Pegasus Bay, Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2019

We hand-selected only bunches which had 30% or more of noble botrytis. They were immediately pressed and the juice fermented slowly over the winter at low temperatures, helping to retain its rich, fruity characters. A portion underwent spontaneous, natural fermentation, without the addition of yeast, in old, large barrels to give the final blend extra complexity and richness. At all stages, from fermentation to bottling, it was handled very carefully to help retain a little of its natural carbon dioxide. This provides additional crispness and may result in a small amount of spritzig when first poured.

The winery was named after the bay that sweeps north from Banks Peninsula. It took more than a decade to build the now-famous palatial winery building and to establish its gorgeous, manicured gardens. Pegasus Bay holds a place in the international book 100 Most Iconic Wine Estates. Ivan Donaldson (a highly respected neurologist) and his wife Christine saw Waiparas potential as a premium wine region back in the 1980s and since day one the business has been a family affair: son Matt is the winemaker, Ed is the marketing maestro, while youngest son Paul gave away a career as a zoologist to earn his MBA and become general manager. The Pegasus Bay wines use only estate-grown fruit while the excellent-value-for-money Main Divide range also uses fruit from contract growers around the country.