Matthew Donaldson of Pegasus Bay Matthew Donaldson's interest in wine began at an early age when his farther Professor Ivan Donaldson planted Canterbury's first vineyard in the mid 70's. As he grew up Matthew was frequently coerced into helping Ivan make the wines in the garage at home. At the beginning Matthew dreaded the call for help and would ignore it for as long as possible however over time he eventually admitted to not only tolerating it but actually enjoying it. This is where Matthew's love affair for all things wine was born. After finishing school at Christchurch's Boys High he went to Australia's Roseworthy College where he studied Viticulture and Oenology. Matthew has often said that it took him 3 years to learn how to make wine at Roseworthy and then another 10 years to forget what he learnt in order to make cool climate wines such as Pinot Noir and Riesling. Matthew moved back to NZ and took over the wine making in 1992 at his family's newly established Pegasus Bay winery after his father produced the first vintage in 1991. Since then Matthew along with his wife Lynnette Hudson has headed the wine making at Pegasus Bay. This is truly a family business with his parents overseeing viticulture and wine styles. His two younger brothers, Edward who is a trained chef and heads the Marketing and who's wife Belinda runs the estate's award winning restaurant and Paul who has an MBA and is the winery's general manager. Over the years Matthew has worked in many wineries and regions around the globe with a particular emphasis on Pinot Noir producers including those in Burgundy such as Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils & Domaine Nicolas Potel. These experiences have helped shape Matthew's belief and understanding that the vineyard is where all good wine is made and is of the up-most importance if the wines are to be a true expression of time and place. 2009 was Matthew's 17th vintage at Pegasus Bay and over time he has evolved the wine making styles with the aim and focus on expressing the unique environment of the Waipara Valley and the Pegasus Bay home vineyard which is now more than 20 years old. The wines of Pegasus Bay have received many accolades from wine critics world over including Steve Tanzer and Janis Robinson as well as being awarded Robert Parkers highest producer rating of 5 stars in 7th addition of Parker's Buyer's Guide.
PEGASUS BAY FINE WAIPARA WINE The aim of Pegasus Bay is to grow grapes of the highest quality, which fully express the features of the vineyard, and to handle these with the utmost respect. Natural methods and as little intervention as possible at all stages from vine to bottle typify their approach. They believe in sustainable viticultural management, organic techniques, low crop levels, minimal handling of fruit during processing and gentle pressing. They allow wines to go through natural malolactic fermentation and clarify by settling. Their red wines are bottled without filtration. They aspire to capture the unique flavors of the vineyard in their wine. Many people, including Neal Martin of Robert Parker s The Wine Advocate considers Pegasus Bay as...one of New Zealand s best producers. www.meadowbankestates.com
FINE WAIPARA WINE Although winemakers Matthew Donaldson and Lynette Hudson look as if they have just got in from an all-night rave, they are presently producing some of New Zealand s most exhilarating, Burgundyinspired white wines, their reds suffused with earthy flavours. They are demonstrating the potential of the Canterbury wine region and constitute one of New Zealand s best producers. Their whites are exhilarating and seem best between a year in bottle and around five years. -Neal Martin The Wine Advocate Reviews Price Rating 2007 SAUVIGNON/SEMILLON $25.00 95 2005 SAUVIGNON/SEMILLON $25.00 93 2007 DRY RIESLING $25.00 94 2006 DRY RIESLING $25.00 92 2006 RIESLING $25.00 93 2004 RIESLING $25.00 94 2005 CHARDONNAY $36.00 93 2004 CHARDONNAY $36.00 90 2006 PINOT NOIR $42.00 92 2005 PINOT NOIR $42.00 ` 91
MAIN DIVIDE FROM THE PRODUCERS OF PEGASUS BAY Main Divide is another label of the Donaldson family of Pegasus Bay. Main Divide, the range of mighty Alps which form the backbone of New Zealand s picturesque South Island, are a symbol of its unique freshness, purity and vigor. In keeping with this ideal, the grapes are sourced only from selected top vineyards and growers in any of the South Island s viticultural areas. It is produced by the same winemaking team that makes the world-class wines of Pegasus Bay. Their aim is to produce harmonious, well-integrated wines, which reflect the uniqueness and diversity of the vineyards. Emphasis is on lively fruit flavors, complexity and drinkability. Natural methods and minimal intervention from vine to bottle typify their approach. Main Divide s philosophy encompases sustainable viticultural management, organic techniques, low crop levels, minimal handling of fruit during processing and gentle pressing. Wines go through natural malolactic fermentation and clarify by settling. The value for money ratio of these wines is perhaps the best in New Zealand. CHARDONNAY: After harvest, the grapes are gently pressed without prior crushing. The unclarified juice was fermented in oak barriques and underwent natural malolactic fermentation. It is kept in barriques on its yeast lees to help develop extra flavor and nuances and give it a creamy mid-palate. During this time, it has regular battonage or stirring of the lees, to maintain freshness. SAUVIGNON BLANC: The fruit was harvested late in the season and very low crop levels from this vineyard in Marlborough's Awatere Valey have ensured excellent concentration, richness and depth. Left on natural yeast lees for 8 months before bottleing. 100% Sauvignon Blanc PINOT NOIR: Hand harvested fruit was manually sorted, destemmed and kept cool for several days prior to fermentation. Using traditional Burgundian techniques of small open vats and hand plunging of the cap of fermenting skins to keep them moist, the fruit is held for a short period of post-fermentation maceration prior to the pressing. After pressing, the wine was matured in French oak barriques and allowed to go through spontaneous natural malo-lactic fermentation in the spring following harvest.
Main Divide Riesling 2007 Best White Wine Buy of the Year (co-winner) ***** Michael Cooper s Buyer s Guide 2009 Pegasus Bay, Canterbury s leading winery, is celebrated for producing some of New Zealand s greatest Rieslings. So it s no surprise the first, fully Waipara-grown Riesling under its second-tier label, Main Divide, is outstanding. Overflowing with vibrant citrus fruit, lime and passionfruit aromas and flavours, with a distinct splash of sweetness balanced by mouth-watering acidity. It was awarded five stars by Winestate magazine, it s a steal. Michael Cooper MDR07 Best White Wine Nov08.doc
What the press say.. Pegasus Bay Winery, awarded Robert Parker s highest producer rating "Outstanding" - Parker s Wine Buyer s Guide 7th edition, USA (one of New Zealand s top 5 producers) "Pegasus Bay constitutes of one New Zealand s best producers." -Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate, USA, 2008 "Pegasus Bay gets my vote for Waipara's top producer for a number of reasons; its wines are often exceptionally good and are always made in adventurous, out of the main stream styles". - Bob Campbell, MW, Gourmet Traveller, Australia If a wine critic was not passionate about any of Pegasus Bay's wine they should seriously consider a change in career" - NZ Wine Country 2007 "Pegasus Bay is Canterbury's leading producer" -Michael Cooper s Wine Atlas 2008, New Zealand These wines deserved my time. When I returned to the UK I frequently ended up in conversation with fellow wine writers about New Zealand wine and whenever their name cropped up, there was always consensus that this was one of the country s most exciting producers - Neal Martin, erobertparker.com
Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir Compare to California & Oregon Pinot Noir 2006 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 92 $40 2006 J Rochioli Pinot Noir East Block 92 $90 2006 Ambullneo Vineyards Pinot Noir Rancho Ontiveros 92 $95 2006 Christom Vineyards Pinot Noir Eileen 92 $55 2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir 92 $60 2006 Brick House Vineyards Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais 92 $59 2006 Soter VIneyards Pinot Noir Beacon Hill 92 $61 The flight of Pinot Noirs continued to illustrate their Burgundy influence, often reminiscent of Morey-Sait-Denis...The intellectual 2006 Pinot Noir has a very natural nose, less fruit-driven than expected with more woodland, tertiary scents.very well-balanced on the palate, slightly grainy tannins, dark fruit but not the usual black cherry. This has damson and mulberries to the fore, again that beguiling sense of earthiness. Introverted on the very natural elegant dry finish. Superb! -Neal Martin, April 2008 Compare to French Burgundy 2005 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 91 $40 2005 Meo Camuzet Chamolle Musigny Feusselottes 91 $450 2005 Domaine Leroy Pommard les Vignots 91 $350 2005 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Chambolle Musigny Premier Cru 91 $82 2005 Bouchard Pere et Fils Vosne Romanee les Suchots 91 $129 2005 Robert Amoux Echezeaux 91 $414 2005 Domaine Bizot Vosne Romanee les Jacheres 91 $137 2005 Domaine Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin 1 ER Cru 91 $205 2005 Domaine Dujac Chambolle Musigny Gruenchers 91 $192