• Floral lift
• White peach
• Jasmine
• Fresh finish

"Pegasus Bay winery has gone where few in New Zealand have ventured: into high volume, top quality Riesling Production. It is brave territory in a country where Riesling is often misunderstood, but this wine is a game-changer, thanks to the great North Canterbury climate where grapes can take their time ripening. This allows intense flavour development with the balance of refreshing acidity to avoid length, depth and delicious succulence in every sip" Drinksbiz, Oct 2019

"The 2016 vintage makes a powerful statement. Showing lovely richness and poise, it has concentrated, peachy, citrusy, slightly spicy flavours, moderate sweetness, lively acidity, and a very harmonious, lasting finish" Michael Cooper, Dec 2019

"Distinctive, intensely varietal and ripe with aromas of lemon and apple, jasmine and blossoms, flinty, stony mineral core and a pure overall expression. Fantastic flavour and impact on the palate with honeysuckle and quince, apple and apricot stone, white peach and lemon peel. Noticeable acidity, light weight, pure and fresh, a citrus peel, spice and floral lift on the finish. Balanced and well made" Cameron Douglas, MS, Jul 2019

"Medium riesling with plenty of apricot, honey, struck flint, anise, spice and cinnamon flavours. A touch of sweetness is perfectly balanced by fruity acidity to give the wine some pleasing tension" Bob Campbell, MW, May 2019

"Ripe lime and lemon fruits with some candied glacé citrus are cast across flinty and stony aromas. The palate has a long, fluid build of concentrated citrus and stone fruit flavours. Terrific depth" Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com, Nov 2017

The colour is lemon-straw. On the nose there is an abundance of citrus, particularly the orange zest that so defines North Canterbury Rieslings. There are also hints of red apple and apricot, layered with honeysuckle and guava. The extended hang time has added concentration to the palate, together with ripe phenolics that give structure and length. Despite its body, the wine still has a crisp and refreshing acidity that matches its off-dry finish perfectly.

Warm and settled weather during flowering led to a very large initial set. Fruit thinning was then undertaken to bring the crop back to the desired level. A perfect summer, followed by a warm dry autumn enabled the subsequent grapes to be harvested with excellent flavour development and physiological ripeness.

The vineyard is located within the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on free draining, north facing terraces carved out of New Zealand’s Southern Alps by an ice-age glacier. It benefits from being in the lee of the Teviotdale Range, giving maximum protection from the Pacific’s easterly breezes and thus creating a unique mesoclimate. The vines are over 30 years old, with a large proportion planted on their own roots. The soil is free draining and of low fertility, resulting in naturally reduced vine vigour. This produces low yields of optimally ripened, high quality, flavourful grapes, which fully express the qualities of this unique terroir. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are amongst the coolest in the Waipara Valley, drawing out the ripening period of the grapes, while still retaining good natural acidity.

With its large diurnal range and long lingering autumns, North Canterbury is an ideal playground for Riesling, making it possible to create concentrated wines that still possess favourable acidity. This house style involves giving the grapes an extended "hang time", and picking where possible with a small portion of noble botrytis, to accentuate the region’s unique varietal features. Following harvest, the free run juice was fermented slowly at cool temperatures to help the wine retain its vibrant fruit character. At all stages, the wine was handled very carefully to help retain a little of its natural carbon dioxide. This has resulted in a small amount of spritzig, which adds extra liveliness to the wine.

The Donaldson Family have been seriously involved in viticulture and winemaking for over 40 years. Founder Ivan Donaldson planted the first Canterbury vineyard in 1976 and went on to establish Pegasus Bay in 1986 with his wife Christine. It is a true family business, with all four of their sons and two spouses involved, managing various aspects.