Ata Rangi McCrone Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020

Reviews

James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com): 97/100 & Top 100 New Zealand Wines of 2022. A lovely nose of sliced strawberry, grated nutmeg, suede and rose. Negroni. Orange. Medium- to full-bodied with silky, fine tannins. Nuanced and concentrated with an array of subtle spice and herbs decorating the beautifully fresh red berries. Spice. Iron. Rust. Savory undertones provide depth and complexity on the palate and evolve and oscillate as time goes on. Open grain tannins at the end. New single vineyard bottling. Sustainable. Best after 2025. Screw cap.

Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast: 97/100. It starts with a heady nose you could fall straight into. Dried spices and herbs, vanilla pod, tree bark and cracked black pepper are in the fore, weaving through cherry, redcurrant cordial and orange rind. There's an ethereal lightness to the palate, but a tight structure to the fine tannins. Silky, freshly fruity and spicy, it's elegant, approachable and age-worthy.

Bob Campbell, MW (The Real Review): 97/100. Quite a fragrant/floral aroma with more plum, dark cherry, wood smoke, liquorice and nutty oak evident on the palate. Seamless, silken texture that is appealing now but promises to get even better with bottle age. The wine opened up as it sat in the glass and deserves to be aerated. Cellar 2023 - 2025.

Tasting Note

Very floral perfume of violets, rose petal, sweet raspberry, red currant and spice. Bold and juicy entry to the palate, with primary fruit combining with herbal and iron ore notes. There is a brooding, savoury note to the glossy and vibrant palate, tannins are bouncy and plush. A very compelling release of the McCrone vineyard that balances the energy and complexity of the whole bunch portion with the weight and power that has become synonymous with this site.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: red wine

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13% vol

Residual sugar: <1 g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

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

Notice: contains sulfite

Vineyard: McCrone Vineyard, Martinborough, New Zealand. Ata Rangi's McCrone Vineyard was planted in 2001 using a mix of clones that have become part of the Ata Rangi fabric: Abel or 'Gumboot' clone, Dijon selections (115 and 777) and Clone 5. Although just around the corner from our home block, the soils are remarkably different. Whilst the Martinborough Terrace is predominantly alluvial gravels, there is a compact seam of clay which threads its way across a section of the terrace, fanning out over the gravels and creating a cooling effect on the roots in the soil. The McCrone site catches this seam and delivers a distinctively different aroma and flavour profile than that of the Ata Rangi Pinot Noir.

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. 11 months total in French oak (35% new), then blended and held for further 8 months prior to bottling.

Cellaring potential: 2030+

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

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