Villa Maria celebrates a successful evening at the 2010 Royal Easter Show.

Villa Maria has set the precedent for the emerging white wine varieties Verdelho and Viognier, collecting trophies for each at the 2010 Royal Easter Show Wine Awards dinner on Saturday night.

The country's most awarded winery won the 'Champion Other Whites or Reds' trophy for its 2008 Single Vineyard Ihumatao Verdelho - the first ever trophy for this variety in New Zealand - and 'Champion Viognier' for the 2009 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Viognier.

Celebrations continued for Villa Maria with another trophy win for the 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, adding to its collection of 13 gold medals and 15 silver medals received at this year's Royal Easter Show.

Delighted by the weekend's results, Villa Maria's Senior Auckland Winemaker, Nick Picone, comments:

"To have received three trophies is an exceptional honour, particularly given the high calibre of wine producers that we were up against in the competition. The passion that goes into each bottle is shared by the whole team - from the winemakers to the viticulturists and everyone in between - and we are all hugely proud of this achievement.

"Villa Maria and associated brand Esk Valley are leading the charge for Verdelho production in New Zealand so to win a trophy for the Single Vineyard Verdelho gives us confidence that we are getting the techniques right and heading in the right direction," says Picone.

Verdelho originates from the small volcanic island of Madeira and has coincidentally found a home for itself in the extinct volcanic basin that is Villa Maria's Ihumatao vineyard in Auckland. Villa Maria's award-winning Verdelho is one of only three wines grown on the Estate.

In addition to Verdelho, Villa Maria is leading the growth of the rare French variety Viognier. Sales of Viognier grew 260 percent in 2009, with domestic sales increasing by a significant 350 percent.

Five world class judges, led by newly-appointed Chair Kate Radburnd, tasted 1517 wines from 276 wineries in this year's Royal Easter Show Wine Awards competition. Fifteen per cent of the gold medals were awarded to Villa Maria and associated wineries, Vidal and Esk Valley.