New Zealand Chardonnay – Villa Maria Vineyards and Winery

My second wine in the Villa Maria tasting series is a Chardonnay from the Marlborough region of New Zealand – the 2015 Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Chardonnay (www.villamaria.co.nz).

New Zealand has two islands that cover 1000 miles and 11 wine regions. The Marlborough region is on the South Island with the largest harvest of grapes in the country. Chardonnay is the 2nd largest variety of grapes harvested. This region is the sunniest in New Zealand with a . The cool temperatures with a well drained stoney climate provide great growing conditions for the Chardonnay varietal.

The Taylors Pass Vineyard is located in the northern side of the Atware River. This is a single vineyard Chardonnay with a citrus nose featuring lemon zest. Taylors Pass Chardonnay has a fruit forward taste with flavors of white peach and almond. The hand picked grapes in this Chardonnay were 100% barrel oak fermented for 8 weeks. This is a medium bodied Chardonnay with a nice vanilla finish.

Taylors Pass Chardonnay would pair well with any poultry or light pasta dish. At $26 per bottle this is an excellent Chardonnay to share with good friends. Introduce your friends to the richness of New Zealand Chardonnay and the natural winemaking of Villa Maria.

Remember to drink what it is that makes you truly happy and always think positively!

Drink Responsibly!

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