Ata Rangi Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020

Reviews

James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com): 98/100 & Best New Zealand Wine 2022 & Top 100 Wines World of 2022. Our top New Zealand wine of 2022 is the Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough 2020. It is textural, deep and seamlessly balanced, as well as supremely perfumed and vibrant. Made from the estate’s oldest parcels planted 42 years ago, it demonstrates the power of pinot noir coming out of Martinborough. A beautiful nose of sliced strawberries, crushed cherries, violets, grated nutmeg and a hint of white pepper. Some hibiscus, too. Supremely vibrant and perfumed with fine tannins that run the length of the medium-bodied palate. Textural. Ground spice and fresh fruit are intertwined, providing wonderful depth and complexity. So long as well. Seamless balance. Superb.

Bob Campbell, MW (The Real Review): 98/100. Concentrated, complex pinot noir with cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, violet, wood smoke and savoury/dried herb flavours. Accessible now but with a proven history of ageing gracefully. Elegant wine with impressive power.

Tasting Note

A full fragrant nose of juniper, cranberry, cherry, strawberry and red plum meld with spice and herbal notes of cardamon, pink peppercorn and dried oregano. Bright and supple on entry, with finely coating tannins that extend the full length of the palate.

Aromas and flavours:

VINOUS - Rebecca Gibb MW: 96/100. The 2020 Pinot Noir reminds me of walking into a cathedral - that quiet, cool hush that falls as you walk through its doors. This is harmonious, supple, unshowy and unforced. Hailing from old vines and delicately textured despite the abundance of fruit concentration. Refined tannins with the finest of gravelly textures, akin to licking a stone. Scented yet restrained, with a fragrance of sweet red fruit, tea leaf and cedar spices with persistent acidity that carries it. Very complete and already approachable.

Additional information

Type: red wine

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Vintage: Looking back at the seasonal notes of the 2020 vintage the repeating theme is `typical’. Temperature, rainfall and yields were all Ata Rangi could hope for in an ideal season in Martinborough. It was a pleasure to harvest clean, impeccable fruit that had a clear, calm voice of the region and vintage.

Winemaking: Only the oldest parcels of fruit are used in this premium Pinot Noir. 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: 2028+

Alcohol: 14.0% vol

Residual sugar: <1 g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulfite

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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