Ata Rangi Kotinga Pinot Noir 2021

Reviews

Decanter: 97/100. (Tasted by: Emma Jenkins MW (at New Zealand Pinot Noir: Vintage report tasting, 03 Oct 2024) Part of New Zealand Pinot Noir: Vintage report and 40 new releases rated ). Bounds out of the glass with a lifted, floral perfume – spicy orange peel notes and plenty of generous fruit. The palate has lots of charm and immediacy, too. Plenty of midweight fruit, lots of vibrancy and energy. A good firm structure, with dry, savoury tannins that nicely offset the springy, spritely fruit. Excellent length. Inviting and ready to enjoy now though well placed to age gracefully. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2035.

James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com, 20. Oct. 2023): 97/100. Perfumed with ripe strawberries and fresh flowers, like pink roses, as well as some of their stems and leaves. Black mushrooms and hints of mulch. Medium- to full-bodied with polished and refined tannins that give a fine velvety texture and a long and flavorful finish. Stony undertone at the end. Hard not to drink if you like crunchy, young and serious pinot, but try to be patient. Drinkable but better in three or four years. Better than 2020.

Tasting Note

Bright fruit aromas of cherry, red currant, florals, black tea and plum stone, set the scene on the nose. The palate opens with a flourish of chalky tannins uplifted with fluid acidity. Flavours of grapefruit and juniper spread through to the end of the palate.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: red wine

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Food match: Match with duck, pork, beef and lamb dishes

Vineyard: Kotinga Vineyard, Martinborough, New Zealand. Ata Rangi's Kotinga Vineyard was established in 2001 on the edge of the Martinborough terrace. It is the most gravelly, free draining site.

Vintage 2021: Early season frosts and cool weather during the flowering period resulted in low bunch numbers that were open and small berried. As a result, 2021 is a small yielding year in terms of quantity but concentrated and seamless in terms of weight and tannin. Weather conditions for the rest of season were kind and enabled Ata Rangi to harvest clean, impeccable fruit with ripe seeds and bright acid.

Winemaking: 40% whole bunch with the remainder destemmed, fermentation by indigenous yeasts. Total tank time 15- 23 days. After pressing, complete malolactic ferment in oak. Aged in 2280 litre French oak foudre for 11 months. Aged in a 2280 litre foudre (very large oak barrel) instead of the traditional 228 litre barrique, to highlight and retain the bright crunchy qualities of Dijon clones grown on gravels. This is a delightful wine and unique expression of Martinborough that is playful now and will also reward cellaring.

Cellaring potential: 2035

Alcohol: 13.5% vol

Residual sugar: <1 g/l

Notice: contains sulfite

Bottle size: 0.75l

Closure: Screwcap

Serving: Serve Pinot Noir at 16 - 18°C, that is slightly cooler than a typical room temperature, to best enjoy the layers of aroma and flavour as the wine slowly warms in the glass. Decanting an hour or so before serving is worthwhile, especially for young and/or more structured wines.

Produced and bottled: Ata Rangi Vineyard, PO Box 43, Martinborough 5741, New Zealand

Distributor: vinabonus GmbH, Simmedenweg 40, 34134 Kassel, Germany