Villa Maria Estate Taylors Pass Vineyard 2014 Wine Review

Villa Maria Estate Taylors Pass Vineyard 2014

Marlborough, New Zealand

Community Score:91/100

Community Reviews: 5

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Price: $35.00

Drink: 2016-2019

Bottle size: 750 ml

Alcohol: 13%

Sweetness: Dry

Wine Type: White Wine

Winery: Villa Maria

Agent: Philippe Dandurand Wines Ltd.

Natalie's Score: 93/100

A luxurious New Zealand Chardonnay from one of the country's most iconic producers. Smokey and toasty yet not heavy. Golden layers of orchard fruit on the palate. Pair with grilled chicken.

This Villa Maria Estate Taylors Pass Vineyard 2014 was reviewed on January 8, 2017 by Natalie MacLean

Pricing & Stock Information

LCBO
495010
$35.00
Check Stock

Reviews and Ratings

Pamela Chiles rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

A beautifully crafted and nuanced Chardonnay. Aromas are bundled and very fine - stone fruit, citrus, nuts and nettle. Subtle, balanced and harmonious with a medium-long, fine finish of lemon zest, almond, and hint of flinty smoke. Seek this one out and pair with a snowy mountain view!

Lori Kilmartin WSET3 - WSET3 Sommelier rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

This is a beautiful chardonnay from the Villa Maria winery. Having met the winemaker at Villa Maria and seen his passion firsthand for crafting premium wines I am not surprised. There are many layers including a smokey undertone. White stone fruit fruit, citrus and vanilla. There's a lot going on! Nicely balanced fruit and acidity. Serve with chicken in a rich creamy sauce. Tasted November 29, 2016

Lynn van der Linde - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

Gorgeous bright pale yellow in the glass, with a harmony of tropical fruits, red apple, toasted cedar, and a hint of smoke. A luscious mouth feel as a result of the malolactic fermentation, ending in a long velvety fruit finish.
Wonderful with soft cheeses and a variety of hors d'oeuvres over the holidays.
Tasted Nov 2016.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES: Champion Wine of the Show –New Zealand International Wine Show 2015Champion Chardonnay Trophy –New Zealand International Wine Show 2015 Gold –New Zealand International Wine Show 2015Pure Gold -Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2015
WINEMAKER’S COMMENT: This is a mineral driven wine style showcasing complex aromas of lemon rind, gun smoke and brioche forming a distinctive Taylors Pass Vineyard characteristic. This elegant Chardonnay displays stylish finesse, expressing flavour profiles of citrus, white peach and almond with subtle integrated oak enhancing the restrained seamless finish.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Pan fried Hapuku(grouper) cheeks in lemon and butter marinade or sautéed scallops with a rocket and melon salad.
VINEYARD & WINEMAKING This single vineyard site in the Awatere Valley is sheltered from the cooling southern weather patterns, resulting in a very warm mesoclimate allowing grapes to easily achieve physiological ripeness and fruit concentration in a cool climate region. In 2014, Marlborough had a warmer than usual spring, followed by a temperate summer, and a cool autumn. All grapes for this wine were harvested in late March 2014.
FRUIT HANDLING: Hand harvested, whole bunch pressed FERMENTATION: 100% barrel fermentation including 30% new oak, a mixture of natural fermentation, the remainder inoculated with traditional isolated yeast strains. 100% malolactic fermentation, wine spending total of 8 months in oak. VINEYARD: The picturesque Taylors Pass Vineyard is located on the meandering Awatere River in Marlborough. With soils ranging from silt over gravels to stony gravels, the vineyard consistently produces intense, concentrated fruit.
VARIETIES : 95% Chardonnay clone 95, 5% Chardonnay clone 15pH: 3.33TOTAL ACIDITY : 5.9gLALCOHOL 14.0%RESIDUAL SUGAR: 1gL

Source: Winery (Villa Maria Estate)

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Villa Maria Estate Taylors Pass Vineyard 2014 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 93/100

Pricing & Stock Information