The Donaldson Family have been seriously involved in viticulture and winemaking for over 40 years. Founder Ivan Donaldson planted one of Canterbury’s first vineyards in 1976 and went on to establish Pegasus Bay in 1986 with his wife Christine. It is a true family business, with the second generation now actively involved.
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 35 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.
Cold weather during bud burst resulted in lower crop levels, hence no further fruit thinning was carried out. The subsequent warm dry summer served up perfectly ripened small berries full of intense flavour and concentration. Favourable conditions continued into autumn, allowing the grapes to be picked at their optimum ripeness.
Made using traditional Bordeaux methods, the grapes were picked in April and then left to ferment naturally. The wine was then gently pressed off and put into French oak barriques, where it was aged for 18 months. The following summer, when the weather warmed, it underwent a natural malo-lactic (secondary) fermentation.
It is the colour of ripe aubergine, with a fragrant nose packed full of dark fruit, perfume and spice. Suggestions of black cherry, boysenberry and dark plum, swagger seductively alongside touches of cinnamon, roast pepper, violet, and a hint of wet river gravel. Supple, plush and full of finesse, the palate swells to reveal a brightly painted canvas, oozing with sumptuous ripe fruit and polished, velvety tannins. A fine ribbon of minerality sways through the core of the wine, adding balance and a sense of persistency. Mouth-filling yet refined, it showcases sublime fruit weight and depth, as well as freshness and precision.
“Attractive cabernet franc character with cherry and redcurrant aromas and flavours. Dried flowers also. Medium round tannins give it tension and form. Some hazelnut and cedar flavours too. Will come together even more in the bottle”
“Sweetly ripe and beautifully fragrant with dark berry, rich floral, game, dried herb and toasted nut characters, it's beautifully rounded on the palate displaying succulent fruit flavours with supple texture and loads of polished tannins. Varietally expressive and wonderfully structured with a persistent engaging finish.”
“It's delightfully fruited and enticingly complex on the nose showing Black Doris plum, toasted spice, hazelnut and dried herb notes, followed by a beautifully rounded palate offering succulent fruit flavours backed by silky texture and fine grainy tannins. Well structured with gorgeous complexity.”
“It’s always a bold move to bottle a 100% Cabernet Franc, but this has certainly been the right decision for the Pegasus Bay team … delicious, dry, savoury with a core of fruit, firm tannins with a fine chalky texture, an abundance of acidity and overall harmonious story of wine ”
“ … fine-grained tannin and integrated acidity. Pretty and delicate yet structured and broad on the palate. This is a complete package of Cabernet Franc, possesses plush fruit, savoury complexity, floral and herbaceous details.”
“ … A high-energy cabernet franc. Good food wine. Offers cellaring potential.”
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