2023 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir, Waipara

Wonderfully fruited and fragrant, the bouquet presents aromas of dark plum, baking spice, smoked meat, and roasted nuts. The palate offers succulent fruit intensity with fleshy texture and plump mouthfeel, beautifully supported by layers of polished tannins. Harmonious and flavoursome with refinement and complexity. At its best: now to 2035.

95 points Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

A delicious, well-composed and textural pinot with forest berries, black pepper and plenty of matchstick on the nose. Medium-bodied with ripe tannins. The generous midpalate has dense fruit character and a flavorful finish. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

93 points James Suckling

A core of dark ruby with purple hues and a pink rim lead to a bouquet of complexity, ripe red berry fruits, wood spice and earth-smoke. Dry, savoury, complex and varietal with flavours of dark plum and baked red berry fruits. There’s fresh dark skinned cherry, violet and dark rose, cinnamon and sweet bay leaf then a moderately intense wood and oak spice complexity. Taut and youthful with development poised to step in. A lovely wine with best drinking from 2026 through 2032.

93 points Cam Douglas MS

Waipara Valley's limestone soils and cool continental climate create ideal conditions for Pegasus Bay's elegant Pinot Noir, where the Donaldson family's meticulous viticulture and winemaking expertise shine through in every vintage. The region's dramatic diurnal temperature variation allows grapes to ripen slowly while retaining vibrant acidity, producing wines of remarkable finesse and complexity. The 2023 vintage delivered exceptional growing conditions across Canterbury, yielding a Pinot that captures the essence of Waipara's unique terroir with precision and grace.

Brilliant ruby with garnet hints, the wine opens with captivating aromatics: red cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry weave with violet, rose petal and subtle spice. There's an appealing earthiness threading through it, hints of forest floor, dried leaves and mineral that speak to the limestone terroir, while delicate notes of thyme, sage and black tea add herbal complexity. The palate is medium bodied and beautifully structured, offering bright red fruit flavors of cranberry, pomegranate and blood orange over silky, well integrated tannins. Crisp acidity provides energy and length, carrying a persistent finish marked by savory spice, earth and stone fruit.

Pair with rack of lamb with rosemary and garlic, where the wine's elegance complements the tender meat perfectly, or try pan seared salmon with dill butter that echoes its bright acidity. The Pinot works magnificently with duck confit and cherry sauce, venison medallions with juniper, or charcuterie featuring prosciutto and aged salami. Vegetarian dishes like roasted beetroot with goat cheese, grilled portobello with herbs, or ratatouille with fresh basil all complement the wine's earthy character. Aged Gruyère, creamy Camembert or tangy goat cheese provide excellent matches for this refined Canterbury expression.