The Family

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.

The Vineyard and the Vines

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.

The Season

Cooler than average spring temperatures led to a smaller set, however this resulted in excellent fruit concentration. A warm summer and long lingering autumn then followed, allowing this smaller crop to reach optimum ripeness.

Harvest and Wine Making

Maestro is part of our reserve series and represents the very best of our Bordeaux fruit, coming from some of the oldest plantings in the vineyard. As with all our reserves, this celebrated claret style wine is only made in exceptional years, the last being 2009. After being picked in May, the grapes began fermentation naturally in stainless steel tanks. During this process the juice was regularly drained and sprayed back over the cap of floating grape skins (rather than plunging), to ensure a perfect tannin balance was extracted from the fruit. The wine was then gently pressed off and put into French oak barriques (50% new). The following summer, when the weather warmed, it underwent a natural malo-lactic (secondary) fermentation. After maturing in oak for 2 years, the various batches were then carefully blended in varying portions to produce the most complex and balanced wine possible. The finished product is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet, and 10% Malbec.

The Wine

The wine has a dense inky appearance, suggesting concentration and weight. The aroma is bursting with dark fruit (blackberry, blackcurrent, plum), but underlying there are also hints of vanilla pod, cigar box, liquorice and black olive. The palate is mouth filling and rich, backed by a spine of muscular yet fine grained tannins, that draw out the wine’s length and will help it age gracefully. While ready to drink on release, it should develop a range of additional nuances as it matures in the bottle.

Download Tasting Notes


2019

94/100
”An inviting nose of blackcurrants, ink, coffee bean, pine and fresh mint … Black fruit laced with oak washes over the palate with pleasant spice and herbal complexity. Lingers on the palate.”
- James Suckling Wine Reviews, www.jamessuckling.com, USA

95/100

The Maestro represents the best of the Pegasus Bay Bordeaux fruit. I was privileged to receive a pre-release sample and all I can suggest is that you get in the queue. There is a class about its swagger and I just want more … Dangerously smooth, its silky presence oozes the prestige of the label it represents … I found fascinating … “

- Steve Leszczynski, Qwine, www.qwinereviews.com, AUS

“… it is a powerful, sturdy red highly concentrated and a silky-smooth texture. Weighty, rich and rounded
- Michael Cooper, www.michaelcooper.co.nz, NZ

19+/20
“… This densely constructed red blend shows power, complexity and a mealy, long, savoury finish.
- Candice Chow, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, NZ

Magnificently styled and seductive … it's gorgeously layered in the mouth displaying velvety texture backed by loads of silky tannins. Plush and multi-layered with stunning complexity and length.” 
- Sam Kim, www.wineorbit.co.nz, NZ

2016

19/20
Maestro is one of the top reds in this country … It is a dense, dark, full-bodied red Impressive is an understatement
- Joelle Thomson, drinksbiz Magazine, NZ

“It's superbly fruited and hugely appealing wonderfully concentrated and richly expressed delectably enticing …” 
- Sam Kim, www.wineorbit.co.nz, NZ
19.5/20
“… This is a brilliant NZ South island Bordeaux blend with richness and concentration … Only made in exceptional years”
- Candice Chow, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, NZ
95/100

“… A delicious meaty wine with muscle, power, flavour and finish. Love it!

- Cameron Douglas MS, camerondouglasms.com, NZ
“... One of the South Island's greatest 'Bordeaux-style' reds, it should flourish for a decade.” 
- Michael Cooper, www.michaelcooper.co.nz, NZ
94/100
” … Super fine tannins deliver a ball of spiced, dark-chocolate-coated black cherries and plum liqueur …”
- Nick Stock, www.jamessuckling.com, USA

2015

93/100
This has an attractive melding of bright violet-like fragrance with rich, dark berry fruits. The merlot really has the upper hand: it's all regal tannins and pristine blueberry fruit flavours. A superb mid-weight, flavorsome red.
- Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com, USA
19/20
“Full, very dark, deep … the nose is bold and intensely concentrated … The wine carries to an elegant, sustained finish.  This is a bold, fulsome, sweet succulent Merlot blend …”
- Raymond Chan, raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz, NZ
Densely fruited … the flavours harnessed by a touch of silky tannin.  Long finish
- Winestate Magazine, AUS
93/100
"… a medium to full-bodied red, with mouthwatering fruit and a long, dry, silky finish.”
- Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, USA
94/100
“Dark red berry fruits with plums and blackberry, violets and brown spices …. organic earthy quality, complex and engaging … tannins adding a lot of structure.  Lengthy finish and very youthful still
- Cameron Douglas MS, camerondouglasms.com, NZ
94/100
“ … Full bodied powerful style …Good stuff.”
- Gary Walsh, The Winefront, AUS

2009

93/100
Jasmine-tinged blackberry and blackcurrant fruit here, with hints of crème de cassis, purple flowers, clove, macerated plums, milk chocolate and gently spiced oak. It smells delicious. Smooth and svelte on the palate with beautifully detailed fruit, spice and meaty, smoky nuances.
- Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com, USA
95/100
Attractive red wine with seductive sweet fruit and flavours suggesting blackcurrant, coffee, chocolate and dried herbs. Rich, almost luscious wine with a long and gentle drying finish. This is the best vintage of this label I can recall tasting
- Bob Campbell MW, Gourmet Traveller Wine, AUS
. . . arguably the best yet. Deep and youthful in colour, it is rich and flowing, with concentrated, beautifully ripe blackcurrant, plum, spice and coffee flavours, complex and finely structured. Drink now and over the next decade.
- Michael Cooper, Buyers Guide 2012, NZ
TOP TIP - This is always a blockbuster of a wine and this 2009 vintage is as good as any. It has a dark, dense nose of plums with chocolate notes whilst the palate is stacked full of sweet, ripe juicy fruit that is concentrated and powerful and counterbalance to the bold tannins.
- TizWine.com, NZ

2007

91/100
“Hearty, rich and warming red in a mellow and flavoursome style. Some ripe plum and berry flavours contrast with more savoury, toasty, spicy notes. A distinctive and characterful wine.
- Bob Campbell MW, Gourmet Traveller Wine, AUS
”Drinking well now, this Waipara red is a blend of merlot (50%) and malbec (40%), with minor portions of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Barrel-aged for two years, it is deeply coloured and fleshy, with generous, spicy, nutty flavours, showing excellent complexity and richness.
- Michael Cooper, Winestate, AUS
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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