North Canterbury, New Zealand (10) Pegasus Bay
Back in 1976, Christchurch neurologist Ivan Donaldson had caught the wine bug, and with some of his medical friends planted a 1 acre vineyard in a cold spot on the outskirts of the city. He assumed winemaking duties, and made the wine in his garage.
By the mid-1980s, he was looking for something a bit more ambitious, and so started scouting properties in an area to the north of the city, which was a bit warmer because a row of hills sheltered it from the coastal easterlies that kept blowing in. He looked and looked, and ended up approaching a farmer, who agreed to sell some land.
Donaldson bought the property in 1985 and planted 50 acres of vines on their own roots in 1986. The first Pegasus Bay wine was made in 1991, again in his Christchurch garage. For the 1992 vintage his son Matt, who’d been studying at Roseworthy in Australia, processed 18 tons of grapes at the newly-constructed Pegasus Bay winery.
2021 saw the 30th vintage, and Pegasus Bay is now established as one of New Zealand’s leading boutique wineries, specializing in Riesling and Pinot Noir, but also doing well with a range of other varieties.
I’ve visited many times over the years, but there was a big change this visit. Matt left with the 2024 vintage. There’s an established team here, so there’s no reason to worry about the wines, but this is quite a significant change. Marie Christine Dufour, who was assistant winemaker, is now running things, assisted by the existing winemaking team and a steady stream of overseas folk who come to do vintage here.
I visited with Ed Donaldson, who does sales and marketing (they export to 46 countries). Paul Donaldson is the GM and CFO, and Mike Donaldson has returned from the UK to do Canterbury sales. So it’s quite a family.
The vineyards are up to 40 hectares now, mainly on the gravels. The original plantation is the Terrace Block, planted from own-rooted cuttings and it’s now 40 years old. Ed was 10 then, and remembers it being planted. The River Block has 10 of the 12 clones of Pinot that they grow, and the Airstrip Block is where the aromatics are found: four clones of Riesling, Muscat and Gewurztraminer.
The Main Divide used to be a grower-sourced label, but in 2008 they bought a 20 hectare block and planted it so they had more control. It’s further inland, still on gravels, and it’s a bit windier there.
They get some vintage variation, but it averages around 400 tons a year coming into the winery.
THE WINES
Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2023 North Canterbury, New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. This used to be the Sauvignon/Semillon. Always less than 15% Semillon, playing around with some whole bunch and extended contact with the Sauvignon. Sauvignon has whole bunches then fermenting juice is poured over them. This creates a range of flavours. 150 days. 90% of this wine is treated like that. This is complex, lively and has some spiciness with mandarin and pear, and an electric finish. Lovely concentration and purity, with a wide dynamic range of flavours. 93/100 ($28)
Pegasus Bay Minuetto Sauvignon Semillon 2021 North Canterbury, New Zealand
40% Semillon. A selection of the best components. This is fresh and vital, but has lovely texture and complexity. Herbs, grapefruit, some elderflower, some peach, even some apricot. Good acidity with some spicy detail. Lots of potential for ageing and finishes spicy and mineral. Very fine. 94/100 ($40)
Pegasus Bay Chardonnay 2022 North Canterbury, New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. Mendoza clone, low cropping. This is powerful with toast, pear, peach and some apricot, but also some flinty notes, a sense of minerality, and some complex toast and nut characters. Lovely complexity and intensity here, finishing savoury. 92/100
Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay 2022 North Canterbury, New Zealand
The best barrels from the old ungrafted vines. Concentrated with pear and pineapple as well as some spiciness. There’s some matchstick minerality and toast and nuts. Finishes savoury, with a slight bitterness. Concentrated and bold. 93/100
Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay 2021 North Canterbury, New Zealand
This was the 30th vintage. Lovely depth and concentration here with rich peach and pear fruit as well as toast, peach and spice. Quite mineral, too. There’s some bold toasty richness but also some citrussy focus. It’s a beautiful bold but balanced expression of Chardonnay. 94/100
Pegasus Bay Vergence White Mk 3 NV North Canterbury, New Zealand
Multivintage blend, Semillon based (50%) plus skin contact Sauvignon, Chardonnay and smaller quantities of Riesling, Muscat and Gewurztraminer. This covers 2021, 2022 and 2023. Wonderful aromatics: floral and grapey with some ripe citrus. The palate is exotic and fruit-driven with toast and spice and a nice bitter twist. The fruit is sweet, and there are about 4 g of residual sugar. 92/100 ($27)
Pegasus Bay Vergence Red Mk 3 NV North Canterbury, New Zealand
This has moved around a bit in terms of its content, and this release is 95% equal parts Pinot from Bendigo and Bannockburn, and 5% Malbec from here. Pinots are 2022, Malbec is 2021. Floral and aromatic with sweet berries and cherries, as well as some appealing green hints. Fruity, bold and textural on the palate with sweet berry and cherry fruit. Very supple and drinkable, finishing sweet and pure. 92/100
Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 2022 North Canterbury, New Zealand
This was a cooler vintage, and this is made from many different components. 12 clones, harvested separately, and then each clone might have variations, too. Often they end up with 40-50 batches of Pinot, and after 18 months in barrel they think about the final composition and whether they can make a Prima Donna. 40% whole bunch. Complex nose is quite mineral with some subtle reductive hints as well as sweet berry and black cherry fruit. The palate is supple and fine with nice detail to the sweet cherry and berry fruit. Has an ease to it, but also some edges. Tending to elegance. 94/100
Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 2019 North Canterbury, New Zealand
Supple, fresh and juicy with some nice mineral hints to the supple cherry and plum fruit, with a nice savoury twist and some fine spicy notes. Has lovely weight with juicy fruit, but also some texture, finishing with brightness and a bit of structure. 94/100
Pegasus Bay Prima Donna Pinot Noir 2019 North Canterbury, New Zealand
The core of this comes from the original plantings (10/5 and 2/10) but there are also some of the newer clones to add vibrancy. Concentrated and mineral, with a lovely flow of sleek, ripe cherry and plum fruit. This has breadth and purity, but also some nice savoury hints. Textured and finely spiced with lovely detail. 95/100
Pegasus Bay Maestro 2020 North Canterbury, New Zealand
Merlot and Malbec with bits of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Barrel selection. One of the reserves they make the least often, because it can take too much away from the estate Merlot Cabernet. Lovely concentration of black cherry and blackberry fruit with some chalky texture and a lovely purity to the fruit. Seamless and vibrant, this has a lot of flesh. Has some grip on the finish. Very fine. 95/100
Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2023 North Canterbury, New Zealand
13.9% alcohol. One third of the vineyard is Riesling (one third is Pinot and the other third is the other varieties). Late harvested: they only make this when they can hang the fruit out. Looking for some clean botrytis. One of the few wines they use cultured yeast for. Lovely aromatics here with orange peel, mandarin and apricot as well as some spice. The palate is bold and rich with lovely dense ripe peach and lime fruit, as well as spicy detail. Complex and lively. 94/100
Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2024 North Canterbury, New Zealand
No botrytis this year. This is very pure and focused with precise citrus fruit, some mandarin and orange zest, and then some fresh melony fruit. So pure and zesty with a crystalline citrus character and nice texture, finishing with a hint of white pepper and spice. Complex and pure. 95/100
Pegasus Bay Riesling 2024 North Canterbury, New Zealand
Harvested earlier than the Bel Canto. Fermentation is stopped to leave some residual sugar, and in this case there’s 25 g/l residual sugar. Fresh and pure with pure zesty lemon fruit with some melony richness and fine spicy notes. Has volume and purity with lovely weight in the mouth. So expressive. 94/100
Pegasus Bay Aria 2023 North Canterbury, New Zealand
12% alcohol. 50% botrytis, 87 g/l residual sugar. So rich and complex. A sweet Riesling but with some spicy detail and nice acidity, with potential for toasty development. Melon, peach and apricot. Finishes long and spicy, and it’s surprisingly refreshing. A beautiful wine. 95/100
NORTH CANTERBURY WINE REGION
