Pegasus Bay 2012 Prima Donna, 2014 Aria and 2011 Finale

FEATURED WINES IN THIS REVIEW

• Pegasus Bay ‘Prima Donna’ Waipara Valley Pinot Noir 2012
  Pinot Noir from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara

  Review Date : 02-Dec-2015

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Dark, even ruby-red colour with lighter garnet hues on the edge. The bouquet is full and softly ethereal with interwoven layers of savoury dark red berry fruits melded with dried herbs, whole cluster stalk suggestions, game, truffles and undergrowth, with cedary oak and floral elements. The nose is harmoniously integrated and has excellent density. Medium-full bodied, the palate features harmonious and seamless layers of subtle flavours of sweet and savoury red fruits, entwined with dried herbs, game, florals and cedar. This is sweetly rich and detailed and the palate follows a seamlessly packed core and line, with fine-grained tannins and gentle acidity, carrying through to a concentrated, long, lingering, velvety finish. This is a seamlessly smooth, rich and complex layered Pinot Noir with a full array of sweet and savoury secondary interest. Match with slow-cooked game meat over the next 5-6+ years. Multi-clone fruit from vines approx. 30 y.o., many ungrafted, indigenous yeast fermented with a high proportion of whole berries and 10% whole bunches to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 18 months in 40% new French oak barriques. 19.0/20 Dec 2015 RRP $90.00
• Pegasus Bay ‘Aria’ Waipara Valley Late Picked Riesling 2014
  Sweet Wine from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara

  Review Date : 02-Dec-2015

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  Bright straw-yellow colour with slight golden hues, pale edged. The nose is elegant and slender in proportion, but well concentrated with aromas of lime, lemon and tangerine fruit entwined with exotic flowers and a thread of marmalade, honey, any musky-talc botrytis. This has delicacy and finesse and is beautifully integrated. Very sweet to taste and medium-bodied, gently luscious flavours of exotic citrus fruits and florals flow with honey, musk and talc botrytis along a very fine textured, lively line. This has excellent acidity and tension to match the unctuousness, and the wine carries with brightness and energy to a very long moderately sweet and luscious finisf of citrus fruits and musk. This is a beautifully elegant and harmoniously entwined late-pick Riesling with exotic citrus and musk flavours and excellent freshness. Serve as an aperitif and withbaked or fruit desserts over the next 4-5+ years. Fruit primarily from ungrafted vines over 25 y.o., with botrytis infection, cool-fermented to 11.0% alc. and 84 g/L RS, and TA 7.8 g/L. 19.0-/20 Dec 2015 RRP $39.00
• Pegasus Bay ‘Finale’ Waipara Valley Noble Semillon/Sauvignon Barrique Matured 2011
  Sweet Wine from New Zealand - Canterbury & Waipara

  Review Date : 02-Dec-2015

  ☆☆☆☆☆

  A second bottling of ‘Finale’ 2011, with 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, fully botrytised and picked at 50° Brix, fully barrel-fermented with indigenous yeasts to 14.5% alc. and 182 g/L RS, and TA 7.9 g/L, the wine aged 4 years in new and seasoned French oak barriques. Deep golden yellow colour with orange hues and lighter green-gold tints on the edge. The bouquet is full, bold and solidly concentrated with rich and ripe aromas of oranges and tropical fruits complexed by layers of marmalade, toffee, caramel and crystallised fruits. Nutty oak, ‘fly-tox’ and volatile acidity add to the interest and density of aromatics. Very, very sweet, the palate is full-bodied, rich and unctuously packed with decadent flavours of ripe citrus and tropical fruits, toffee and caramel. Layers of sweet, nutty oak and a little volatility are integral. The mouthfeel is smooth, rounded and unctuous with a dense, soft-textured core, the soft acidity adding to the opulence. The wine oozes to a long, lingering complex, hedonistic finish. This is a very rich, complex-layered decadent dessert wine with tropical fruit, toffee, caramel and nutty flavours. Serve with steamed puddings or instead of a liqueur, over the next 6-8 years. (375 ml) 19.5-/20 Dec 2015 RRP $37.00