March 2, 2024 - It’s been a while, but if you like what Pegasus do then the rewards of patience is required and this 2013 vintage is no exception. Initially a little closed, but glass by glass is opens up showing cherries, chocolate, all spice and small coffee notes. It’s showing some secondary notes but the pallet has a lovely mouth of fruit weight, oak and to be fair Burgundian notes. Drink now or over the next 5 years!!
October 10, 2023 - REWARD Celebration Pegasus Pinot Noir!
TODAY 11th October we opened this exceptional wee Pinot to celebrate signing off our DREAM retirement build on our Brassknocker property!
April 15, 2022 - Last bottle. To begin with there was some acidic flux but with time in the glass this faded away to leave soft berry fruit and some earthy undertones. It has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride with this wine but overall we have enjoyed it.
January 15, 2022 - Leathery, toast, salt. after 2 hours bottle breath more minerals, spices & longer finishing … good stuff
January 1, 2022 - Intriguing wine, soft and smooth with nicely balanced red fruit and lurking underneath was a hint of that acidic flux that sometimes threatens to undermine NZ Pinot Noir. Probably worth drinking sooner rather than later
November 14, 2020 - I first tried Pegasus Bay in Bluebird Restaurant Chelsea and loved it. So I went out and bought a half case. Drank first bottle in 2019 and was underwhelmed.
Wait was worth it for bottle three. I think it is now in the sweet spot of the drinking window. Soft tannins straight out of the bottle, elegant and effortless. Subtle nose, but overall package is spot on. Drink now
August 10, 2019 - Colour med translucent ruby ,pink to clear edges 15/15
Nose med+ intensity rich and luscious,red fruits dark cherry plum cranberry raspberry mushroom earthy gamey , floral red rose petals , hints of chocolate great complexity 29/30
Palate med to full bodied rich ripe fruits velvety silky smooth , good tannic backbone and acidity throughout the palate , clean long finish 41/44
Overall super wine , drinking young for its 6 years of age , look forward to follows its development 9/11
Multi-clone blend from vines up to nearly 30 y.o., with a portion ungrafted, indigenous yeast fermented with many whole berries and 10% whole clusters to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 18 months in 30% new French oak barriques.
January 14, 2019 - MNB: Non-Burgundy Pinot (Home (Noe st)): (blind)
Medium minus ruby - lustrous.
Reductive nose - coinpolish and rubber. Some ripe red and black cherry, and maybe a hint of vanilla (oak?) but a bit hard to tell under the reduction.
Dry, medium plus body, 14% alcohol (actually 13.5%), medium plus acid, medium tannins - satiny. 30% new French oak.
Ripe new world style with heat and black fruit, but also good acid.
Laterals:
- Central Otago - fits structurally.
- Sonoma Coast - usually a bit riper in fruit character, less aggressive in acid, and higher in oak.
- Oregon - ??? I don't know much about Oregon.
Based on the higher acid, low usage of oak, and prominent tannins, I think this is:
Final call: 2015 Central Otago Pinot, $30
Actual: 2013 Pegasus Bay Pinot - Waipara Valley, 13.5%, NZ
25% whole cluster
40% new french oak
Analysis - this is pretty close, though maybe there should be more acid in Central Otago. Looks like I blinded the 2014 as Central Otago as well.
November 13, 2018 - The second bottle of the night and very different. This was sharp, the acidity out of balance. Somewhere underneath there was the lovely character of the first bottle. The old wine adage was certainly proved; there are only great bottles.
November 13, 2018 - One of two bottles drunk on the same night. This was velvet smooth with fresh vibrant red fruit and just enough earthy undertones to prove its varietal character. A truly lovely wine.