Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2023

A reserve wine, only made in exceptional years that are favourable for the development of noble botrytis, this is the dryest Riesling in the Pegasus Bay lineup and exhibits the producer's distinctive richness and generosity on the palate.

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Tasting Notes

Pegasus Bay Bel Canto Dry Riesling 2023

"A dense and spicy riesling with sliced apples, lemons, grapefruit and flint. Full-to medium-bodied, layered and minerally. One of the best rieslings in New Zealand." 94 Points, James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com

"Very youthful, vibrant and pristine bouquet with its signature of honeysuckle and complexity from later picked fruit, lemon and white peach, apple and a layer of quince. Delicious on the palate finishing dry driven by a backbone of acidity and mouthfeel, and flavours of citrus and white fleshed orchard fruits before the honeysuckle and late pick characters fold back in. A wine that will age well and deliver exceptional value in years to come." 93+ Points, Cameron Douglas MS

 "Bel Canto means 'Beautiful Singing'. Based on the estate's mature vines at Waipara, in North Canterbury, the extremely youthful 2023 vintage was 'hand-selected with a portion of botrytis'. Light lemon/green, it is a powerful, notably sturdy and weighty style of Riesling, with rich, peachy, lemony, vaguely honeyed flavours, showing excellent delicacy, harmony and length. Crisp and basically dry, it's built for the long haul." 5 Stars, Michael Cooper, Independent Wine Reviewer

"Alsace-style dry riesling with impressive weight and layers of complex flavours that include lime zest, oyster shell, mandarin and exotic spices. It can be appreciated now but shows obvious cellaring potential." 93 Points, Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

"Bright, even, pale yellow with a slight green hue. This has a rich bouquet with softly penetrating aromas of citrus, pickled ginger, blossom, and tropical fruit notes. Full-bodied, dry to taste, aromas of lemon, lime and mandarin intertwined with pineapple, stonefruit, magnolia, pickled ginger and honeycomb. The generous fruit shows depth and layers, unfolding citrus peels and honeycomb. Tangy acidity and fine phenolics provide structure, lending a long, rich and moreish palate. This dry and complex style of Riesling is ready to mingle with multi-layers and textures…."  8.5+/20, Candice Chow, Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews

Pegasus Bay is a family-owned and run business within the Waipara Valley, led by patriarch and Neuroscientist Ivan Donaldson. Free draining and low fertility soils produce low yields of high quality, flavourful grapes, which fully express the qualities of Pegasus Bay’s unique setting. The range of wines is led by diverse and ageworthy styles of Pinot Noir and Riesling, with highly expressive Semillon, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon blends complementing the portfolio.

Producer website: https://www.pegasusbay.com/

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