Wineries tour delicious journey for UK travellers

Media release
October 1, 2009

Wineries tour a delicious journey for UK travellers

Guided tours of some of the country’s finest wineries are being packaged as an exclusive way to see New Zealand by a leading UK travel company.

Luxury tour escorts Journeys of Distinction have partnered with Villa Maria to offer the Villa Maria Tour of New Zealand Wineries, visiting a selection of our finest wineries including Villa Maria, Pegasus Bay, Felton Road, Palliser Estate and Craggy Range.

As well as sampling some of the best food and wine New Zealand has to offer, guests will enjoy some of New Zealand’s most scenic attractions including the Franz Josef glacier, The Remarkables mountain range in Queenstown and the historic mining town of Arrowtown along the way.

The partnership was celebrated at a launch event in London late last month hosted by Masterchef 2009 Mat Follas and New Zealand wine expert Quentin Sadler.

The Villa Maria Tour of New Zealand Wineries, which features in the 2010/2011 Journeys of Distinction brochure, is an exclusive 24-day, fully escorted small group tour, and the first of its kind for Journeys of Distinction.

Not only does the tour take in Villa Maria’s vineyards and facilities, guests will also visit other wineries in ‘The Family of Twelve’ group of like-minded, privately-owned wineries that formed a collective to focus their combined efforts on promoting the country’s wines around the world.

Fiona Mottershaw, brand manager for Villa Maria’s UK agent Hatch Mansfield, says Villa Maria is delighted to have created this wineries tour.

“The Family of Twelve partnership is a perfect base for exploring the wines of New Zealand as the membership includes key producers from each of the major wine regions.

“There are six privately-owned wineries from the North Island and six from the South so visitors get a great overview of the premium quality wines produced in New Zealand. Every major grape variety is represented on this diverse and delicious journey,” says Ms Mottershaw.

The tour includes a visit to the headquarters of Villa Maria Estate in Auckland and to the Marlborough winery for a tutored tasting with the company’s winemaker, buffet lunch and tour of the winery and award-winning vineyards. Also on the itinerary are Villa Maria’s sister wineries Vidal and Esk Valley.

Prices start from £4,775pp and travellers receive a complimentary mixed case of Villa Maria wines on their return to the UK.

Ends

About Villa Maria
Villa Maria has been New Zealand’s most awarded winery for 30 years. Founded by George Fistonich in 1961 and still privately owned today, Villa Maria is one of the great wine companies of the world. Sourced from expertly managed wineries in the best growing regions of New Zealand, the Villa Maria Estate range is enjoyed in over 50 countries world wide.

With a strong sustainability focus and absolute commitment to quality, Villa Maria has won critical acclaim for its ability to “express individual winemakers’ flair” with the stamp of a “perfectionist’s zeal” and to create “beautifully crafted” wines of “supernatural consistency”.

Villa Maria wines are served at some of New Zealand’s finest restaurants, including Antoine’s, Cibo, Sails Restaurant, Vinnies, Logan Brown, Harbourside, Soul Bar and Merediths.

The Villa Maria Estate range includes: Private Bin, Cellar Selection, Reserve, and Single Vineyard wines.

Visit www.villamaria.co.nz for more information.

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