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New World Winery of the Year: Villa Maria |
Maria is one of New Zealand’s leading wineries. Founded in 1961 by its current owner and managing director, George Fistonich, the winery is 100% family-owned. The company’s primary focus is on the vineyards themselves, in order to produce the highest possible grape quality while respecting the importance of regional differences. Astute site selection is followed by superior vineyard management and then complemented by expert winemaking.
Villa Maria is also known for its innovations in its native country: a tiered system of payment for grape growers based on the fruit quality and the creation of reserve and single-vineyard wines. Through his ceaseless pursuit of quality, Fistonich and Villa Maria have made outstanding contributions not only to New Zealand wines, but also to the wine world in general.
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