THE FAMILY

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 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

Average weather over flowering resulted in a balanced crop, meaning no further fruit thinning was carried out.  This was followed by a cooler than average summer which delayed ripening.  Fortunately, a warm dry autumn allowed the grapes to be left on the vines till later in the season, where they were able to achieve the desired level of ripeness.

THE HARVEST AND WINEMAKING

We use traditional Burgundian winemaking methods.  The fruit was hand-picked in stages during late March and early April, and then gently trodden underfoot to increase complexity and phenolic structure.  The free-run, non-clarified juice was then put into large French oak barrels (puncheons), 70% of which were old to limit pickup of oak flavour.  In these it underwent primary fermentation by the grapes indigenous yeasts.  The wine was then matured in the puncheons on its natural deposits of yeast lees (sur lie).  In the summer after harvest, it started to go through spontaneous secondary (malolactic) fermentation.  It was regularly tasted during this time and the fermentation was stopped when the ideal balance was obtained.  It had approximately 12 months maturation prior to bottling.

THE WINE

Pale yellow in colour, the nose is complex and inviting, with concentrated citrus and bright tropical notes.  Suggestions of grapefruit, melon, pineapple and vanilla, wrapped in a smoky mantle, interwoven with toasty barrel spice and savoury nuances of grilled mushroom.   The mouthfeel is vigorous and vibrantly fruity, displaying excellent weight and a fleshy texture.  A skewer of rousing acidity slices through the core of the wine, adding persistency and structure on the long, salivating finish.