century.”

During the 2013 vintage, the region was officially declared in drought by February, with the average rainfall for January through to March just 21mm – 25% less than the average – with cool nights moderating warmer daytime temperatures and allowing for a slower ripening period.

Karen Fistonich

Gimblett Gravels is one sub region of New Zealand’s Hawke’s Bay, which also comprises Hastings and Bridge Pa. It’s known for its Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in particular, with Bordeaux style blends its calling card.

The Gimblett Gravels appellation itself is a little over three decades old, planted with just 800 hectares of vines, and is known for its gravely soils laid down by the old Ngaruroro River, which were exposed after a huge flood in the 1860’s.

“Everyone knows about Marlborough but Hawke’s Bay and the Gimblett Gravels has a lot of potential and is a very limited area,” adds Fistonich.

“It such a fabulous wine growing region and we have the largest area of plantings there. Our chief winemaker tried a few bottles to get a wine that had the potential to be the flagship, but he really wanted to be sure.

“There were a few before he nailed it. This is a wine that we really wanted as our flagship wine. We have had a few over the years, which were fabulous, but they just weren’t quite there.”

The Ngakirikiri is available in the UK through Hatch Mansfield.