We're back but not as you remember us!

Introducing Pegasus Bay Mini Deli.

After a little hiatus period and realising how much we miss you all we’re delighted to have reimagined ourselves as a relaxed hospitality oasis for our Pegasus Bay whanau to enjoy with minimal fuss and maximum lush being our mantra.

Choose from our thoughtfully selected range of local bites from our deli fridge and shelves, put them in one of our handwoven locally made baskets, add a glass or bottle of your favourite drop and head out to the gardens to explore and find your slice of paradise. We have you covered if the weather’s not good, just grab a table inside our restaurant space or kick back on the couches by the fire.

We can’t wait to see you all again.

OPEN HOURS:

11.00am to 4.30pm
5 days a week
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Early December – Monday 28th February 2022

Then weekends only through Autumn/Winter.

No bookings, check website for more details and opening hours over the festive season pegasusbay.com/deli


When Men were Men!

If you don’t know local Lyttelton comedian Shay Horay and his alter ego ‘Keith Preene’, you really need to get on board. Shay’s been a stalwart of the Christchurch comedy scene for many years and is now shooting the second edition of his cheeky Keith Preene Calendar.

We’re delighted to be able to help support Shay and our local performing arts community. With each image tastefully curated in collaboration with its sponsor, this is a delightful page turner that will have you pining for each new month. A great addition to the kitchen or any self-respecting man cave!


Vine Run

Vine Run 2022 is happening on Sunday 30th January and is fast becoming one of the go-to fixtures of the annual running calendar. Now in its 5th year, we’re proud to have raised almost $100k for the NZ Brain Research Institute since the event’s inception.

With three distances to choose from including an all-new half marathon course, there really is something for everyone. Get dressed up and walk, run or sashay your way around the Pegasus Bay vineyards and then celebrate on the winery lawns with food, drink and live music. Entries are limited, for more info visit: vinerun.co.nz


Tending to his flock

Over the last year we’ve collaborated with several high-flying chefs and restaurants from around the country to bring you a series of Sunday degustation lunches, paired with aged wines from the Donaldson library.

They proved extremely popular, each event selling out soon after it was advertised. Our latest edition is with Wellingtonian chef Shepherd Elliot and his talented team from Shepherd Restaurant. This event has been postponed due to COVID-19 and is now taking place on Sunday March 13th 2022.

At the time of writing there are a small number of tickets, please check the website for availability. pegasusbay.com/blogs/events


The Prescription Pad

As you are reading this, it’s probably early summer but as I’m writing its high spring. Spring is the most exciting time for we grape growers, as seemingly dead, skeletal vines burst into life, but it’s a nerve-racking type of excitement. Spring frosts can kill new shoots, leaves and flowers, causing disastrous loss of crop and they affect most New Zealand grape growing regions, including Auckland. Frost usually occurs after a southerly gale has parked a mass of Antarctic air over the country with insufficient warming sunshine hours before nightfall. If the night sky is clear, temperature drops by about 1°C every hour. This occurs at any time in the year, independent of latitude, but as the days lengthen and nights shorten the chance of reaching freezing point (0°C) lessens. Rogue spring frosts, however, can occur through to the end of November.

The commonest type is caused by an inversion layer of cold air hovering close to the ground, while the temperature above is warmer. This is the inverse of the normal situation in which the air gets colder as you ascend. The easiest method of preventing frost damage is to bring some of this warmer air down into the vineyard, displacing and breaking up the cold layer. Like many vignerons do today, we earlier used helicopters to do this, but, while effective, we found they had a problem.

If you have ever seen that classic movie, ‘Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines’, then you may know what it was. It was actually the flying machines that were magnificent. The pilots were adventure seeking schoolboys trapped inside big bodies, rating less than 5/10 on the reliability scale. After having our fingers “burnt” by frost on more than one occasion, due to unreliability of helicopters, we decided to fork out on wind machines. Although helicopters are expensive, they’re the cheapskate’s frost protection because you don’t pay upfront, you only hire, and tax deduct them. A wind machine, which enables you to manage your own fate, consists of a 10 m vertical pole with a motor on the ground and a propeller at the top. Instead of the blades rotating horizontally they spin on an angle close to, but not quite, vertical, sucking warmer air from above and blowing it out into the vineyard. The whole head at the top, including the propeller, turns around 360° of the compass every few minutes. They can’t cover the same area as a helicopter, so you need 1 wind machine for every 10 – 15 acres (4 – 6 ha).

The temperatures at which wind machines need to start and stop can be automated but needs close monitoring. As the night progresses, the cold inversion layer on the ground thickens and it may become deeper than the height of the wind machine so that frost starts to form. Should this occur, for most, it is the end of the game, but we scramble, lighting a ring of frost pots around each wind machine, providing warm air to entrain, and spread throughout the vineyard.

But wind machines protect in large circles and nobody plants like that, so there are places left unprotected. For these we turned to water sprinklers. It sounds counter-intuitive, doesn’t it; pouring water on plants to stop them getting damaged by frost? It works because as water freezes it releases a small amount of warmth, which protects the plant. If you apply enough water, it will keep the plant at 0°C and damage only occurs below this.

Spring growth protected in ice.

At sunrise, rows of bejewelled grape vines sparkle in the light. Tender young buds, sensitive shoots and new leaves are frozen in clear casings of ice that hang from the vines in looping pendants, stalactites, and icicles. Trapped inside this jewellery the new season’s potential crop rests safe and sound. This is a sight to please the eyes of our sleep deprived vigneron as he or she trudges
off to bed.

For us, it’s been just another day, or rather night, at the Bay. We are “happy” to do all this and more, just so we can offer you a decent glass of the next vintage of Pegasus Bay wine.

 



Thank you to those who took part in our recent survey about whether to start a subscription service, the response was an overwhelming YES!

We’re thrilled to now offer our New Release subscription service. Sign up via our website to receive a mixed selection of new and current release wines direct to your door every six months. No more agonising over which wines to buy, instead recline smugly in the knowledge you’ll be sampling our latest drops ahead of the crowd without lifting a finger. You’re welcome!

Subscription A - $180
6 bottles every 6 months

Subscription B - $360
12 bottles every 6 months
Plus a free magnum annually*

*Pegasus Bay Magnum selected on your behalf with each second delivery, variety will change from year to year.

pegasusbay.com/subscription


Complimentary end of year Wine Club tastings!

It’s that time again folks! 2021 has certainly had its ups and downs but now it’s time to see it off in style, so please join us for a complimentary tasting of all our latest releases.

As usual feel free to invite any friends who may be interested. We’d love to see you there. All orders placed on the night for each city will go into 2 draws for a chance to win:

1st Draw
Magnum of Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir

2nd Draw
Magnum of Pegasus Bay Bel Canto

*AUCKLAND - Cancellation
Due to ongoing COVID 19 restrictions in Auckland we have been left with no choice to regretfully cancel this years wine club tasting. We look forward to seeing you this time next year!

*WELLINGTON
Wednesday 1st December 5-7pm
QT Wellington, Tamburini Room
90 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington

*CHRISTCHURCH - New venue
Thursday 9th December 5-7 pm
Miro Restaurant upstairs
176 Oxford Terrace
Central City, Christchurch

There will be live music and a cash bar afterwards in Christchurch, please stay on and mingle with the family!

*PLEASE NOTE Due to COVID-19 restrictions, anyone attending these tastings needs to RSVP, email marketing@pegasusbay.com to register, capacity limits apply.


All bottles 750ml unless otherwise stated

RIESLING 2019 - New Release

Benefitting from a classic North Canterbury summer and lasting autumn, we think our latest Estate Riesling is a beauty. Made in an off-dry style, it is fermented at low temperatures to retain zesty aromas and flavours and then bottled with a little naturally dissolved CO2 to give a hint of spritzig and tangy freshness.

95/100 Green apple and blossom, ... a whisper of contrasting residual sweetness ... delicious, fleshy and long.
Cameron Douglas MS, camdouglasms.com, NZ

Full of youthful impact, rich and vibrant ... lasting honeyed finish.
Michael Cooper, The Listener Magazine, NZ

RIESLING 2017

1.5L Magnum
18/20 A true NZ classic, ravishingly complex … Intense perfume and delectable juiciness.
Stephen Wong MW, winesentience.com, NZ

94/100 Attractive complexity … very supple and succulent palate … superb texture.
Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com, USA

GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2019 

18.5/20 Textural Gewürztraminer that shines with varietal character and barrel fermented complexities. 
Candice Chow, raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz

96/100 Fabulously perfumed … creamy mouthfeel leading to a wonderfully long gratifying finish.
Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz

SAUVIGNON SEMILLON 2018

Made in the traditional style of a white Bordeaux using approx. 70% tank fermented Sauvignon Blanc and 30% barrel fermented Semillon, the latter adding richness, texture and length. We believe this style is better suited to a wider range of cuisine as well as having greater cellaring potential.

17/20  A sophisticated, stylised wine with the waxy richness of oak-fluenced semillon and the fresh zip of sauvignon.
Julia Harding, jancisrobinson.com, UK

94/100 Harmonious and complete with silky-soft texture … delicious, balanced and well made.
Tina Gellie, Decanter Magazine, UK

CHARDONNAY 2018

750 ml and Magnum 1.5 lt
Made from ultra low cropping Mendoza clone, this Chardonnay has power and intensity. Following traditional Burgundian techniques, the juice was fermented with natural yeasts in French puncheons and aged on lees for 12 months. 

Pegasus Bay are producing some of NZ’s most exhilarating, Burgundy inspired white wines.
Neal Martin, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, USA

19/20 Creamy, dry, full bodied and savoury with an incredibly refreshing taste of ripe, citrusy grapefruit and a lingering finish.
Joelle Thomson, drinksbiz.co.nz

92/100 Not your shy and retiring Chardonnay ... rich toasty notes, struck match and smoky bacon.
Rebecca Gibb MW, vinous.com, USA

MUSCAT 2017

We have a tiny plot of muscat à petits grains, a variety that is used in Alsace and the Rhône Valley. Made in an off-dry style, this wine is bursting with personality.

  Highly perfumed, weighty and fleshy … concentrated with peach and spicy flavours ... delicious. 
Michael Cooper, michaelcooper.co.nz

Excellent  A rare beast ... Invitingly perfermed ... musk, spices and a little wildness ... something fasinatingly different.
Mark Henderson, Otago Daily Times, NZ

PINOT NOIR 2019 - New Release

We use traditional Burgundian techniques, including natural primary and secondary fermentations. Over 40 individual batches from more than 10 different clones were fermented separately then aged in oak for 15 months to create the most complex yet harmonious wine possible. We think this season reflect the 'pinosity' of our terroir perfectly.

96/100 Medium to full bodied, with round, ripe tannins, and a delicious juicy finish.
James Suckling Wine Reviews, jamessuckling.com, USA

94/100 Ripe, concentrated, varietal and complex ... delicious on the palate showcasing fruit then mineral stony layers.
Cameron Douglas MS, camdouglasms.com, NZ

PINOT NOIR 2018

Magnum 1.5 lt
16.5+/20 A little floral with a subtle herbal note of whole bunch ... savoury on the palate with a long spicy tail.
Julia Harding, jancisrobinson.com, UK

96/100 Wonderfully ripe and complex ... excellent power and persistency ... gorgeously structured by loads of polished tannins.
Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz

PINOT NOIR 2016 -  New Release

Jeroboam 3 lt
This wine has been held back as large bottles take longer to mature. 2016 was one of the standout vintages of recent years.

Headscratchingly delicious in every single way ... marathon like length of flavour.  Outstanding.
Yvonne Lorkin, yvonnelorkin.com, NZ

MERLOT CABERNET 2018

This classical red Bordeaux blend is made up of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc. Aged in French Oak for 2 years, it is full bodied with both dark fruit and savoury notes.  

94/100 Remarkable red … luscious plum, cassis and leather … spicy oak flavours with a smattering of dried herbs. 
Bob Campbell MW, bobcampbell.nz

17.5+/20 Full bodied, juicy and age worthy. 
Joelle Thomson, drinksbiz.co.nz

MERLOT CABERNET 2018 -  New Release

Magnum 1.5 lt
As per above Merlot Cabernet 2018 750ml.  

CABERNET FRANC 2018

We only have a few rows of Cabernet Franc and it is normally used to blend with our Merlot Cabernet, however after the very hot summer of 2018 we decided for the first time in 30 years it deserved a place on its own. 

93/100  Always a bold move to bottle a 100% Cab Franc, but this has certainly been the right decision for the Peg Bay team.
Cameron Douglas MS, camdouglasms.com, NZ

18.5+/20  Pretty and delicate yet structured and broad on the palate ... a complete package.
Candice Chow, raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz

VERGENCE WHITE MARK 1

Vergence is all about looking beyond tradition and our MK1 white certainly pushes the boundaries. The core is barrel aged old vine Semillon, blended with Chardonnay and a touch of aromatics. As the various components reach optimal drinking at different times, we decided to make this a non-vintage wine to realise its full potential. This is a dry white with serious character.

94/100 The palate is wonderfully weighted and richly expressed … finishing superbly long and delectable. 
Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz

Excellent  Citrus, green bean, bonfire smoke and lime ... textual lushness and suppleness. 
Mark Henderson, Otago Daily Times, NZ

VERGENCE RED MARK I

Our MK 1 red is from the 2018 vintage and made with 100% whole bunch fermentation of Pinot Noir, meaning that all the bunch stems were retained during fermentation. This gives the wine more vibrant fruit character and adds a different structure and range of tannins. 

 A real sense of lightness and elegance … deep and complex with refined tannins and a long finish. 
Michael Cooper, michaelcooper.co.nz

93/100 A rich, textural wine offering an attractive contrast to Pegasus Bay’s regular Pinot Noir.
Bob Campbell MW, bobcampbell.nz


All bottles 750ml unless otherwise stated

BEL CANTO DRY RIESLING 2020 - New Release

This version is a very different style to our Estate Riesling, and only possible to make in seasons that are favourable to botrytis. The grapes have almost the same ripeness as those used for Aria, but their juice is fermented to dryness.  Picked during our first COVID-19 lockdown, we were blessed with an autumn full of perfect, warm, drawn out days.

19+/20  Lilies, beeswax, grapefruit zest and ginger spice ... a complex flavour bomb showing depth and intensity. 
Candice Chow, raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz

93/100  Beautiful Riesling ... layers of fruit and a light salted-caramel edge to the finish. 
James Suckling Wine Reviews, jamessuckling.com, USA

BEL CANTO DRY RIESLING 2017

Magnum 1.5 lt
96/100 Preserved lemon and smoky botrytis overtones … powerful, concentrated and rewarding.
Huon Hooke, therealreview.com, AUS

ARIA LATE PICKED RIESLING 2020 - New Release

In years that allow, the bunches are left on the vines until late in the season then hand-selected with around 50% noble botrytis, and 2020 was certainly one of these. This adds extra flavour nuances and gives a mouth filling lusciousness, similar to Auslese wines of Germany.

93/100 Full bodied and sweet, yet fresh, with sharp acidity and bright, zesty character.  Excellent balance.  
James Suckling Wine Reviews, jamessuckling.com, USA

ARIA LATE PICKED RIESLING 2018 - New Release

Magnum 1.5 lt
  Sweet but not super sweet, a hint of honey and notable depth and harmoney.  It should be long lived, but already a lovely mouthfeel.
Michael Cooper, michaelcooper.co.nz

96/100  Opulence as well as sophistication ... gorgeously styled with a plush mouthfeel and creamy texture. 
Sam Kim, wineorbit.co.nz

ENCORE NOBLE RIESLING 2016

375 ml
Made in a similar way to Aria, however picked later so that all the bunches have fully developed botrytis. The lingering warm dry autumn of 2016 provided ideal conditions.

19+/20 Concentrated core of ripe exotic tropical fruits … deliciously rich, unctuous … lingering finish.
Raymond Chan, raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz

96/100 Rich with pristine apricots and marmalade notes balanced by bright acid … Balance is superb and the finish lasts into next week. Wow!
Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com, USA

FINALE NOBLE SEMILLON SAUVIGNON 2019

375 ml
Finale is a barrel fermented wine in the style of Sauternes and is only made in special years that are favourable to noble botrytis. As with Encore, we selected only the most beautifully botrytic bunches. The juice was then left to ferment naturally in French oak barriques and matured for 12 months.

A wine with a real “wow” factor ... mouthfilling, with concentrated stonefruit and honey flavours … great richness and harmony.
Michael Cooper, michaelcooper.co.nz

FORTISSIMO (SWEET FORTIFIED MUSCAT)

375 ml
This wine is made in the style of Muscat Beaumes de Venise. A small amount of neutral spirit is added to stop the fermentation and retain some of the late picked grape’s natural sugars. This release is a non-vintage wine, however as with our previous 2016, we have made only a tiny amount and it is solely available through our cellar door and this Wine Club.

18.5+/20  Lychee and stone fruit, entwined with ginger and jasmine ... a poised and pure expression of fortified muscat. 
Candice Chan, raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz

 Weighty, with vibrant concentrated peachy flavours … gentle acidity and a sweet, oily richness.
Michael Cooper, Winestate Magazine, AUS

PRIMA DONNA 2017 - New Release

750 ml and Magnum 1.5 lt
We only produce Prima Donna Pinot Noir in exceptional years. It is a blend of the barrels we feel best reflect the vintage and our unique terroir. It mainly comes from our oldest, lowest cropping vines that are non-grafted.  This season was a surprise package, not without challenges, but we feel the resulting wine was so outstanding it was worthy of reserve status.

97/100  Dark chocolate, earth, violets and sweet spices ... Balanced and layered with a long, precise finish. 
James Suckling Wine Reviews, jamessuckling.com, USA

94/100 Smooth and supple, yet lively, bright and invigorating, with a long mouthwatering finish. 
Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com, USA

PRIMA DONNA 2016 - New Release

Jeroboam 3 lt
Hailing from an epic vintage, this wine has been held back as large bottles take longer to mature.

An epic North Canterbury Pinot Noir.  Pegasus Bay nails it again with this superb wine. 
Phil Parker, Ponsonby News, NZ

18/20  Has an energy and tension about it which is beautiful ... elegant yet powerful in that way Pinotphiles crave. 
Stephen Wong MW, winesentience.com, NZ  

MAESTRO 2016 and VIRTUOSO 2016 - SOLD OUT awaiting next release


The Truant from Medicine - Ivan M. Donaldson

How a young doctor established Pegasus Bay.  Ivan Donaldson's autobiography.
Proceeds to the NZ Brain Research Institute.

 

 Download the Summer 2021 / 2022 → Newsletter


Pegasus Bay

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Off Licence.
Licence Holder:Donaldson Family Limited T/A:Pegasus Bay Winery.
Licence no:57/OFF/458/2022 Exp:16/3/2025