Pegasus Bay

North Canterbury

Pegasus Bay was established in 1985 by the Donaldson Family who were pioneers of the North Canterbury wine region and are widely regarded as a leading producer of quality wine in the region.

Ivan and Christine Donaldson, along with their three sons, are involved in all aspects of the winery’s operation, from vineyard management to winemaking to marketing and the running of their award-winning restaurant.

Ivan oversees the vineyard, which is sustainably managed on a low-cropping regime to provide the best possible fruit to the winemaking team led by Ivan's eldest son, Matthew. Matt has adopted a minimal intervention approach throughout the entire winemaking operation.

The acclaimed Pegasus Bay range is produced exclusively from estate-grown fruit, the result of natural, low-impact methods of cultivation.

Winemaker

Matt Donaldson

Eldest son and winemaker, Matthew graduated from Roseworthy College in Australia, and worked many vintages around the world, with a particular focus on Burgundy.
2012 marked Matt’s 20th vintage at Pegasus Bay. He remembers the first vintage at Pegasus Bay, when they harvested 18 tonnes of grapes from 50 acres because the young vines struggled with ‘soils that are quite bony’. More than twenty years on, and Pegasus Bay wines have a concentration and consistency that comes from vine age, as well as experience in both vineyard and winery.

He believes in sustainable viticultural management, low crop levels, minimal handling of fruit during processing and gentle pressing.

Ultimately, Matthew’s aim is to capture the unique flavours of the vineyard in our wine with texture, length and drinkability being trademarks of our house style.

Concentration of Flavours

Pegasus Bay sits in the rain shadow of the Teviotdale Hills, which blocks cold coastal winds and reduces rainfall. This creates a warm, dry climate with extended sunshine hours, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and develop complex flavours while maintaining acidity.
Free-draining, mineral-rich soils stress the vines just enough to produce loose bunches and smaller berries with intense concentration, perfect for varieties like Pinot Noir and Riesling. And the long, cool growing season is ideal for aromatic white wines.

Pegasus Bay doesn’t need to force low yields - the terroir naturally limits growth, and enhances flavours leading to a trademark richness and depth across all their wines, from powerful Pinot Noir and textured Chardonnay to iconic, long-lived Rieslings, which express the qualities of this unique setting.