Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Tee rated this wine as 91/100

Carola Price rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Clear and light but bursting with cantaloupe, flint, some grass and passion fruit. Medium bodied and flavours of kiwi, melon and grassy notes continue through a long finish. Acidity is there and never overpowers the fruit. Excellent example of a food driven wine. Pair with fish dishes like Baja fish tacos, spicy scallop sushi, Salade Nicoise and medium bodied cheeses like Camembert. Drink now

Greg Hughes rated this wine as 91/100 with the following review:

Villa Maria was one of the first New Zealand wineries to captivate the wine market's attention with their vibrant Sauvignon Blanc. They've been making wine since the 1960s, but have only been in Marlborough since 2000. Like other large New Zealand wineries, Sauv Blancs like this are their mainstay.
Pale lemon-green. This wine was made very anaerobically to preserve freshness and there's a little CO2 that shimmers out.
The aromas are classic NZ. Sweet pea, kiwi, lemon and lime, juniper, with a racy minerality you can even smell.
The flavours are crisp and fresh without being too acidic. It is very well made. Loads of tropical fruit carry through. Kiwi, guava, more vegative pea pod, granny smith apple, and pineapple.
If someone tells you NZ Sauv Blancs like this can age, it can but it loses all of its freshness. Drink it now.

rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

The Cellar Selection has the classic profile of a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc: the herbaceous aromas of grass and predominant flavours of green pepper, lime, and melon. On the palate a mild white pepper flavour also emerged. While not my preference for a sipping wine, it does pair very well with more robust seafood and fish dishes or spicy Thai cuisine.

Rachelle O'Connor rated this wine as 88/100 with the following review:

Another well received representation of a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from the award winning winery, Villa Maria. There are delicious aromas of passion fruit, lime, roasted bell peppers and fresh thyme. The palate does not disappoint with loads of grapefruit and a balanced acidity. This would be a delightful match with pan-seared sea scallops, truffle aioli and a BBQ medley of veggies.

Douglas McMillan rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Similar to their Private Bin Sauvignon Blanc, but with more pronounced mango and passionfruit aromas. The pineapple and fresh cut grass are still there of course, but this is a little fruitier giving it a different balance. The taste is crisp and fresh, again with a little more tropical fruit than their other offering. This wine lends itself a little more towards a slightly spicy chicken or pork dish.

David Skinner rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Light straw colour and clean. Hints of tropical fruit and melon, on the nose accented by passionfruit and herbs. Medium bodied and full of grapefruit and lime flavours. Solid acidity and a crisp finish that lingers.

Grapes for this sauvignon Blanc were sourced equally from the Wairau and Awatere valleys. A very balanced profile of tropical and citrus. Left on its lees to develop more character.

Perfect for sea scallops in saffron cream sauce.

Jon Steeves rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

The 2015 vintage yields from Marlborough with 50% from Awatere valley and 50% from Wairau valley. Pale straw colour, this wine is 13%ABV and is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. 7.2gL acidity, 3.2gL residual sugar. This is a food friendly medium-bodied, medium-acidity, flavourful young wine, and ready to enjoy. The 2015 vintage produced a strong year with high sunshine, low rainfall near harvest and near perfect fruit ripeness. This juicy white features aromatics of wild thyme sprigs (citrus), sage leaf, flinty minerality, and a hint of ripe honeydew melon and guava. This wine is calling to be enjoyed with ocean-based proteins such as sea scallops or lightly pan seared delicate fish.

Monique Sosa rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

A wine's conception "intended with food in mind" (says the Villa Maria Production Winemaker). Indeed it is! The aromas come off more herbaceous than the other series of Sauv Bl from Villa Maria's portfolio but this is classic for cool climate (interior Awatere & Wairau valley) Marlborough terroir. Aromas are dominated by basil, green bean and tomato leaf characters along with some citrus fruit (lime and grapefruit). On the palate, the citrus notes dominate. This wine is medium bodied with balanced acidity and a slightly mouthcoating texture. The herbaceous notes remind me a lot of hops in beers. I would, no doubt, pair this wine with South Asian cuisine.

Sean O'Regan rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Pale straw colour, nose shows herbal notes along with tropical passion fruit and citrus grapefruit and lime.Good depth and concentration repeating the nose along with a leesy/mineral undertone on the lingering finish. Pan fried bass with lightly herbed white sauce would work well. Tasted Sept 2015 at Villa Maria winemaker lunch.

Matt Steeves rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

A very popular food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand's most awarded winery, Villa Maria. The Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc shows expressive flinty minerality, guava, lime, stone fruit, and herbal notes. Aged on its lees to add texture and complexity, the palate is dry with chalky fine tannins wrapped up in a beautiful bouquet of sweet exotic fruit. Enjoy with rich seafood pasta. Tasted September 2015. 89 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca

Lynn van der Linde rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Aromas of melon, pear, and freshly cut grass, with a palate that expresses a lingering and tangy grapefruit finish! Delicious with salmon or goat cheese dishes.