Villa Maria Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc 2018
- Decanter
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Wilfred
Wong -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc has lifted aromatics of fresh garden peas and blackcurrants mingled with herbs such as coriander. On the palate are concentrated flavors of jalapeño and grapefruit, with a punchy finish of lime zest and a hint of gunflint. A key point of interest in this wine is the chalky texture reminiscent of wet river stones.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Our sole Sauvignon Blanc representative in the Best In Show class this year comes from Marlborough rather than any of the key Northern Hemisphere sites, but our judges loved the way in which this was not necessarily obvious from its profile. With its fresh, sappy, crushed-spring-leaf aromas and limpid, long, vinous yet tender profile in the mouth, this is simply great Sauvignon from an outstanding site rather than one of the overt or flamboyant Marlborough Sauvignons drinkers have become used to (and sometimes bored by). There's no shortage of charm either, though, with its whispered sweet-pea floral notes. Pretty and distracting enough to serve on its own on a warm afternoon, but with all the structure and sap to accompany food well, too. Marlborough is moving on. Drink 2019-2022
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: I have enjoyed the Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon on many occasions. The 2018 vintage is superb. TASTING NOTES: This satisfying wine exhibits tremendous and classic aromas and flavors of this grape variety. Its generous ripe fruit and dried herbs should pair exceptionally well with clams and mussels over al dente noodles. (Tasted: May 3, 2019, Treasure Island, CA)
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James Suckling
This is the top of Villa’s sauvignon offering. Attractive, fine lime and grapefruit fragrance here, as well as some lighter, almost perfumed notes and fresh, green-leafed herbs. The palate is wrapped in neatly with a nicely cut interplay of concentrated fruit in the nectarine and green-mango spectrum and assertive acidity. A refined style.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Sauvignon Blanc features greenish notes of celery leaves and green tomatoes, but there's a core of pineapple and citrus fruit. It's medium-bodied, crisp, clean and long, with admirable concentration.
Other Vintages
2022-
James
Suckling - Decanter
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Robert
Parker
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James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
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Enthusiast
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James
Suckling -
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Panel - Vinous
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Robert
Parker -
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Enthusiast
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Robert
Parker
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Founded in 1961 from humble beginnings, Villa Maria is a story of pioneering spirit and a desire to champion the best of New Zealand wine.
From the cool climate region of Marlborough, famous for crisp, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc, to the sun-soaked Hawkes Bay producing world-class reds, their wine is a unique expression of their extraordinary land, passion for excellence and bold spirit.
Their portfolio of highly awarded wines is the most stylistically and regionally diverse in New Zealand, setting them apart and consistently delivering a rewarding wine experience.
As the leading winemakers in Marlborough with an unwavering focus on quality and sustainability, Villa Maria wines are distinctive, vibrant, and most importantly, delicious.
Today, Villa Maria is globally recognized and adored for bold, expressive, and exceptional New Zealand wines.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
An icon and leading region of New Zealand's distinctive style of Sauvignon blanc, Marlborough has a unique terroir, making it ideal for high quality grape production (of many varieties). Despite some common generalizations, which could be fairly justified given that Marlborough is responsible for 90% of New Zealand's Sauvignon blanc production, the wines from this region are actually anything but homogenous. At the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, the vineyards of Marlborough benefit from well-draining, stony soils, a dry, sunny climate and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night, a phenomenon that supports a perfect balance between berry ripeness and acidity.
The region’s king variety, Sauvignon blanc, is beloved for its pungent, aromatic character with notes of exotic tropical fruit, freshly cut grass and green bell pepper along with a refreshing streak of stony minerality. These wines are made in a wide range of styles, and winemakers take advantage of various clones, vineyard sites, fermentation styles, lees-stirring and aging regimens to differentiate their bottlings, one from one another.
Also produced successfully here are fruit-forward Pinot noirs (especially where soils are clay-rich), elegant Riesling, Pinot gris and Gewürztraminer.