2023 Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir Half Bottle 375ml, Martinborough

Light ruby. Floral, delicate nose with subtle aromas of pot-pourri, wild berry and rosehip. A light, crisp palate with crystalline, light-weight tangy flavours and a subtly savoury finish which rests on bony, chalky, fine tannins. Volnay-esque in its expression of lightness and clarity, like lace stained with cherry. Accessible now but it will unfurl and evolve within the context of its more contemplative, delicate style, at least in the mid-term 18 Jun 2024 Drink 2024–2032

91 points Stephen Wong MW therealreview.com

Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir is the perfect introduction to one of New Zealand’s most celebrated Pinot Noir producers. Hailing from Martinborough, a region famed for its Burgundian sensibility and loamy, free-draining soils, Crimson is a wine that punches well above its weight in elegance, finesse and regional character.

Ata Rangi is Māori for "new beginning" or "dawn sky" and was founded in the early 1980s by Clive Paton, one of the pioneers of Martinborough Pinot. While the flagship Pinot Noir sits among the greats of the Southern Hemisphere, Crimson is made to be a more approachable and youthful expression, though it shares the same pedigree and attention to detail. Winemaker Helen Masters, a visionary in her own right and New Zealand Winemaker of the Year in 2019, brings subtlety and precision to every vintage.

Fruit for Crimson is sourced from younger vines across the Ata Rangi estate and surrounding vineyards. It is fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in French oak, mostly older barrels to preserve vibrancy and fruit purity. The 375ml format is ideal for a midweek dinner or picnic, offering a taste of premium Pinot in a more accessible serve.

In the glass, it’s bright ruby with lifted aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry, rose petals and a dusting of spice. The palate is silky and supple, with fine tannins, fresh acidity, and an earthy thread that grounds the wine beautifully. It’s graceful, fruit-driven and wonderfully expressive of Martinborough’s cool, wind-swept terroir.

Enjoy it with grilled duck breast, miso-glazed eggplant or beetroot and goat cheese tart. Best over the next three to five years.