Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay 6pk 2019 - Sold Out
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 VIRTUOSO Chardonnay 2019
One gentle nose of this wine and the full impact of the bouquet is released. Aromas of a bold, oak, nut and rich fruit centred scents from roasted peach to baked grapefruit, burnt butter and oak spices of sweet vanilla and wet clove. Full-bodied, nutty, rich and satin textured on the palate with flavours that mirror the nose, but with even more power and intensity. Spices, warming alcohol, acidity and wood tannins build a solid foundation while the fruit flavours deliver contrast and core energy as well as flavour. A delicious wine, with weight and intensity, length and finesse. Rating: 96 Points
Source: Cameron Douglas MS, www.camdouglasms.com
Pegasus Bay VIRTUOSO Chardonnay 2019
Easily one of the best Chardonnays you will find in New Zealand, the team at Pegasus Bay seemingly achieve supreme class almost effortlessly. Go here, please do. A wine that encompasses so much detail and finesse, a welcome of barbecued peach, Jersey caramel, burnt butter, toffee and butterscotch greets you. Layers of interest peel off with ease - your discovery doesn't cease with such quality in the glass. Flinty, the creamy mouthfeel reaches out to you as it rolls about with absolute ease - a ball of pleasure you could say. Sure there is oak and there is some weight in the mouth, but the handling and balance with the fruit speak volumes for the winemaking. A little cashew cameo slides in late with a lemony tang having the final word, but it's by no means goodbye - I'm back for another dose in quick time. Bravo - just brilliant!
Rating: 95/100
Source: Steve Leszczynski, Qwine, www.qwinereviews.com
Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay 2019
My word, this is a LOT of wine.
It’s the 4th of July, or the King’s birthday weekend, depending on where you are from. So much firecracker smoke and struck match, and that character lingers, and indeed, is the dominant character of this wine. So, if you are good with that then maybe let’s move on. Caramel, honey, grilled pineapple, apricot and peach, cumquat, almost botrytis intensity to flavour, firm grapefruit and lime acidity, a sizzled butter richness, spicy and tangy, cheese and bran, with a zesty and smoky finish of uncompromising length and smoky tang. It’s a madhouse of Chardonnay. Almost painful to drink. It’s like “The Kramer” – it’s a loathsome offensive brute yet I can’t look away. Mind how you go. Awesome, yes, but kind of hard to rate. As an aside, it still has a tickle of CO2 spritz.
Rating: 92 Points
Source: Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay 2019
Virtuoso is Pegasus Bay's flagship Chardonnay. The 2019 offers up a chunky slab of concentrated flavors, nutty oak and tangy acidity. It's a real mouthful of a Chardonnay with its mass of barrel- and solids-derived smoky/nutty characters. Starting off with a spritz on entry (Pegasus Bay likes to bottle with a dose of CO2), it expands in the mouth, giving a sense of power and richness that is all rather full on currently – you might need a lie-down afterward. Having spent 12 months in bottle after its year in barrel, the wine has been released at two years old, but this pup needs time to calm its ebullience and power. Patience will be rewarded, as there's a lot going on here. Rating: 94 Points
Source: Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay 2019
For a full-bodied, complex Chardonnay that’s made only in the best years and as a selection of the best barrels, Pegasus Bay’s Virtuoso sure does make its mark on the memory. All grapes in this wine were handpicked in stages, gently pressed and fermented in French oak puncheons with a relatively high percentage (40%) of new oak. This supports the hedonistic weighty structure of the bold, creamy wine with its flavours of caramel, cedar and roasted stonefruit, intertwined with subtle, spicy taste explosions on the lingering, succulent finish. This is an outstanding chardonnay from a great winemaking team.
Rating: 19/20
Source: Joelle Thomson, Drinksbiz
Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay 2019
Bright, pale yellow with a gold hue, even colour throughout. This has a full and compelling bouquet with softened aromas of roasted cashew, acacia, black sesame, flint and spice, interwoven stonefruit and grapefruit. The wine is full-bodied with softness and elegance; aromas of nectarines, apple and grapefruit entwined with roasted cashew, black sesame, flint, acacia and delicate spice. The wine is integrated harmoniously, with softened nutty aromas and flint added strength and maturity; lacy acidity brought energy and freshness to the multi-layered palate. This Chardonnay is harmonious with a complex range of flavours, balance and strength. Rating: 19/20
Source: Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews
Pegasus Bay Virtuoso Chardonnay 2019
Blended from the 'best barrels', this wine is estate-grown and hand-picked from vines over 30 years old at Waipara. Fermented with indigenous yeasts, it is lees-aged for a year in French oak puncheons (40 per cent new in 2019), matured in tanks on light lees for several more months before bottling, and then bottle-aged for a year prior to its release. The 2019 vintage is bright, light lemon/green, with a fragrant, complex bouquet. Mouthfilling, it is a very 'complete' wine, with deep, ripe stonefruit flavours, searching and savoury, and a seamless, enduring finish. Already delicious,
Rating: 5 Stars Source: Michael Cooper, Michael Cooper’s Buyer’s Guide, www.michaelcooperwines.com
