2019 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough

A complex wine from the outset with gently reductive notes and modern oak spice threading into fresh cherry, spiced bread, rose, forest wood and blood orange, as well as darker cherry notes. The palate tells the full story. This displays real power and definition with clear-cut and powerful tannins. The intensity of the red-cherry fruit is impressive and the way it occupies the finish with length and uplift is the thing that defines great Pinot Noir per se. Strong vintage.

It is wines like this that make Ata Rangi one of the most coveted, collectible Pinot Noirs for good reason. About 30 minutes out of the bottle it is already showing a remarkable amount of nuance. The aromas are gorgeous, going from high-pitched blackberry to ripe red strawberry to beautiful bright florals - it just keeps you coming back for more. On the palate, there is a great persistence of fruit and deft balance between spice, texture, and a thread of minerality. A touch of salinity and mouthwatering acidity ties it in. The palate is savory and, of course, a bit primary at this young stage, but it unveils a great promise for where it's going to lead with some years in the cellar. This is serious Pinot Noir that wouldn't be out of place in the Côte de Nuits, but Pinot Noir doesn't have to be Burgundy to be great. It's a wine that you just want to spend some time with, or build a meal around. For fans of structure, minerality, and refinement in elegant Pinot Noir, Ata Rangi's 2019 has so much to offer.