• French oak
• Blackcurrant & mulberry
• Crushed clove
• Ripe tannins

"It is a powerful, dense, youthful red, set for a very long life. Dark and still purple-flushed, it has rich, harmonious plum, blackcurrant, herb and spice flavours, fine-grained tannins and an enticingly fragrant bouquet. One of the South Island's greatest 'Bordeaux-style' reds, it should flourish for a decade" Michael Cooper, Dec 2019

"Generously-proportioned red with dark berry, Black Doris plum, liquorice, cassis, anise and nutty oak flavours. A complex Christmas cake style - rich and warming but with a thread of vibrant acidity. Should develop well in bottle" Bob Campbell, Master Sommelier, Jul 2020

"Deep, dark ruby-black with a lighter rim. The nose is gently full with complexity, a concentrated core of blackberries, plums and cassis entwined with tar, rocky mineral; unfolding subtle fragrances of dark floral, aged soy, earth, cedar and oak spices. Fullbodied, the palate is plush with richness and concentrated flavours of an amalgam of blackberries, plums and cassis, shimmer with tar, rocky mineral and savoury notes; unveiling umami, cedar and elegant oak spices element. The flavours are rich and concentrated with depth, interweaved with silky and firm structured finegrained tannin extraction, supported by balanced acidity, carries the wine to a lengthy, sustained and satisfying finish. This is a brilliant NZ South island Bordeaux blend with richness and concentration that rivals top Bordeaux with its own identity and vibrancy, offers superb value. Match with hearty meat dishes over the next 10 years. Only made in exceptional years" Candice Chow Raymond Chan Reviews, Jun 2020

"Powerful bouquet, smoky, intense, a core of fruit with black currant then blackberry and plum, crushed clove, twigs and earth. There’s an abstract package of aromas too with a touch of soy and boot polish. On the palate, full-bodied and equally intense - smoky, almost charry with a treacle-like fruit & oak sweetness. Flavours of blackcurrant and blackberry at the core of the wine are contrasted by bold tannins and medium acidity extending the length and finish. A delicious meaty wine with muscle, power, flavour and finish. Love it!" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jul 2020

"It's superbly fruited and hugely appealing, showing blackcurrant, mulberry, cured meat and vanillin oak characters with a hint of tobacco omplexity. It's wonderfully concentrated and richly expressed on the palate, offering terrific fruit power combined with refined mouthfeel, finishing persistent and delectably enticing. A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and malbec" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Oct 2020

It is dark purple and inky in appearance. Stacked in layers are a plethora of both dark fruit and savoury aromas. Blackcurrent, dark plum and cassis are straddled with earthy notes of mushroom, leather, black olive and woodsmoke. Plump and succulent in the mouth, yet with satisfying concentration and ripe tannins that add structure and complexity. Bound together with a core of refreshing acidity that balances the wine perfectly and prolongs its fi nish. While ready to drink on release, this wine will reward careful cellaring for many years to come.

The vineyard is located within the Waipara Valley of North Canterbury, on free draining, north facing terraces. It benefi ts from being in the lee of the Teviotdale Range, giving maximum protection from the Pacifi c’s easterly breezes and thus creating a unique mesoclimate. The vines are over 30 years old, with a large proportion planted on their own roots. The soil is free draining and of low fertility, resulting in naturally reduced vine vigour. This produces low yields of optimally ripened, high quality, fl avourful grapes, which fully express the qualities of this unique terroir. The vineyard has warm days, but the nights are amongst the coolest in the Waipara Valley, drawing out the ripening period of the grapes, while still retaining good natural acidity.

Warm and settled weather during fl owering led to a very large initial set. Fruit thinning was then undertaken to bring the crop back to the desired level. A perfect summer followed by a warm dry autumn enabled the subsequent grapes to be harvested with excellent fl avour development and physiological ripeness.

Maestro is part of our reserve series and represents the very best of our Bordeaux fruit. As with all our reserves, this celebrated claret style wine is only made in exceptional years. After being picked in April, the grapes began fermentation naturally in stainless steel tanks. During this process the juice was regularly drained and sprayed back over the cap of fl oating grape skins (rather than plunging), to ensure a perfect tannin balance was extracted from the fruit. The wine was then gently pressed off and put into French oak barriques (50% new). The following summer, when the weather warmed, it underwent a natural malo-lactic (secondary) fermentation. After maturing in oak for 2 years, a selection from the best barrels was carefully blended to produce the most balanced yet complex wine possible. The fi nished product is a blend of approximately 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet, and 20% Malbec.

The Donaldson Family have been seriously involved in viticulture and winemaking for over 40 years. Founder Ivan Donaldson planted the fi rst Canterbury vineyard in 1976 and went on to establish Pegasus Bay in 1986 with his wife Christine. It is a true family business, with all four of their sons and two spouses involved.