Ages of Ata Rangi (with sonic accompaniments)
Here at Ata Rangi, we’ ve been avid followers of Jo’s incredibly dedicated pursuit of the symbiotic relationship between wine and sound. Jo was amongst the wine writers who spent a day with us in November 2022, tasting a very special vertical flight of Ata Rangi Pinot Noir from 1994 to 2019. What follows is her interpretation of how those wines resonated and conjured up a musical accompaniment to what she experienced in the glass.
Pairing mature vintages of one of New Zealand’s greatest Pinot Noirs with music — by Dr Jo Burzynska
Just as mature Pinot Noir is all about texture, finding music with an appropriate timbre is paramount when matching older vintages of the variety.
Being soft and refined, eschew the likes of harsh bombastic brass, and opt for smoother and soft timbred music with fluid melodies and more minimalist arrangements.
I’ve selected some tracks to go with my personal highlights from Ata Rangi’s fascinating tasting of its flagship Pinot Noir between 1994 to 2019 that I attended late last year. Winemaker Helen Masters also matches her favourite vintage from the lineup with a track she considers appropriate.
I was incredibly lucky to try these wines, which are now hard to come by. However, the sonic guidance for pairing the general characters of these Pinots at different stages in their development can be applied to other mature examples of the variety. So next time you’re looking to match some music with a special older Pinot, you can still bear these tips in mind when making your selection.
Rich mature Pinot Noir suits slow richly-timbred music
Ata Rangi Martinborough Pinot Noir 1997
A concentrated vintage with dense fruit spanning black plum to prune, threaded with notes of licorice, savoury spices and hint of leather. Over 25 years old now, but still supported by a fresh acidity and what must have been fairly big tannins, which have now mellowed into plushness.
As a mature Pinot with plenty of depth, the 1997 needs something with a comparatively rich timbre with a similarly plush texture – nothing too hard, edgy or fast tempo for this venerable vintage. I immediately thought of the rich voice of Nina Simone, and one of her less bombastic songs, such as Wild is the Wind. In this the slow deep vocal suits its dense savoury character, while the higher piano accompaniment supports it lasting energy and freshness.
Elegant and harmonious aged Pinot with a soft understated ambient track
Ata Rangi Martinborough Pinot Noir 2000
Fragrant and savoury, this fantastic vintage has retained its ripe plum fruit, now joined by some truffley aged characters, wrapped in a satiny texture. So harmonious; the ideal age to be enjoying this elegant wine.
For this Pinot at the perfect maturity for its consumption less is more for its musical accompaniment. I’m going for my go-to Pinot track, Brian Eno’s ambient classic, Discreet Music (I can recommend the remastered version on vinyl that I bought recently!) – it’s soft timbred fork the wine’s smooth texture, and slow, with an understated melody that will subtly weave into the drinking experience without distracting. If in doubt, much ambient music is divine with the delicacy of Pinot Noir.
Pure and aromatic mid-age Pinot with a pure toned faster tempo accompaniment
Ata Rangi Martinborough Pinot Noir 2006
By 2006 Helen Masters had become the winemaker at Ata Rangi. This is a really aromatic vintage, redolent of rose and star anise spice that’s ultra fine, precise and fresh with a sensationally silky texture.
There’s a purity about this Pinot that demands similarly pure high-toned bright timbred music, with a higher-pitched faster element to emphasise its fresh and aromatic quality. Ólafur Arnalds - Happiness Does Not Wait echoes the wine in its delicacy and complexity. I
ts gentle but fairly fast high piano arpeggios echo the drive of this vintage while highlighting the wines aromas, while the high slower violin melody its precision and brightness.
Helen Masters' Pinot Pairing
Ata Rangi's winemaker selects a tune she feel suits her personal pick from past vintages of the Martinborough winery's iconic Pinot Noir.
Ata Rangi Martinborough Pinot Noir 2015
“What I Might Do by Ben Pearce is one of those songs that is irresistible, that you could dance alone anyway to… its confident, soulful and sassy,” says Helen Masters. “ The 2015 Ata Rangi Pinot has a similar vibe, its aromatic, deeply structured with fine tannins, it hums. Even thinking about sipping the 2015 whilst listening to What I Might Do brings a shimmer of anticipation. This is not a wine to just sit back and listen to something nice, this wine wants to groove.”