Main Divide Waipara Valley Riesling 2024

Description

Blood Orange, Floral, Medium-dry

"Epic Riesling from Pegasus Bay's second tier label. So good. No, really. Buy now. Elegant and light bodied, yet a fruit bomb of flavour. A hint of spritzy CO2. Bursting with crisp ripe Braeburn apple, raisins, sultanas, jasmine, honeysuckle and mandarin citrus" Phil Parker, Ponsonby, Sep 2025

"Richly ripe and fragrant, the bouquet presents notes of orange peel, grilled peach, lemon curd, and floral aromas, followed by a succulent palate that offers generous texture and appealing sweetness. It's splendidly structured by juicy acidity, making it refreshing and fabulously drinkable" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2025

"Bright, even, pale yellow. The nose is gently full, with aromas of green apple, mandarin, honey, lime leaf, blossom and minerals. Medium-bodied, medium-dry to taste, aromas of golden apple, quince and mandarin, melded with honey, blossom and stony minerals. The fruit is rich with a complex array of flavours; a spritzy mouthfeel elevates alongside integrated acidity, lending a lengthy, dry finish. Well-made and packed with interest" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Aug 2025

"Fragrant, intense, and varietal bouquet with a crisp apple and citrus attack. Aromas of lemon and red apple, honeysuckle, lime flower, and a lick of botrytis present an attractive offering. A lovely wine on the palate, with flavours that reflect the bouquet, as well as a cider note. Plenty of acidity for freshness and style, leading to a lengthy finish" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Mar 2025

"Main Divide Chardonnay is a perennial favourite for good reason. This North Canterbury gem opens with seductive aromas of dark caramel, hinting at the richness to come. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, dry, and silky, with impressive weight and texture. The savoury character of Chardonnay takes centre stage, while oak plays a subtle supporting role, adding finesse without overpowering. A complex wine at an extremely friendly price" Joelle Thomson, Oct 2025

On release it has a pale gold hue. Fragrant and perfumed, the nose offers a rich tapestry of orange blossom and jasmine, interwoven with hints of lime peel, spiced apple, white fleshed pleach and a lick of honey. The palate has a delicious engagement, with a spritzy mouthfeel, attractive sweetness and beautifully infused acidity. These elements unite, adding structure and length, on the long, citrus laden finish.

Main Divide is the local name for the Southern Alps and is the backbone of the South Island, where grapes for Main Divide are exclusively sourced. Vineyards have been selected for their quality and ability to express unique regional flavours.

Cooler and windier conditions during Spring meant lower crop levels, keeping fruit thinning to a minimum. The weather gods then handed us the opposite during Summer, with a warm and settled state prevailing, so this smaller crop was able to mature beautifully. Autumn was similarly favourable, allowing each variety to be picked at its optimum ripeness. Our 2024 harvest saw smaller yields across the board, but as a result we were blessed with intense fruit flavour and concentration, delivering some outstanding wines.

The grapes were picked in stages during the second half of March and first part of April. Some parcels were intentionally left to hang until later so they could be harvested with a portion of noble botrytis. The free run juice was then slowly fermented at cool temperatures to help the wine retain its vibrant fruit characters and varietal purity. During this time daily tasting was undertaken to assess levels of acidity, alcohol, and residual sweetness, with the fermentation being stopped once the right balance was achieved. Winemaking intervention was intentionally kept to a minimum to allow the vintage, variety, and vineyard to express itself harmoniously. At all stages, from fermentation to bottling, the wine was handled very carefully to help it retain a little of its naturally dissolved carbon dioxide. This may result in a small amount of spritzig, accentuating the freshness and liveliness of the wine.