Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir is a red wine that is beautifully crafted from the finest Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Waipara Valley, New Zealand. This wine has a medium-bodied texture and a deep ruby red color with delicate aromas of raspberry, cherry, and blackberry accented with subtle spicy notes of nutmeg and cloves. With a flavor profile that is well-balanced, elegant, and complex, Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir boasts a smooth and silky mouthfeel with bright acidity and soft tannins. Perfectly paired with roasted meats, grilled salmon, or soft cheeses, this wine offers a delightful and sophisticated drinking experience that simply cannot be missed.

Tasting Notes

Upon release the wine is bright ruby in colour. There is a teasing array of vibrant red fruit on the nose including raspberry, pomegranate, cherry and plum. Spice and herbal notes, as well as a savoury underlay, add to the wine’s complexity. While the palate has generous fruit weight and velvety tannins, it is balanced with refreshing acidity and a structure that gives the wine classic North Canterbury tension and pinosity.

About the Winery

The story of Pegasus Bay starts with the history of the Donaldson family. The family has been involved and immersed in all the processes of the wine industry since the early 1970s. They were pioneers and developers of various unique and better ways of growing grapevines locally and producing wines from them. Ivan Donaldson, a consultant neurologist and associate professor, became interested in the art of winemaking. It started when Christine, his girlfriend, handed him a book named Wine, written by Hugh Johnson, a legend in the English industry.

The book set Ivan on an incredible and exciting journey, one that never ceased once it started. It urged him to explore the renowned wine areas of Europe. After his trip, Ivan came back to plant a vineyard that now is one of the first of the modern-day Canterbury. It was at this time that he married Christine. She, later on, became an integral element to the story of Pegasus Bay.

By the middle of the 1980s, the couple realised the worth that Canterbury had in the industry of winemaking. They grew the property and operations of Pegasus Bay extensively with the help and support of their four sons. The vineyards owned by the winery got planted back in 1985, producing exceedingly low yields per grapevine. They give small berries and loose bunches per harvest.

The vineyards remain in the vicinity of the Teviotdale Range, getting a high level of protection from the easterly breezes of the Pacific. The soil has free drainage properties with low fertility. They help in enhancing the naturally reduced vigour and flavour of the grapevines. It, in turn, helps develop and grow high-quality and juicy grapes ripened to an optimal degree. Wines produced using these fruits can express the characteristics and qualities of their unique setting.

https://www.pegasusbay.com

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