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 involved.

THE VINEYARD AND VINES

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.  They are located on the “Glasnevin Gravels” where greywacke stones, silt and loam have been washed down from the mountains over the millennia. The soil is 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

Settled weather during Spring resulted in successful flowering and a healthy fruit set, meaning crop thinning was needed in some areas. Good heat concentration in early to mid-Summer then allowed the grapes to ripen beautifully. The remainder of Summer and Autumn threw up a mix of hot days interspersed with cooler spells, although rain was sufficiently spread out to ensure the bunches remained healthy and disease free.

THE HARVEST AND WINEMAKING

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 and finesse.  Our house style involves giving the grapes an extended “hang time” and picking (when possible) with a portion of noble botrytis, to enable our site to express itself harmoniously through this variety.  Following harvest, the free run juice was fermented slowly at cool temperatures to help the wine express the unique characters of our region.  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 WINE

It has a pale lemon sheen, with profound citrus, floral and tropical notes. Suggestions of mandarin zest and ruby grapefruit flirt temptingly with snippets of frangipani, orange blossom, pineapple, and mango. A lick of flinty minerality completes the allure. The palate is vibrant and energised, with layered citrus, racy acidity, and a hint of spritzig giving a zesty, lemon sherbet mouthfeel. Elegant and stylish with unobtrusive sweetness, the wine tapers into a steely, honeyed finish that leaves a lasting impression.