"Full of personality; good complexity & harmony" Michael Cooper
"Sumptuous, plush, exhibiting creamy mouthfeel & mellow acidity" Wine Orbit
Delicious with spicy Asian cuisine & pork dishes
Pegasus Bay Estate Waipara Valley Gewürztraminer 2019
Pegasus Bay Estate Waipara Valley Gewürztraminer 2019
Accolades
Awarded 5 Stars
Michael Cooper, May 2021
Awarded 96/100 Points & 5 Stars
Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2021
Awarded 94/100 Points
Nick Stock, Jamessuckling.com, Aug 2019
Awarded 93/100 Points & 5 Stars
Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Review, Jan 2021
Description
- Off-dry style
- Lychee & pear
- Turkish delight
- Creamy mouthfeel
"Full of personality, this softly mouthfilling wine was fermented and matured for six months in old oak puncheons. Light lemon/green, it is perfumed, sturdy and rich, with deep lychee, pear and spice flavours, gentle sweetness, a slightly oily texture and good complexity and harmony" Michael Cooper, May 2021
"Upfront and fabulously perfumed, showing pineapple, lychee, Turkish Delight, dried flower and mixed spice aromas on the nose. It's sumptuous and plush on the palate, exhibiting creamy mouthfeel and mellow acidity, leading to a wonderfully long gratifying finish" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Mar 2021
"This has such intensity and ripeness. Pegasus Bay really knows how to deliver aromatic white in full regalia. The lychee and sweet rose perfume is heady and alluring, as is the sweetly fleshy and succulent palate" Nick Stock, Jamessuckling.com, Aug 2019
"Bright, pale yellow with a green hue and some depth, faintly lighter on edge. The nose is softly aromatic, fragrances of white blossoms, melded with lychees, citrus and white spice, underlying discreet barrel flint. Off-dry, medium-bodied, lychee, pear puree intermix rosewater and white rose petals, along with ginger, nutmeg linger on the finish. An oily, beeswax mouthfeel and pure fruit and floral expression contribute to the palate's weight and substance. Varietal characters are expressive and lingering, enriched by older barrel-fermentation details. This is an off-dry, textural Gewurztraminer shines with varietal characters and barrel-fermented complexities" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Review, Jan 2021
On release the wine is bright lemon in colour. The bouquet is a salvo of lychee, quince and sweet rose perfume, framed with hints of ginger, beeswax and fragrant spice. Due to the varietal intensity of Gewürz, some additional winemaking techniques have been employed to give the wine extra complexity. Skin contact and fermenting with solids provide increased structure and a subtle hint of struck match, while the oak aging and lees contact adds mouth feel. On the palate it is fleshy and succulent, with ripe phenolics and a whisp of bittersweet fruit kernel that complement the wine’s off-dry style, setting up for a long and satisfying finish.
The vineyard is located within the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on free draining, north facing terraces. 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.
Unsettled weather over flowering resulted in a lighter than average set, meaning that no further fruit thinning was necessary. A classic North Canterbury summer then enabled this smaller crop to mature beautifully. Accelerated ripening allowed harvest to take place slightly earlier than usual, and favourable autumn weather ensured the grapes were picked in perfect condition.
Harvest was deliberately delayed until the berries had developed a small amount of botrytis. After picking, the grapes were crushed and then left in contact with their skins. Following pressing, the cloudy juice was transferred into old oak puncheons, where it was left to ferment naturally. The wine was then matured for approximately 6 months in these barrels prior to bottling.
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 involved.
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