North Canterbury

The Crater Rim Waipara Valley Chardonnay is a youthful, estate-grown wine, hand-picked and fermented and lees-aged for 11 months in French oak barriques (partly new). This wine is a bright, light yellow-green, with a fragrant, citrusy bouquet. The palate is mouth-filling, with good intensity of grapefruit-like flavours, slightly buttery and toasty.

Named after the dominant weed growing on the vineyard that this wine comes from, Earth Smoke is a complex, medium bodied expression of the great Pinot Noir grape with flavours of cherries and spice held in wine with great depth of flavour and a long finish.

Prima Donna is the top Pinot Noir and best red from Pegasus Bay Winery, made from a blend of barrels tasted by the winemaking team and chosen for their quality and superior style. It is produced by Mat Donaldson and his winemaking team, who aim to create the most complex and balanced Pinot Noir possible in this wine, which is part of Pegasus Bay?s reserve series wines. 

Traditional Burgundian winemaking sees the inclusion of approximately one third of the grapes in this blend fermented as whole bunches. The maturation is in French oak, approximately 45% new, for 18 months, using oak barriques from selected artisan Burgundian coopers.

This wine drinks well now and can also age superbly for 10 years and further, in cool cellar conditions.

* Prima Donna Pinot Noir is produced only in vintages regarded as exceptional quality. 

Silver Wing Ceramic Sauvignon ticks lots of boxes from the funky, earthy aroma notes to the fresh bright acidity that gives Sauvignon Blanc its refreshing edgy flavours. And it also ticks the vegan box. 

Winemaker Andrew Fox focusses on low intervention winemaking methods, including no filtration which may result in lees sediment in the wines, which is harmless and looks like small crystals. 

Silver Wing wines are made by Andrew Fox in the Waipara Valley, North Canterbury.  

2022 FIELD OF FIRE CHARDONNAY

Season summary
Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm.

Tasting note
Green lemon hue. Complex nose of minerals, flint, lemons and limes. Taught yet rich and concentrated, flavours reminiscent of lime and samphire. Fine and compact phenolics frame the wine and drive the long, moreish, mineral finish.

Viticulture
Planted between 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and a second planting in 2018, farmed biodynamically from inception. This unique, south-east facing site has varied soils, graduating from top to bottom on the slope, through primarily shallow (10-15cm) glauconitic clays over well drained limestone. Harvest date: 29 April 2022.

Winemaking
Crushed and soaked for 4 hours prior to pressing. Wild ferment, in aged
French oak barrels. 12 months on lees in barrel, then aged on light lees for
5 months in stainless steel prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in
September 2023.

Chemical Analysis
pH:3.3
Alcohol: 13%
TA: 7.0g/L SO2: 50ppm
Other additives: None
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes

2022 ANGEL FLOWER PINOT NOIR
Season summary
Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm. 

Tasting note
Light garnet hue. With a beautifully expressive nose of rose petals and dried herbs, the complexity leaps out of the glass. Silky texture, with crushed red fruits and with a velvet mineral acidity. Fine tannins support this elegantly floral and savoury expression of Angel Flower in 2022. Great length, subtle flavours that linger long. A elegant wine that has understated power.

Viticulture
Planted between 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and farmed biodynamically from inception. A beautiful, very steep, north-facing block. Coarse, shallow soils that enhance the aromatics; 15% clay, 5-10% active lime. Harvest dates: 20 April 2022

Winemaking
Carefully hand sorted, fully destemmed and fermented with wild yeasts using infusion methods for 21-27 days. Settled in tank before being transferred to French wooden barrels. Elevage of 18 months, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

303 cases of 6 x 750ml bottles produced.
pH:3.91
Chemical Analysis
Alcohol: 13.5%
TA: 5.0g/L SO2: 50ppm
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes

2022 EARTH SMOKE PINOT NOIR

Season Summary
Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm.

Tasting note
Vibrant garnet with great clarity. The nose has brooding aromas of dark fruits, spicy complexity and florals. Dense, compact palate with a core of umami raspberries and a savoury, resinous complexity surrounded by soft fine tannins and a saline, palate-activating structure. A pure, vibrant and expansive expression of Earth Smoke.

Viticulture
Planted between 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and farmed biodynamically from inception. An expansive, east-facing slope.Strong, beautifully structured soils; 30% clay, 15% active lime.

Winemaking
Carefully hand sorted, fully destemmed and fermented with yeasts from the vineyard, gently fermented using infusion methods for 21-27 days. Settled in tank before being transferred to French wooden barrels. Elevage of 18 months, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Chemical Analysis
Alcohol: 13%
TA: 5.2g/l SO2: 40ppm
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes
410 cases of 6 x 750ml bottles produced.

2022 LION'S TOOTH CHARDONNAY

Season summary 

Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm.

Tasting note
Pale lemon straw hue. Mineral complex nose of mandarin, cashew nuts, and crushed limestone. Great depth. Taught, focused flavours envelop the palate. Lemon curd, mandarin peel, nutty flavours unfold. Great length and drive with saline acidity.

Viticulture
Planted from 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and a second planting in 2018, farmed biodynamically from inception. Steeply inclined, east facing home block. Beautiful soils, with nut and crumb structure and great mineral fertility: 30% clay, 15% active lime. Harvest date: 28 April 2022.

Winemaking
Crushed and soaked for 2 hours prior to pressing. Wild ferment, in aged French oak barrels. 12 months on lees in barrel, then aged on light lees for 5 months in stainless steel prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in September 2023.

Chemical Analysis
Alcohol: 1 3 % pH: 3.29
TA: 6.8g/L SO2: 50ppm
Other additives: None
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes
409 cases of 6 x 750ml bottles produced.

The name Mon Cheval is in homage to the owner's champion racehorse, Under Cover Lover, whose winning ways helped the dream of making wine possible. The 2.2 hectare vineyard is found at the entrance to Weka Pass in North Canterbury, and is planted with Pinot Noir and only a small amount of Riesling.

Beautiful by name and beautiful by nature. This new Riesling puts North Canterbury's best white wine foot forward with its candied lemon, concentrated mandarin and ripe grapefruit aromas,. It's a light bodied, powerful white with rich citrus flavours and a super long finish. This wine's intensely aromatic mid palate ends on a crisp refreshing note.

It contains 21 grams residual sugar (medium dry style) but finishes on a dry note.