Anne tastes a range of Rieslings at the Pegasus Bay winery but first hears how it transformed a once ‘ugly duckling’ of a grape into a swan.
Sometimes women get their own way. That was the case with Chris Donaldson, even though she had to wait a while to get her wish. That she created the winery’s best-selling white wine in the process was the perfect vindication.
The place was Canterbury, New Zealand, the year 1994.
But some background first: Ivan Donaldson, head of neurology at Christchurch Hospital, NZ, had spent time with his young family in the UK, travelling in Europe. His wife Chris had given him a book on wine. After all, he had been a hobby winemaker back home. While living in England, he tasted widely. Of the bottles he brought home to taste, she preferred the Rieslings. Back in Christchurch in 1986, the couple bought land in North Canterbury, a former sheep farm, with the intention of planting a vineyard.
“Dad had done lots of research and he thought North Canterbury would be a good place,” explains his son Paul Donaldson who, along with eight other family members, looks after Pegasus Bay winery today.
“The Teviot Dale Ranges protect the area from easterly winds off the coast. It’s always a degree or two warmer inland. Back then there were only two or three other wineries in the region,” Paul says. “Dad planted what was popular at the time: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot. It’s a bit far south for these [red] Bordeaux varieties here, but this is what people were drinking at the time.”
Clearly, there was no Riesling in the mix, to Chris’s chagrin. While Ivan liked Riesling as much as his wife, it took her until 1994 to persuade him to plant it.
Paul Donaldson, January 2018: “Dad now seems pretty happy”
“It took time to win him over,” Paul recounts. “He was just worried about the commercial realities of selling Riesling.” In a parallel to the European Liebfraumilch scenario, Riesling in New Zealand also had an image problem created by cheap, sweetish plonk sold as a kind of Riesling drink without necessarily even being made from that grape. “But my mum was confident and it totally worked out. Today Riesling is our best-selling white wine.”
Bit by bit the family’s Riesling prowess evolved: Initially they made an off-dry version with 20-30g/l of residual sugar that is still around today as the Estate Riesling.
“It’s the kind of wine that is reasonably dry but still has loads of freshness,” says Paul.
Pegasus Bay also keeps wines back for a decade as a library release
In 1996 and 1997 they added a slightly sweeter Auslese style, made with a portion of botrytised grapes. This is known as Aria: many of the Pegasus Bay Winery’s wines have musically inspired names as Chris and Ivan are “massive opera fans,” according to Paul. In 2004 the very first Riesling from fully botrytised grapes followed, this is known as Encore and is a fully sweet dessert wine. But that was not enough – the family continued to push the boundaries, arriving at a style that today is unique in New Zealand.
“In 2006 and 2007 we experimented with non-commercial volumes and in 2008 we released our first Belcanto Riesling,” explains Paul. “inspired by the Austrian Smaragd style Rieslings from the Wachau.” Belcanto is made with both ripe, healthy grapes and a proportion of botrytised grapes and fermented dry. This is what gives the wine concentration, power and very expressive fruit. “So it’s not made every year,” Paul says.
Vines at Pegasus Bay, Waipara
Conditions must be right for botrytis. Riesling in Canterbury benefits from an extended ripening season, giving it the juicy flavours and appetising aromas of sweet citrus like mandarin, tangerine and orange. The area is mostly dominated by easterly winds from the ocean, tempered by the Teviot Dale Ranges but, Paul says, “every now and then we get north-westerly winds that dry out everything. When we do get botrytis, it is almost always immediately noble.” Today, Chris’s vision of Riesling is fully vindicated with four distinctive styles being made at the winery.
“Dad now seems pretty happy.” Paul says.
Pegasus Bay Riesling 2015, 12% ABV: a touch of reduction still hovers on the nose before notes of zesty, sweet citrus take over. Tangerine and mandarine vie for attention and are boosted by a dollop of residual sugar. This slips down far too easily and hits that pleasure spot beautifully.
Pegasus Bay Belcanto Dry Riesling 2015, 13.6% ABV (7.5g/l of residual sugar, made with almost 30% of botrytised fruit):
A flinty touch of reduction still plays on the nose before aromatic orange peel comes to the fore, along with honeysuckle. Underneath that a zesty, aromatic intensity of orange and tangerine radiates from the core. The palate is concentrated, bold, crisp, zesty, backed by glowingly ripe, zesty citrus. Mouth filling, textured, toned and weighty: totally delish and absolutely age-worthy.
Pegasus Bay Aria 2014 Riesling, 11% ABV: This was made with about 50-60% botrytised grapes and usually has 70-80g/l of residual sugar. Fermented and aged in 100% stainless steel. Zesty freshness and floral notes dominate the nose. The palate comes in with proper sweetness, cut with the freshness of aromatic tangerine fruit and candied tangerine peel. The balance here is pivotal and perfect. The finish is not too sweet and will work exceptionally well with washed-rind cheeses, lighter, citrus-based desserts or Thai food.
Pegasus Bay Encore 2016 Riesling, 12% ABV: Made from fully botrytised fruit this is full-on but balanced. The botrytis is very clean and majors on citrus rather than the usual musk. Pristine stone fruit comes to the fore, met with killer freshness. The mouth-feel is fluid and viscous. This is crisp and luscious at the same time; bright, brilliant and very long.
Pegasus Bay also keep wines back for library release for a decade:
Pegasus Bay Aged Riesling 2007, 12.5% ABV: an exquisite note of lemon oil rises immediately. There is not a touch of petrol but the most serene, chamomile-scented lemon aroma. The mouthfeel has become rounded, balm-like, still with a lovely poise and a certain lightness. The finish, despite the slight residual sweetness, seems dry. What a wonderfully pure, impressive wine.
Pegasus Bay Wines, including library releases, is represented by New Generation Wines in the UK.
