Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay

Shimmering bright lemon in colour, the nose is multifaceted, fruit driven yet intriguingly savoury. Impressions of grapefruit, grilled pineapple, and melon, nestled on an underlay of smoky bacon, buttered popcorn, and pie crust, fused with hazelnuts, creamy caramel, and a puff of gunpowder. In the mouth it is vibrant and energised, with sophisticated concentration and exhilarating acidity combining to create a formidable tension. Strapping, yet oozing with finesse, it accelerates towards a long, racy finish.

• Winery: Pegasus Bay
  
• Varietal: Chardonnay
  
• Region: Waipara Valley, New Zealand
• Vintage: 2020
  
• Alcohol: 13.5%
  
• Volume: 750ml
  
• Closure: Screwcap
  
• Food pairing: Chicken & duck; lamb & mild sausage; tuna & salmon; mushroom risotto; mushroom & light-medium red sauces; brie & goats cheese

A luxurious, mouth-filling and full Waipara Valley Chardonnay by Pegasus Bay. Perfect as a gift for someone special or as a corporate gift. Buy here in our online liquor store and get delivered direct to your door, we deliver nationwide.

THE FAMILY

The Donaldson family have been immersed in the wine industry since the early 1970s and were pioneers of local grape growing and wine making. Associate Professor and Consultant Neurologist, Ivan Donaldson, first became interested in wine when his girlfriend at the time, Christine, gave him a book simply called - ‘Wine’.

Penned by English industry legend, Hugh Johnson, the book started Ivan on an exciting journey, that has never stopped. After travelling to explore the wine regions of Europe, Ivan returned home to plant one of the first vineyards of modern times in Canterbury… and to marry Christine, who has been an integral part of the Pegasus Bay story.

The first vineyard was a hobby with Ivan making wine in the garage at home on the weekends, in-between seeing patients at his private practice in the evening and after his shifts at the public hospital. He also started writing a wine column in the local paper (that he continued for over 20 years) and was a judge in numerous wine shows around the globe. In 2012 Ivan was awarded an Order of Merit for his contribution to Neurology.

By the mid 1980s Ivan and Chris had decided there was definitely a future for wine making in Canterbury. They went on to plant Pegasus Bay with the help of their four sons, who have all ended up working in key roles within the business. Ivan, now retired from medicine, continues to oversee viticulture while Chris’s ‘happy place’ is in the winery’s extensive grounds, now beautifully well-established thanks to her careful planting over the last 30 years.

Chris is also passionate about opera and the arts. She has embraced the local opera scene for many years, including singing in the chorus for a number of operatic productions. There has been many a concert held at the winery’s natural amphitheatre and a reserve range of wines have been dedicated to Chris’s love of opera.

Their eldest son, Matthew, is Winemaker and graduated with an oenology degree and a postgraduate diploma in viticulture from Roseworthy College, in Australia. He has worked numerous vintages in other parts of the world, with a particular focus on Burgundy, and in 2020 would have had his 28th vintage at Pegasus Bay.

Another son, Edward (a trained chef) is Marketing Manager and spends much of his time trotting the globe to promote the wines to around 20 countries where Pegasus Bay is distributed. His wife Belinda managers the hospitality side of the business focusing on premium events. 

Michael was the last son to join the business after his return from overseas, finding a natural fit as Local Sales Manager, while the youngest son Paul, who has an MBA, is the winery’s General Manager.

Pegasus Bay is proud to be entirely family-owned. 

WINE-MAKING PHILOSOPHY

"Our aim is to grow grapes of the highest quality, which fully express the features of the vineyard and to handle these with the utmost respect. Minimal intervention at all stages from vine to bottle typifies our approach.

We believe in sustainable viticultural management, low crop levels, minimal handling of fruit during processing and gentle pressing. We allow wines to go through natural malolactic fermentation and clarification by settling, without the use of fining agents.

We aspire to capture the unique flavours of the vineyard in our wine with texture, length and drinkability being trademarks of our house style. Pegasus Bay wines are made with estate grown fruit from our North Canterbury home vineyard."

Pegasus Bay - Donaldson Family Ltd.

• 96/100 Points - James Suckling (2020 vintage)
• 93/100 Points - Bob Campbell MW (2020 vintage)
• 93/100 Points - Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous (2020 vintage)
• 98/100 Points - James Suckling (2019 vintage)
• 5 Stars & 96/100 Points - Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review (2019 vintage)
  
• 5 Stars - Michael Cooper (2019 vintage)
  
• 96/100 Points - Cameron Douglas MS (2019 vintage)
  
• 96/100 Points - Sam Kim, WineOrbit (2019 vintage)
  
• 19/20 Points - Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews (2019 vintage)
  
• 19/20 Points - Joelle Thomson, Drinksbiz (2019 vintage)
  
• Excellent - Mark Henderson, Otago Daily Times NZ (2019 vintage)
  
• 94/100 Points - Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous (2019 vintage)