34 Years of Pinot — an Ata Rangi Restrospective.
Ata Rangi has always been shaped by time — by seasons, by vines now nearly 45 years old, and by the people who’ve tended them from the beginning. So when writer and wine commentator Joelle Thomson joined us for a rare retrospective tasting this month, it felt only right to invite her to share that experience in her own words. Guided by winemaker Helen Masters and long-time wine collector John Penney, Joelle tasted 34 years of Ata Rangi Pinot Noir side by side — a quiet, compelling reminder of how far this small corner of the Wairarapa has come, and how its wines continue to evolve. What follows is Joelle’s reflection on that journey.
Three Decades in the Glass — by Joelle Thomson
Martinborough has forged a reputation for Pinot Noir but few wineries have as long a track record of making it as Ata Rangi and none have the continuous family ownership that this winery has, which made it a meaningful experience to taste wines stretching back 34 years in a single sitting this month.
The Ata Rangi retrospective tasting was hosted by wine collector and professional John Penney, who had cellared the wines, and Ata Rangi winemaker Helen Masters, who made all but two of them. Penney has put his love for wine where his mouth is and turned his driveway into a temperature and humidity controlled wine cellar, in which he keeps impeccably well cellared wines, such as the Ata Rangi Pinot Noirs that a group of us tasted this month. For the sake of transparency, his tasting group pay a fee to cover the cost of the wines opened, though not, it has to be said, the efforts that John puts into his meticulously cellaring them.
This was an excellent tasting. The wine industry in this village is less than 50 years old, so tasting a vertical line up of wines stretching back 34 years was an eye opener, especially because these wines showed a clear progression from savoury, aged flavours captured in a framework of bold and balanced acidity to youthful Pinot Noirs with time on their side.
Joelle Thomson
“These are seriously important wines in terms of the history of the Wairarapa wine region because of how good these early wines were – and are,"
— Helen Masters.
In terms of progression in winemaking, this line up demonstrated the importance that a higher proportion of whole bunch fermentation has become to Ata Rangi Pinot Noir. It was typical to use 10% whole bunch, prior to Helen’s arrival, with few deviations. The big turning point was 2017, says Masters. "It was a challenging cool vintage in which I decided to up the percentage of whole bunch fermentation to enhance the structure of the wine."
It worked. Her approach today is to use about 40% of whole bunch fermentation in her wines - which means that 40% of the wine is fermented entirely with whole bunch fermentation.
Ata Rangi now draws on 45 year old vines to incorporate into its Pinot Noir production and this line up showed that the wines benefit as a result.
Key facts
The first release of Ata Rangi Pinot Noir was 1986. The first two wines of this tasting, 1991 and 2001, were sealed with cork. Ata Rangi moved to screw cap for its production in 2002. None of the wines in this line up were fined or filtered.
The tasting
The wines were served in a single flight from oldest to youngest.
1991 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Fresh, aged savoury aromas shone a light on everything a Pinot Noir devotee looks for in an older wine: complex savoury integration, layered structure and fruit notes that remain but are beautifully woven into the fabric of the wine. The The colour is pale ruby with browning edges, while vibrant acidity framing dried cherry and smoked dried mushroom. Excellent complexity and structure, with hints of tar and roses. This was the only wine decanted, due to cork deterioration, and it rewarded with remarkable poise.
2001 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
The 2001 vintage was characterised by a cool summer, warm autumn and ripe grapes with firm levels of acidity, which give this wine its firm structure and ripe core of dark fruit. The bottle tasted was lacking the freshness and vibrancy of all other wines in the line up but still offered an excellent glimpse into the ageing and history of Ata Rangi Pinot Noir.
2009 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Settled spring weather in the lead to the 2009 vintage made for even flowering and a potentially large crop, so much work was done in the vineyard to mitigate this with thinning of bunches. The result was a warmer than average year and a wine that remains positively youthful in appearance compared to the 1991 and 2001, with bright ruby colour, clear rim and slight evolution. The palate is lively and fruit-forward, led by cherry and accented with Turkish delight florals. Acidity is energetic, providing excellent framework and accentuating the wine’s length of flavour. A vibrant, youthful Pinot Noir that was a stand out.
2010 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
The 2010 vintage had a cool start and a later than typical harvest date due to its long season. The resulting wine is elegant with a ruby hue and good depth across the mid-palate, this wine shows excellent framework and balance. Whole-bunch character is evident, lending savoury lift and structure. The palate is harmonious, with fruit and savoury elements integrated into a wine of poise and clarity.
2012 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
A memorably cool vintage with firm levels of acidity as a result, which brings a youthfulness to this wine now. Flavours of dark cherry sitting behind savoury smoked notes. The finish is firm, slightly drying, but balanced given the vintage’s cool autumn and high rainfall (603mm) alongside lower growing degree days. Leaner in style but well composed, this wine reflects the challenging conditions with admirable restraint and structure.
2013 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
And onto a warmer year with a cool autumn, both of which combined to bring together a wine that now has a youthful appearance and fruit-forward in style with rich dark cherry aromas with firm tannins and riper fruit flavours. Bright and expressive, it reflects the significant drought of the season, with concentration and energy on the palate. A bold, fruit-driven vintage that remains vibrant and structured.
2014 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
A wine of big, firm structure, with pronounced tannins lending robustness and earthy depth. Fruit sits more in the background here, allowing savoury and structural elements to dominate. Full-bodied and firmly styled, this vintage shows power and weight, standing apart as a more muscular expression of Martinborough Pinot Noir.
2015 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Beautifully concentrated with delicate flavours of red and dark cherry framed by lively youthful acidity. Juicy and succulent across the mid-palate, with medium body and lingering flavours. Excellent structure and length, this is a classic expression of Martinborough Pinot Noir from a dry year, combining elegance with vibrancy.
2016 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Retasted a week later at the winery, the 2016 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir is in a great drinking window; youthful in taste and structure with open, fruit forward aromas of red and dark cherries captured in a delicate structure with finely tuned acidity. The palate is harmonious, with excellent length. A standout in this line-up, reflecting the strength of the vintage with clarity and finesse.
2017 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
Earthy and fruit-forward, with dark cherry flavours and fabulous depth of structure, 2017 was a cool, more challenging year, but whole-bunch fermentation brought aromatic lift and spice to the palate. Vibrant acidity adds freshness, marking this wine as still youthful with complexity and resilience evident.
2020 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
From a long Indian summer, this wine shows great balance, fresh acidity and a fantastic smooth, balanced finish. Velvety and silky, beautifully integrated and long on the palate, it is drinking superbly now. A harmonious and elegant vintage expression.
2021 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir
The 2021 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir is a keeper from a warm and relatively dry vintage but one in which the wines were characterised by small berries, which produced superb concentration that will reward ageing. While approachable now, this wine will benefit from decanting and its fine structure has an intensity and balance of flavour - think layers of taste of smoked cherries and fresh dried leaves. This wine promises longevity and will reward those patient to wait.
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Joelle Thomson is a long-time New Zealand wine writer and educator known for her clear, thoughtful voice and deep dedication to helping people understand and enjoy wine. You can find Joelle’s notes on wine on her website