2022 'Aria' Late Picked Riesling, Pegasus Bay

South Island, New Zealand

Pegasus Bay is a family-owned winery located in New Zealand’s Waipara Valley, renowned for producing expressive wines that reflect their unique terroir. Founded by the Donaldson family in the 1980s, Pegasus Bay has long been recognised as one of the country’s leading wine estates, especially for its aromatic whites.

The 2023 Riesling Aria Late Picked is a sweet, fragrant Riesling, a beautifully composed dessert wine that balances richness with vibrant energy. In the glass, it gleams with a bright golden hue. The nose is evocative and layered, offering a heady bouquet of honeysuckle, rose petal, and orange blossom, interwoven with citrus-laced notes of lemon curd and lime sherbet. Hints of white peach and a steely mineral thread add complexity and poise. On the palate, it delivers a zesty interplay of sweetness and acidity, succulent and honeyed in texture yet lifted by a refreshing citrus tang. Rich and concentrated without ever feeling heavy, it finishes with persistence, clarity, and mouthwatering vibrancy.

Whats in the bottle
100% Riesling

Notable Awards
Cameron Douglas MS: Awarded 94 points

£29.95
Taxes included.

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£49.00

  • Producer Information
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Pegasus Bay is one of New Zealand’s most esteemed family-owned wineries, located in the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury. Founded in 1986 by Ivan and Christine Donaldson, who were among the pioneers of viticulture in the region, the estate has remained a true family affair, with all four of their sons actively involved in its operation today.

The vineyard is situated on north-facing, free-draining terraces in the lee of the Teviotdale Range, which offers natural shelter from coastal winds and creates a unique mesoclimate ideal for grape growing. The soils, known as the Glasnevin Gravels, are a blend of greywacke stones, silt, and loam, washed down over millennia, and are naturally low in fertility. This encourages deep root growth and low yields, resulting in fruit of exceptional concentration and character. The climate, with warm days and cool nights, ensures extended ripening and excellent natural acidity.

Pegasus Bay is renowned for producing complex, age-worthy wines, particularly Pinot Noir and Riesling, along with richly textured Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Their wines are widely acclaimed both domestically and internationally for their balance, depth, and strong sense of place.

Aria is part of Pegasus Bay’s reserve series and is the sister wine to our Bel Canto dry riesling. Both are only made in exceptional years that are favourable for the development of noble botrytis. After an extended hang time, the bunches were hand-selected with a portion of between 30-50% botrytis and a ripeness of approximately 28 Brix. The grapes were then gently pressed, and the juice fermented slowly at cool temperatures to help the wine retain its vibrant fruit characters and varietal purity. At all stages, from fermentation to bottling, it was handled very carefully to help retain a little of its naturally dissolved carbon dioxide. This has resulted in a small amount of spritzig, which adds extra liveliness to the wine and accentuates its freshness.

Grape
Riesling

Vintage
2022

Country
New Zealand

Size
750ml

Types
White Wine

Producer
Pegasus bay

Region
North Canterbury

Sub-Region
Waipara

2022 'Aria' Late Picked Riesling, Pegasus Bay

£29.95

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  • New Zealand