Pegasus Bay Estate Sauvignon Semillon – A brilliant marriage

The grapes for the Pegasus Bay Estate Sauvignon Semillon come from a vineyard in the Waipara Valley in North Canterbury. The vines are planted on free-draining, north-facing terraces. The vineyard benefits from being in the lee of the Teviotdale Range, which provides maximum protection from the easterly Pacific breezes, creating a unique mesoclimate. The vines are over 30 years old, with a large proportion planted on their own roots. They are planted on the Glasnevin Gravels, where greywacke stones, silt and clay have been washed down from the mountains over thousands of years. The soil is not very fertile, so the vines are naturally less vigorous. This leads to low yields of optimally ripened, high-quality and flavourful grapes that fully express the qualities of this unique terroir. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are among the coolest in the Waipara Valley, which extends the ripening time of the grapes while maintaining good natural acidity.

The Pegasus Bay Estate Sauvignon Semillon is a unique expression of a traditional white Bordeaux blend of approximately 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon. Both grape varieties were harvested in stages, with the timing of the harvest chosen to optimise the spectrum of the grapes’ natural flavours. Fermentation took place separately, with the Sauvignon Blanc mostly fermented in stainless steel to preserve the pure fruit character, while the Semillon was fermented in oak barrels to improve the texture. About half of the Sauvignon was fermented whole cluster and then aged on the skins for 200 days to increase complexity. Both varieties were aged on their natural lees (sur lie) for about 10 months before blending. After bottling, the wine was aged for another year before being released onto the market.

And this is what the Pegasus Bay Estate Sauvignon Sémillon tastes like

The Pegasus Bay Estate Sauvignon Sémillon seduces with a salvo of guava, pineapple and melon. Underneath are nuances of grapefruit, honeysuckle, crushed herbs and a hint of lit match. The palate is richly textured, supported by crisp acidity and a sizzling phenolic power that provides excellent weight and structure. A long and refined finish completes the marriage, adding further complexity and length.