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.

Pegasus Bay Encore Noble Riesling 2017
Medium-gold colour, even colour throughout. This has an intense, voluminous bouquet packed with honey, bubble gum, spice, beeswax, marmalade and baked apple. Medium-bodied, luscious to taste, aromas of clementine, lime marmalade and baked apple melded with honey, ginger, beeswax and floral perfume. The mouthfeel is unctuous and voluminous; brilliant acidity attacks with freshness and tension provide a refreshing, extremely long finish. This Noble Riesling shows impressive arrays of flavour, strength and balance, lending an incredibly moreish, pleasing finish. Only produced in exceptional vintages, best berries selected in the winery from late-picked, noble botrytized fruit
Rating: 98 Points
Source: Candice Chow December 2022

Pegasus Bay Encore Noble Riesling 2017
The 2017 Encore Noble Riesling leads with white chocolate, honeycomb, salted pink grapefruit, hints of white miso, sea salt, sourdough crust, white pepper, marmalade and cold (salted, whipped) buttered white toast. The wine is just so delicious. This was a very challenging vintage otherwise, with cyclone Debbie doing some busy work around the place. Rating: 95 Points
Source: Erin Larkin, www.robertparker.com

Pegasus Bay ENCORE Noble Riesling 2017
Aromas of honeyed apricots and marmalade, fresh peaches and manuka honey. Bold and delicious, creamy textured and fresh. There’s no mistaking the sweetness, but easily contrasted by high acidity and flavours of yellow stone fruits and baked apple flesh. An exciting and delicious wine that reminds me of juicy california peaches, honey and scherbet. Well made …
Rating: 95 Points
Source: Cameron Douglas MS, www.camdouglasms.com

Pegasus Bay ENCORE Noble Riesling 2017
Deep, yellow/gold colour. Very intense, exotic wine with bush honey, musk, honeycomb, passionfruit, mango and even a hint of durian. It's not at all cloying despite its intensity, thanks to a mouth-watering thread of fine acidity. Delicious now but no rush.
Rating: 96 Points
Source: Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

Pegasus Bay ENCORE Noble Riesling 2017
This is totally delicious; the opulent bouquet shows grilled mango, honey, orange marmalade and cake spice aromas, leading to a sumptuous palate that's packed by dried fruit intensity and seductive sweetness. It's creamy and velvety with refreshing acidity, finishing persistent and gratifying.
Rating: 5 Stars
Source: Sam Kim – Wine Writer, NZ, Wine Orbit, www.wineorbit.co.nz

Pegasus Bay ENCORE Noble Riesling 2017
The nose oozes richness. Barley sugar, musk, smoky botrytis, honey, beeswax, mandarin, super complex. Lush, intensely viscous, coats the palate, yet for all its power and sweetness there’s lovely balance, with a core of acidity that keeps this fresh. Incredibly intense, dessert in a glass, the flavours linger & linger. Pair with blue cheese perhaps.
Rating: Outstanding
Source: Mark Henderson, Otago Daily Times, www.odt.co.nz

Pegasus Bay ENCORE Noble Riesling 2017
The 2017 Riesling Encore Noble does botrytis the way it's supposed to be done: all marmalade, spice, honey and good VA lift on the nose, followed up with a luscious party for the mouth. If only you could spread this on toast – it would be delicious. Failing that, pâté on toast would be a great pairing, or a gorgeous tarte Tatin. It's just softening its edges thanks to time in bottle, but it's still marvellously young and has another two decades in it. Pristine acidity finds its way through the residual sugar on the long, spun-sugar-basket- and orange-laden finish.
Rating: 94 Points
Source: Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous

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