2017 Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling, Waipara

The outcrop of land on which these grapes were grown consists largely of weathered stones and mineral rich gravels. These were shorn off New Zealand’s Southern Alps by an ice-age glacier, which carried them down the valleys and deposited them in selected sites. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are amongst the coolest in the Waipara Valley, which helps draw out the ripening period and retain good natural acidity. This individual terroir is especially suited to riesling

We hand-selected only bunches which had 30% or more of noble botrytis, during May. The juice obtained by pressing was fermented slowly over the winter at low temperatures, helping to retain its rich, fruity characters. At all stages, from fermentation to bottling, it was handled very carefully to help retain a little of its natural carbon dioxide. This provides additional crispness and may result in a small amount of spritzig when first poured

On release, it is a lemon-straw. There are plentiful aromas and flavours that are reminiscent of citrus fruits, honeydew melon, pawpaw and tropical spices. It expands on the palate to become broad shouldered, mouth filling and rich but retains a spine of sinuous acidity and minerality that help draw out a lingering hint of freshly crushed root ginger. It can be expected to develop a range of other fascinating nuances with careful cellaring.

Pegasus Bay boosts flavour in Bel Canto by harvesting late with some botrytis infection and allowing the wine to have a little skin contact. The result is this bold, complex wine with peach, apricot, honey, citrus and grapefruit flavours. A richly-textured riesling with a lingering finish 10 MAY 2019 Drink 2019–2023

94 points Bob Campbell MW therealreview.com