Pegasus Bay, one of the more interesting producers in the Waipara region of New Zealand, have been doing their own thing since the 1970s. They have helped to put Waipara on the map, and also have helped New Zealand wines make a splash in the global market.
The Donaldson family is as interesting as their wines. They run a restaurant at the winery, and matriarch Christine loves the opera and has even named a special riesling cuvee 'Bel Canto' in honor of her musical passions.
Their sauvignon blanc - semillon blend is an interesting take on the classic Bordeaux white blend. They ferment the sauvignon blanc in steel and the semillon in oak-- both on their own, natural yeasts. The wines are sur lee prior to blending. An ancient glacier left behind large, round stones which help trap heat in the vineyard and release it slowly at night; similar to Bordeaux's left bank.
I've worked with these wines for several years now, and I've found the aging potential to be marvelous. Five years in, this 2008 sauvignon-semillon blend is still kicking strong, and only showing the earliest signs of tertiary aromas.
The Donaldson family is as interesting as their wines. They run a restaurant at the winery, and matriarch Christine loves the opera and has even named a special riesling cuvee 'Bel Canto' in honor of her musical passions.
Their sauvignon blanc - semillon blend is an interesting take on the classic Bordeaux white blend. They ferment the sauvignon blanc in steel and the semillon in oak-- both on their own, natural yeasts. The wines are sur lee prior to blending. An ancient glacier left behind large, round stones which help trap heat in the vineyard and release it slowly at night; similar to Bordeaux's left bank.
I've worked with these wines for several years now, and I've found the aging potential to be marvelous. Five years in, this 2008 sauvignon-semillon blend is still kicking strong, and only showing the earliest signs of tertiary aromas.
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