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Buy OnlineFrom the famed Soler vineyard and an excellent Hawkes Bay vintage, the Villa Maria team have produced a Merlot Cabernet that is soft, generous and a pleasure to drink. Ripe black fruit flavours are complemented by chocolate, vanilla spice characters. Excellent buying!
Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"Our key focus is to be environmentally responsible and to operate using sustainable practices in order to protect the land for future generations. Villa Maria has farmed organically since 2002 gaining Biogro certification in 2009. Our Organic vineyards are vibrant gardens alive with wildflowers and full of life. The Soler and Te Awa Vineyards are planted on free draining gravel soils well suited to applying organic farming principles
Deep purple coloured hues lead to a perfumed nose of dark fruits, cocoa, sweet vanilla and clove spices. The full bodied palate is soft and generous with ripe fruit, silky tannins and a smooth finish. Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blends are particularly good when paired with robust, full flavoured dishes both with red meat and without. Drink now or hold for up to 5-8 years when the wine will develop further complexity.
The 2021 vintage in Hawke's Bay followed an incredible summer, with our red grapes in particular experiencing superb conditions for ripening. Upon crushing, the grapes were fermented on skins with gentle handling to allow the infusion of flavours from the grapes into the resulting wine. Post fermentation, the wine was pressed to tank then barreled for aging before blending and bottling 12 months later."
5 Stars & 93/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, July 2022 (2021 Vintage)
"A beautifully composed Bordeaux-style red, the fragrant bouquet shows blackcurrant, sweet cherry, vanilla, green olive and hazelnut aromas. The palate displays excellent weight and roundness, well complemented by spicy nuances and fine polished tannins. At its best: now to 2029."
Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, July 2022 (2021 Vintage)
"Bright, fresh, youthful and dark fruited bouquet. Aromas and flavours of fresh Doris plums and black berry fruits. There’s a range of dark spices from clove to anise then toasty barrel with sweet wood suggestions. Fleshy core fruit textures touch the palate first with firm ripe tannins and back bone of acidity. Well made, youthful, fresh and delicious. A style that will suit many red wine fans. Food friendly as well with best drinking from mid to late 2023 through 2030+."
4 Stars Michael Cooper (2021 Vintage)
"Certified organic, the 2021 vintage has deep, youthful colour. Full of drink-young charm, it is mouthfilling, with strong plum, berry and spice flavours to the fore, a hint of blackcurrants, savoury notes adding a touch of complexity, supple tannins and a smooth finish. Best drinking mid-2023+."
