Watch Wine Channel TV CEO Jessica Altieri and Villa Maria Winemaker Helen Morrison at the Open Another World ™ event in Chicago. Jessica and Helen talk about the newest addition to the award winning wines of Villa Maria – Bubbly Sauvignon Blanc.
Villa Maria was formed back in 1961 by Sir George Fistonich on 1 acre of land leased from his father and is still managed and owned by Sir George today. He has grown it from 1 brand to 9 key brands, 120 products across 60 markets. Key markets are USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Europe and Asia.
From the Villa Maria Open Another World™ press release:
“The campaign will kick off with a tour from Los Angeles to Miami with events taking place Jun. 7 through Aug. 4 in various cities. In keeping with the brand’s history of marching to the beat of their own drum—for example, Villa Maria was the first major New Zealand winery to convert entirely to screwcap closures in 2001—the tour won’t just be a typical wine tasting. The winery has retained a troupe of improvisational actors to tell the story of Villa Maria and founder Sir George Fistonich’s rise from a one man operation to a global brand in just five decades, overcoming some pretty incredible odds along the way.
The theatrical performance, “Of Grapes & Grit: The Not Completely Apocryphal Story of Sir George Fistonich, Villa Maria and the New Zealand Wine Industry” will highlight the many milestones in the winery’s history and its contributions to the New Zealand wine industry overall, for which Sir George received a knighthood in 2009. The performance, which will include audience participation, will creatively explore key events such as when the winery went into receivership during the mid-1980s due to price wars and the actions taken by Sir George and his employees to save the winery; to the unique and sometimes quirky personalities behind the wine, including a winemaker who serenades Villa Maria’s vines.
The Villa Maria story is one of passion. Each wine is crafted in the unique, fruit-driven style of New Zealand, showcasing the very best of the country’s distinct wine regions. Villa Maria sources grapes from New Zealand’s premium grape growing regions, including Marlborough and Hawkes Bay, and produces wines in state-of-the-art winemaking facilities in Auckland and Marlborough. The winery Sir George Fistonich started in 1961 is still family owned and stands as an icon of superior quality and innovation in New Zealand winemaking. In 2017, Drinks International named Villa Maria the most admired wine brand in New Zealand and the fourth most admired in the world. To learn more, visit www.villamariawine.com. Follow Villa Maria on social at Facebook @VillaMariaWine, Twitter @VillaMaria_Wine, and Instagram @VillaMariaWines.”
Enjoy the video at the WeWork office in Chicago!