Editors notes
Sourced from the ‘main sites’ around Ata Rangi with vine age over 20 years old. This is about 30 to 40% whole bunch, which gets done by feel from year to year, ‘looking at seeds and stems’, says Masters.
Details
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Wine Type
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Vintage
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Variety
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Brand
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Location
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Cellaring
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Closure
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Alcohol Percentage
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Oak Type
Tasting Profile
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Earthy
- Herbal
- Red Fruits
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Palate
- Cedar
- Red Cherry
- Strawberry
Food Pairings
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Poultry
Critic Scores & reviews
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Gary Walsh
95+"It has such a remarkable fragrance of roses and cherry essence that at first it presents as a simple, almost jubey wine, but given plenty of time it reveals further layers of complexity and settles down beautifully. It’s mid-weight (possibly light in an Ata Rangi context) and fluid with superb fine-grained tannin and excellent flavour persistence. A fine vintage for this great producer. It needs at least another couple of years in bottle, at which stage it may rate a little higher again."
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James Suckling
97"Complete and comforting from the very outset, Ata Rangi has delivered another benchmark pinot noir full of all the gently woven complexity and allure that sets the variety apart from most others. Like a tiny piece of Vosne-Romanée came to Martinborough; light fragrant notes, fresh rose petals, a dusting of sweet spices and super-pure cherry fruits waft around the glass in regal formation. The palate is deliciously capricious at this young stage, for the first impression is of lightness and sheer elegance; it falls on the palate with feather-like impact then builds, and builds, and builds. It layers fine pastry-like sheets of tannin and arrives at a fine crescendo of flavor and pure pinot exuberance, leaving a comet-like trail in its wake. This is impeccably crafted; fine, powerful and truly worthy of grand cru status. Drink now."
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Locations
New Zealand
The New Zealand wine industry is one of the younger wine regions in the world, whose popularity grew immensely when Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc hit the world wine scene, quite unique in style when compared to the typical French Sancerre.
Wine is successfully cultivated on both the North and South islands from a latitude of 36 degrees in the North to 45 degrees for the most southerly wine region in the world, the South Island's Central Otago. The majority of regions are located in free-draining alluvial valleys except for Waiheke Island and Kawarau Gorge in Central Otago and benefit from the moderating effect of the maritime climate as no vineyard is more than 80 miles from the ocean. With plentiful sunshine hours and cool evening sea breezes, the grapes thrive.
Sauvignon Blanc is the major white variety people will think of when you mention New Zealand Whites, however fantastic Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and less commonly Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Blanc. Pinot Noir is the most widely planted red variety in New Zealand although Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (Bordeaux Blends), Syrah are also grown and in even smaller amounts, Tempranillo and Montepulcianos can too be found. Sparkling wines of very high standards are also made in New Zealand.
The key wine regions in New Zealand include Auckland, Canterbury, Central Otago, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough and Nelson.
Martinborough
The wine region of Martinborough is located in South Wairarapa on the southern end of the north island, and in only 30 years or so has gone from a sleepy colonial town to a world-class wine village.
The region has picked up numerous international awards since the 1990’s with Pinot Noir picking up the lion’s share of the medals. Pinot Noir is undoubtedly the flagship wine of the region, with some incredible wines being produced.
The mineral-laden soils, combined with the cool climate provide the perfect backdrop for Pinot Noir, much as it has for centuries in Burgundy, France. Indeed the Pinot Noirs produced are very Burgundian in style, a compliment not adorned to many other wine regions worldwide.
The micro-climate of Martinborough is rather warm, with hills both to the east and west. Most all of the vineyards are located in thin strips around the northern and eastern sides of the town or on the Dry River to the south of Martinborough. All the vineyards follow dry riverbeds, which have the desired soil structure for viticulture.
Although Pinot Noir is the king of the reds, Shiraz is also cultivated and in the whites, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer and Pinot Gris are grown.
About the brand Ata Rangi
Meaning "dawn sky" or "new beginning" the name Ata Rangi is now synonymous with Pinot Noir of the highest quality. Located in the Martinborough region, at the Southern tip of the New Zealand's North Island, the winery was one of the first in the region with vines dating back to 1980.
Back in 2010 Ata Rangi was honoured by being named in the inaugural Tipuranga Teitei o Aotearoa (Grand Cru of New Zealand award) and regularly produces what is considered the pinnacle in New Zealand Pinot Noir in the flagship Ata Rangi Pinot Noir. This accolade along with 3 of the highly coveted Bouchard-Finlayson Trophies for Best Pinot Noir at the prestigious London International Wine and Spirit Competition ensures that any wine produced is quickly snapped up by eager restaurateurs, merchants and at cellar door.
Although the flagship Pinot garners much of the attention, Ata Rangi also produces an top quality second label Pinot Noir in the Crimson and also make fine Chardonnay and Riesling. With a relatively small production all the wines are made with the utmost care to retain a fine balance with elegant structure and supple textures that deliver very satisfying, more savoury, mouth-filling experiences than wines from most other producers.
They remain one of only five 5-star rated Pinot Noir producers in The Seventh Great New Zealand
Pinot Noir Classification, which is probably the most sophisticated classification of New Zealand Pinot Noir.
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