A sweet dream: The reserve FINALE of botrytized Sauvignon Blanc grapes

The Donaldson Family, founder of Pegasus Bay, was the pioneer of the Waipara Valley wine region in North Canterbury on New Zealand’s South Island 40 years ago. Today, the name Pegasus Bay stands for one of the most renowned New Zealand wineries and always convinces with outstanding wines. The grapes for this noble sweet Sauvignon Blanc come from north-facing wine terraces with good water permeability and barren structure. As a result, the 30-year-old vines, some of which are root-resistant, have particularly deep roots and provide excellent grape material with low yields. They are also protected from the breezes of the Pacific by their slipstream side and therefore there is a special mesoclimate. The vineyards are characterized by particularly warm days and very cool nights, which leads to an optimal ripeness of the grapes on the one hand and a good, natural acid structure on the other. The FINALE is part of the Reserve series and is only produced in outstanding years. This depends on the special conditions towards the end of the season, namely whether noble rot forms. Only the most beautifully rosinated, perfectly botrytized grapes are selected for this wine. Small amounts of highly concentrated juice, obtained by gentle pressing, are filled into new French barriques for fermentation. There, the wine matures for almost two years after fermentation on the yeast storage (sur lie), before it is then bottled.

And this is how the Pegasus Bay Reserve FINALE Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2014 tastes

The Pegasus Bay Finale Noble Sauvignon Blanc shines deep golden in the glass, with complex aromas of drupe (peach, apricot), lychee, pineapple and passion fruit, also candied fruits. In addition, you can perceive the scent of brioche, hazelnut, jam and butterscotch. The presence of Botrytis gives the wine concentration and leads to a rich, supple mouthfeel with wonderful sweetness. Nevertheless, it is perfectly balanced by its fresh, lively acidity and has a long, powerful finish.