PEGASUS BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021

Every now and then we come across a wine that stops us in our tracks. This new release Pegasus Bay Sauvignon Blanc (A new wine separate to the much-loved Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon) had us all mesmerised as we took in this compelling wine, pondering the multitude of evolving favours in front of us.

Obviously Sauvignon Blanc, but with added layers of intrigue coming from the winemaking techniques used. A selection of the fruit was fermented using whole bunch, and then matured on skins for 200 days, to give added complexity. A small portion of barrel aged Semillon has also been included in the finished wine, for extra richness and texture. Both varieties were aged on their yeast lees (sur lie) for approximately 10 months, prior to blending.

This a journey into the world of complex and serious Sauvignon Blanc akin to the great white wines of Bordeaux. It's a wine to sit with, get to know over the course of a meal/evening and enjoy as it evolves over time. The reviews below give a good insight into what's on offer here…

Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"Upon release it has a subtle lemon hue. The bouquet is vibrant, an intoxicating assortment of tropical and citrus. Heady aromas of passionfruit and pineapple flirt temptingly against a backdrop of grapefruit, green apple, lemon peel and a hint of gunflint. The mouthfeel is textured yet precise, with a rousing whip of acidity and simmering phenolics that give the wine increased structure and length. A complex and serious Sauvignon Blanc, displaying intense varietal character, a multi- faceted palate, and a long salivating finish."

5 Stars & 95/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, July 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"Pale, green-tinged sauvignon with a mix of tropical fruit, citrus and savoury oyster shell flavours. The wine opened up as it sat in the glass and deserves to be aerated to get the best out of it. It's a complex and sophisticated wine that's in a class of its own."

5 Stars & 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, December 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"Enticing and engaging, the beautifully lifted bouquet shows grilled stone fruit, grapefruit, golden apple, dried herb and savoury pastry aromas, leading to a wonderfully weighted palate displaying richly textured mouthfeel backed by beautifully pitched acidity. Wonderfully flavoursome and complex. The wine was whole bunch fermented."

95/100 Steve Leszczynski, QWine.com, September 2022 (2021 Vintage)
"… Portions of whole berries were barrel fermented and they sat on skins for 100 days delivering a terrific textural presence. Passionfruit, guava and lemons stir up the excitement levels. You get a sense this is bounding along on its toes. A fine ribbon of minerality sways through the core of the wine with an ever so faint and delicate creaminess. Cut green herbs plus some pineapple sage and one more dose of lemon juice have the parting words as that fine textural detail lingers. This is how you make Sauvignon Blanc people – bravo!"

Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, August 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"A pungent and fruity bouquet with scents of cape gooseberry and apple, tropical flowers with fresh green herb statements. there’s some mineral and nettles then a layer of exotic fruits, lemon skin and white spice. On the palate a crisp, dry and vibrant texture with acidity carrying flavours of citrus and herbs, some tropical fruit moments and phenolic textures. Well made, ideal for aperitif pour and with fresh oysters or mussels. Best drinking from late 2024 through 2029."

Rated Excellent, Mark Henderson, Otago Daily Times, October 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"Bold & pungent nose leaps out of the glass. Gunflint, wild herbs, grilled red pepper, smoke, a toasty quality, honey and pea-pod with time. Coiled power to the palate, green bean, pea-pod and gooseberry bound together by crisp & vibrant acidity. Chewiness and almost tannic grip underpinning things before the long, fresh close. Complexity, draws you in."

4 ½ Stars Michael Cooper (2021 Vintage)
"Still very youthful, the lively 2021 vintage is based mostly on tank-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, blended with a small amount (about 10 per cent) of barrel-aged Sémillon. Matured on its yeast lees for 10 months, it is pale and mouthfilling, in a clearly varietal style with very good intensity of ripe, tropical fruit flavours, showing considerable complexity, crisp acidity and a dry finish."

5 Stars & 18.5+/20 (94) Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, August 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"Bright, even, pale yellow. The nose is vibrant and lifted with citrus, green apple, apple blossom, melon, tomato vine and a hint of smoke flint aromas. Full-bodied, grapefruit, apple and apple blossom aromas melded with tomato vine, gunflint and melon. The mouthfeel is silky and oily in texture, entwined with integrated vibrant yet soft acidity, unfolding herbaceous nuances and delicate spice, and a sustained finish. This Sauvignon Blanc has a seriousness, structure and fine texture."