Like all the other Main Divide wines, this over delivers on the flavour, quality and value fronts to offer excellent drinking at a fantastic price. Lusciously off dry with a richness, concentration of flavour, and complexity that could only come from Pegasus Bay. Aromas and flavours of ripe pear and spice, judicious residual sugar, added texture from lees aging, and a mineral freshness keeping it all in balance are rare attributes in a Pinot Gris at this price. Embrace and enjoy!
Winery notes (2024 Vintage)
"Pale gold in colour, the nose is vibrant and intensely aromatic. Tropical tones of lychee, cantaloupe melon and nashi pear, crest temptingly in a sea of perfume, floral and spice. Rose petal and honeysuckle awash the senses, infused with sage leaf, root ginger and droplets of almond nougat. The sprightly mouthfeel is texturised with ripe phenolics, balanced beautifully by fractional sweetness and a core of perky acidity, leading to a satisfying and structured finish.
Aiming for a classic Alsatian style with a North Canterbury twist, the fruit was harvested in stages over several weeks to optimise the grapes’ range of natural flavours. After picking, they were gently pressed, and the juice fermented in stainless steel tanks at a cool temperature to retain varietal purity and freshness. The wine was then given a short period of ageing on its natural deposit of yeast lees (sur lie), prior to bottling. At all stages, from fermentation to bottling, the wine was handled very carefully to help it retain a little of its naturally dissolved carbon dioxide. This may result in a small amount of spritzig when first poured, accentuating the freshness and liveliness of the wine."
5 Stars & 93/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, November 2024 (2024 Vintage)
"Beautifully ripe and inviting, the bouquet shows poached pear, rockmelon, rich floral and subtle spice aromas. It's succulent and fleshy in the mouth, delivering terrific fruit intensity together with supple texture and beautifully infused acidity, finishing delicious and lingering. At its best: now to 2028."
Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, November 2024 (2024 Vintage)
"A hat tip to the classic style from Alsace, harvested at optimal ripeness to deliver a range of natural flavours and white spice with fresh white nectarine and pear, a satin texture, refreshing acid line and distinctive mouthfeel. The fruit is gently pressed then fermented in stainless steel tanks at a cool temperature to retain varietal purity and freshness. The wine is then lees aged (sur lie), prior to bottling. A decent acid line and fine tannins mouthfeel add length and complexity. Best drinking from 2024 through 2027."
90/100 Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review, June 2025 (2024 Vintage)
"This value-driven wine is made by the Pegasus Bay team from grower vineyards. The fruit was harvested in multiple picks across several weeks to achieve the ripeness and richness which they describe as “a classic Alsatian style”. It was fermented and aged on lees entirely in stainless steel and harbours 11 grams per litre of residual sugar, which adds to its forward charm.
An expressive wine with passionfruit, floral, spice and green pear aromas. The palate opens with a burst of sweetness and purple grape which settles into sun-dried pear and pink guava flavours on the finish. A decadent, medium-dry and very fruit-driven style of pinot gris with crowd-pleasing qualities."