Villa Maria ′Cellar Selection′ Albariño 2020/21, Gisborne

In 1962 George Fistonich – now Sir George – told his father he was quitting carpentry to try his hand at making wine. His gamble more than paid off. His estate is now not just a household name, but New Zealand’s most-awarded winery. Sauvignon Blanc lovers will know that New Zealand is the place to go for wines with mouth-watering freshness. But the true potential of new grape varieties grown here are just being discovered. Albariño is fairly new to Villa Maria’s repertoire, but it thrives in Gisborne’s sunshine. More importantly, the region’s cool nights mean that the grapes retain their acidity, giving it delicious crisp and refreshing flavours. It has fresh, zingy flavours of lime, peach, apricot and honeysuckle that are ideal with seafood served with a squeeze of lemon.