Ata Rangi Masters 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 ). A little reserved at first, then opens up with an elegant wave of gentle florals, red and blue fruits, and dried herbs; quite earthy, too. Very fine texture, quite tight at this early stage with firm but very rounded/silty tannins. Such a good core of fruit, really good concentration and length, very complete. The layers and restraint hint at many good things to come. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2035.

Stephen Wong MW (The Real Review): 96/100. Light crimson. Strawberries and red peppers. Expressive with clearly exuberant fruit but not bombastic. It even smells crunchy. The palate is deeply flavoured with cola nut, black fruit, spice and sumac complexity, less expressive than the nose. Oak arrives mid-palate, contributing to a drying finish but with depth in reserve. Long, closed and very young with tight, cooler-climate acidity and linear, chalky tannins. Elegant and restrained at this stage, but with beautifully defined and detailed fruit which will reward cellaring. Ageing: 2025 to 2036.

Tasting Note

A full effusive nose with aromas of cherry and damson plum, star anise and violet mingle with hints of cardamom. The aromas carry through on the palate with flavours of dried thyme, nutmeg and pink peppercorn. The clay brings a deeper timbre to this single site Pinot Noir, with the expanse of texture being a central theme in this wine. Fine tannins buoyed by supple acidity spread the full length of the palate, fresh and elegant, this wine has a clear and unique voice of place.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: red wine

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Food match: Match with crispy Cantonese roast duck or a rustic ratatouille with lamb meatballs.

Vineyard: Owned and farmed by Ata Rangi winemaker Helen Masters and her family, this vineyard was established in 2002, four km south of the Martinborough Terrace. Here the alluvial gravels are mixed with clay, which acts to retain moisture keeping the soils cooler than the more gravel dominant sites around Martinborough village.

Winemaking: 70% whole bunch with the remainder destemmed, fermentation by indigenous yeasts. Total tank time 15- 23 days. After pressing, complete malolactic ferment in oak. 11 months total in French oak (30% new), then blended and held for further 8 months prior to bottling.

Cellaring potential: 2035

Alcohol: 13.5% vol

Residual sugar: <1 g/l

Notice: contains sulfite

Bottle size: 0.75l

Closure: Screw cap

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