Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Merlot Cabernet 2023

Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Merlot Cabernet 2023"Dark and purple flushed, it is mouthfilling, rich and supple, with deep, ripe blackcurrant, red berry, plum and spice flavours, a hint of dark chocolate, gentle tannins and good harmony" Michael Cooper, Nov 2025 "Great colour intensity with youthful hues at the time lead to a bouquet of dark berries and lots of Doris plum ideas fresh and baked. Dense, rich and weighty bouquet overall enhanced with scents of sweet tobacco and barrel spices, wood smoke

"Dark and purple-flushed, it is mouthfilling, rich and supple, with deep, ripe blackcurrant, red berry, plum and spice flavours, a hint of dark chocolate, gentle tannins and good harmony" Michael Cooper, Nov 2025

"Great colour intensity with youthful hues at the time lead to a bouquet of dark berries and lots of Doris plum ideas - fresh and baked. Dense, rich and weighty bouquet overall enhanced with scents of sweet tobacco and barrel spices, wood smoke and earth smoke suggesting dark clays and stone. Excellent weight and style, firmness of youthful with some big tannins to tame and acidity to carry the intensity, fruit and freshness. A delightful wine to consider and decide alongside high protein foods. Length and well made" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Oct 2025

"This is splendidly fruited with enticing complexity, showing blackcurrant, dark plum, bouquet garni, game, and assorted nut aromas. It's wonderfully weighted and plump in the mouth, displaying fleshy texture backed by chalky tannins, making it sturdy and robust with a persistent, satisfying finish" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Oct 2025

"A Merlot predominant blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, well-made and satisfying with harmonious plush fruit and acid balance, framed by silky tannin" Candice Chow, Wine Chat

"Hints of burnt toast evolve to perfume, air brings in tilled earth, dark fruits and wisps of crushed leaf. There’s clear depth and structure here, real grip and chew that’s saying ‘pair me with food’. Graphite and blackcurrant frame the palate. Starting to reveal its class and fruit weight, not a simple alfresco sipper, this is one to contemplate" Mark Henderson, Otago Daily Times, Mar 2026

Inky purple in colour, the bouquet is richly fruited and fragrant, resembling dark forest berries, melded with wood spice, cinnamon, cigar smoke and dried herbs. The palate is superbly weighted, with a seductive silky texture, and layers of polished tannins. Mouth-filling, it offers succulent fruit intensity, while retaining poise and a delicious sense of brightness. Our 2023 Merlot Cabernet is commanding in structure, incorporating richness, tension and a savoury, moreish finish.

The Donaldson Family have been seriously involved in viticulture and winemaking for almost 50 years. Founder Ivan Donaldson planted one of Canterbury’s first vineyards in 1976 and went on to establish Pegasus Bay in 1986 with his wife Christine. It is a true family business, with the second generation now actively involved.

The vineyard is located within the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on free draining, north facing terraces. It benefits from being in the lee of the Teviotdale Range, giving maximum protection from the Pacific’s easterly breezes and thus creating a unique mesoclimate. The vines are over 30 years old, with a large proportion planted on their own roots. They are located on the “Glasnevin Gravels” where greywacke stones, silt and loam have been washed down from the mountains over the millennia. The soil is of low fertility, resulting in naturally reduced vine vigour. This produces low yields of optimally ripened, high quality, flavourful grapes, which fully express the qualities of this unique terroir. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are amongst the coolest in the Waipara Valley, drawing out the ripening period of the grapes, while still retaining good natural acidity.

Settled weather during Spring resulted in successful flowering and a healthy fruit set, meaning crop thinning was needed in some areas. Good heat concentration in early to mid-Summer then allowed the grapes to ripen beautifully. The remainder of Summer and Autumn threw up a mix of hot days interspersed with cooler spells, although rain was sufficiently spread out to ensure the bunches remained healthy and disease free.

This wine is made in the same style as the celebrated Claret from Bordeaux, using traditional methods. After being picked over several weeks in April, the grapes began fermentation naturally in stainless steel tanks. During this process the juice was regularly pumped over the cap of floating grape skins (rather than plunging), to ensure a perfect tannin balance was extracted from the fruit. The wine was then gently pressed off and put into French oak barriques (approx. 20% new). The following summer, when the weather warmed, it underwent a natural malo-lactic (secondary) fermentation. After maturing in oak for 18 months, the various batches were then carefully blended in varying portions to produce the most complex and balanced wine possible. The finished product is predominately Merlot, with the remainder comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and a small amount of Cabernet Franc.