Tasting Notes.
For wine collectors and trade partners
Ata Rangi wines are all vegan friendly
Ata Rangi — Red
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Delicious and dry is how we love our Rosé. The 2023 is crafted from Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah with small portion of Malbec rounding out the blend. Half tank and half barrel fermented in larger format barrels; this melds the fruit aromas with a more savoury complexity.
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Hues of peach and salmon in the glass, the nose opens to wonderful delicate aromas of peach, baked apple and fresh raspberry notes.The scrumptious palate of wild strawberry and cream is augmented by the fine mousse releasing shortbread flavours that leads to a refreshing, refined and salivating finish. Delicious and dry.
2023 Vintage
2022 Vintage
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An amazingly fragrant nose of clove, cardamom and cinnamon lift from the glass which then further opens to more red notes of rosehip and grilled strawberry. More savoury notes of cranberry, lamb jus and orange peel spread through the palate. Full and smooth, the palate is velvety, balanced and buoyed by a fresh acidity that gives concentration and length. This is a satisfying and welcoming wine, open and playful now but with our usual thread of tannin and acid that makes these wines remarkable with age.
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The 2022 is a wonderfully red fruited and aromatic Pinot Noir. Spice notes of cardamom and ginger combine with rosehip and pomegranate. A savoury note reminiscent of manuka smoke and prosciutto mingle enticingly with the red fruits. The palate has an array of flavours ranging from raspberry compote to rhubarb and orange zest. Smooth and supple on the entry, fine tannins are buoy by freshness to a long-sustained finish. Mid ruby in colour, with an almost transparent hue, the 2022 is charming and fresh, while remaining supple and delicious.
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The 2022 is crafted from Merlot and Pinot Noir; with smaller portions of Syrah, Pinot Gris and Tempranillo to bring added complexity. All barrel fermented in larger format barrels to meld the fruits aromas with a more savoury complexity. The nose has a wonderful array of fruit aromas: watermelon, sun-ripened strawberries, pomegranate, and pink grapefruit. Spicy notes of All Spice and Cardamom add complexity. The palate is smooth and juicy with notes of grapefruit and prosciutto.
2021 Vintage
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A full fragrant nose of juniper, rose petal, and plum meld with spice notes of cardamon and sumac. The palate concentration is exceptional, a hallmark of a small yielding year on the Martinborough Terrace. Buoyed by bright acidity and spice fragrance this is a very compelling release with finely coating tannins that extend the full length of the palate. The 2021 is an exciting wine to cellar as time will allow the more beguiling aromatic side to reveal itself to the full.
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This is the 2nd release of our Kotinga Pinot Noir. Made up entirely from the Dijon clones of 115, 667 and 777, this wine is high energy.
Bright fruit aromas of cherry, red currant, and plum stone, set the scene on the nose. The palate opens with a flourish of supple tannins uplifted with fluid acidity.
Flavours of grapefruit and juniper spread through to the end of the palate.
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A full effusive nose with aromas of cherry and damson plum, star anise and violet mingle with hints of cardamom. The aromas carry through on the palate with flavours of dried thyme, nutmeg and pink peppercorn. The clay brings a deeper timbre to this single site Pinot Noir, with the expanse of texture being a central theme in this wine.
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A wonderful blend of bright fruit aromas and more dark seductive notes of dark cherry, thyme and mulberry. The palate opens to more savoury notes of soy, tahini and burnt orange. Combined with fresh acidity that gives energy and fine tannins that drive a sustaining finish.
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A low yielding season, giving great intensity and fruit weight to the late ripening varietals that make up our Célèbre blend. 2021 finished with a long dry spell in April that enabled the merlot, malbec, cabernet franc and syrah to reach perfect ripeness.
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The nose has a wonderful array of aromas: peach, blood orange, pomegranate, red apple and pink peppercorns. The palate is smooth and juicy with notes of nectarine, watermelon and prosciutto. Bright acidity holds all the flavours together giving vibrancy and length. This is a wonderful summer wine and due to its more savoury style.
2020 Vintage
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A full fragrant nose of juniper, cranberry 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. This release exudes confidence and poise and is the perfect touchstone for our single vineyard releases.
Scored as 98 points by both Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review & James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
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Made up entirely from the Dijon clones of 115, 667 and 777, this wine is high energy. Bright fruit aromas of cherry, red currant, and plum stone, set the scene on the nose. The palate opens with a flourish of supple tannins uplifted with fluid acidity. Flavours of grapefruit and juniper spread through to the end of the palate.
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A full effusive nose with aromas of mulberry, baking spices, star anise and rosewater mingle with blood orange. The aromas carry through on the palate with flavours of pomegranate, nutmeg and pink peppercorn. The clay brings a deeper timbre to this single site Pinot Noir, with the expanse of texture being a central theme in this wine. Fine tannins buoyed by supple acidity spread the full length of the palate, fresh and elegant, this wine has a clear and unique voice of place.
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Very floral perfume of violets, rose petal, sweet raspberry and spice. Bold and juicy entry to the palate, with primary fruit combining with herbal and iron ore notes. There is a brooding, savoury note to the glossy and vibrant palate, tannins are bouncy and plush. A very compelling release of the McCrone vineyard that balances the energy and complexity of the whole bunch portion with the weight and power that has become synonymous with this site.
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The nose opens with spices of star anise, sumac and cinnamon, following through with ripe Damson plum and top notes of violet. Youthful and energetic, with a succulent mid palate this wine balances complexity and concentration while remaining light on it’s feet. Thirty five years on from the first release of Célèbre, this blend continues to go from strength to strength as the vines slowly mature, their roots moving deeper into the gravels of the Martinborough Terrace
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Aromatics of peach, blood orange, elderflower, pomegranate, and a savoury note of pecorino cheese lead to a smooth and supple palate feel. Bright acidity holds all the flavours together giving vibrancy and length. A dry example. Perfect for Summer.
2019 Vintage
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Only fruit from the oldest parcels of vines makes up our premium Pinot Noir. The fabled Abel clone, allegedly smuggled from Burgundy in the mid-70s, makes up 40% of the blend. The result is a complex, structured wine, beautifully perfumed in the classic Ata Rangi style.
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Exquisite nose of rose petal, sweet raspberry and spice. Bold and juicy entry to the palate, with primary fruit combining with herbal and iron ore notes. There is a brooding, savoury note to the glossy and vibrant palate. The benefit of careful cellaring before release is showing in the suppleness and length of the tannins.
Excellent release.
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Juliet is the embodiment of cool climate Syrah and our fifth release from the small, single block at the sheltered Kahu Vineyard. Finely textured, with precision and poise, 'Juliet' is named in honour of a special friend who exemplified elegance, charisma, grace and style - qualities we feel are also well expressed in this wine from her family vineyard.
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A brilliant season for the late ripening varietals that make up our Célèbre blend. The season finished with a long dry spell in April that enabled the merlot, malbec, cabernet franc and syrah to reach perfect ripeness. A full and enticing nose of aromas; blackberry and boysenberry tempered by spice notes of cardamom and cinnamon and a more complex savoury hint of sweet cedar. A seamless blend of tannins, ripe fruit and oak carry the wine to a satisfying and balanced finish.
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A special bottling to celebrate the culmination of 40 years of farming here in Martinborough. Made entirely from the Abel clone planted by Clive Paton in 1980 on its own roots. These mother vines have been carefully nurtured, their roots now at a depth of more than four metres. It is with this vine age that we have a more complex reflection of our place, the growing season and our people. The Old Vine Abel Pinot Noir 2019 clearly embodies all these factors.
2018 Vintage
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The 2018 season was one of the warmest we’ve seen. On the Martinborough Terrace, a drier than unusual November and very warm December led up to regional temperatures breaking records in late January. This created a good buffer from the wetter and cooler weather that appeared at the back end of the season. Grapes were therefore picked pleasingly ripe and in great condition.
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A very aromatic vintage, the 2018 has a wonderful mix of violets, red cherry and more spicey elements of fennel seed and rosemary. The palate is bright and energetic with red fruit flavours filling out the mid palate, the finish is long and uplifting. This is an elegant and finely structured McCrone Pinot Noir, characteristic of the 2018 vintage.
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Deep ruby-red in colour with lifted florals of lilac entwined with notes of Damson plum, chamomile tea with subtle hints of rosemary and black cardamon. Mid-palate tannins meld with the fruit weight to give a satisfying depth, with bright acidity re-centring the palate for a long lingering finish. The warmer season of 2018 has made for a delicious Syrah that will continue to develop with time in bottle.
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The 2018 Celebre is a blend of Merlot 47%, Syrah 41% and small portions of Malbec & Cabernet Franc at 6% each. The Merlot and Malbec portions are from vines planted in 1984 and 1986, they portions were the stars of this vintage with the slightly warmer nights delivering depth of flavour and fully ripe tannins that we don’t achieve every vintage.
Ata Rangi — White
2024 Vintage
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2024 was a beautiful vintage, blessed with optimal cool climate ripening conditions. January and February the critical times that determine vine and grape health were dry but not overly hot, great for capturing pure aromatic expression and weight on the palate. 20% of the blend is from whole bunch fermentation and another 10% fermented with skins only. These skins portions give an intense aromatic profile of lime, rosemary, jasmine and sherbet. Savoury notes of cashew nuts and gouda cheese follow through to an intense, textured palate with great length.
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Fragrant aromas of fresh pear, lychee and citrus meld with perfumed notes of rose, jasmine and citronella on the nose. The palate greets with spicy notes of nutmeg and ground ginger.
A textured and salivating wine, with a fine balance of phenolic texture and fresh acidity. Notes of wet stone and a gentle herbal balm come through on the finish giving a long, cool seam on the finish.
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A wonderful, joyful, aromatic nose of orange blossom, daphne, nougat, and ripe fig sap. Flavours of cut apple and talcum powder roll through the palate. With a wonderful balance of weight and acidity, this dry Riesling carries itself with poise and precision.
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Fragrant aromas of fresh cut pink grapefruit, yellow apple, fennel seeds, white cardamom and a note of lemon sherbet on the nose. The palate greets with fresh notes of lemonade, rock melon, toasted almonds and with a hint of beeswax on the finish. A textured and salivating wine, with a fine balance of phenolic texture with a long lingering palate.
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The 2024 was an exceptional vintage, this Pōtiki Chardonnay delivers on power, depth and freshness. Aromas of yellow fleshed nectarine, bergamot and apple pudding meld with savoury notes of miso paste and sesame seed cake. The palate entry has flavours of crushed shell, hints of lanolin and baked apple. There is great depth of flavour that spreads the whole palate, underpinned with a line of acidity that sweeps through the palate giving freshness on the finish.
Full tasting notes -
The nose combines notes of toasted fennel seeds, white cardamon, lemon pith and fresh biscuit. On the palate flavours of lemon grass, orange blossom and almond are carried by bright clear acidity.
The acidity is held in place by fruit weight and fine phenolics. The palate finishes with a long delicious almost salty character which is a hallmark of this site. A wonderful combination of power, precision and elegance.
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Our Pinot Gris was originally influenced by the style of wines from Alsace, and has developed over the years into our own, uniquely Martinborough style. Gentle aromas of lychee, lemon and ginger are the focus of the 2023 Pinot Gris. The palate is fresh and finely textured with flavours of coriander seed, lemon verbena and a hint of Turkish Delight. Fresh acidity ties this generous, complex wine together, giving a long and satisfying finish to the palate.
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A vintage that suited white varieties, the 2023 Pōtiki has evolved into a truly remarkable wine. The 2023 has an expressive, floral, and fruit driven nose of white peach and nectarine, with mealy notes of cashew nuts and blanched white almonds. The palate has a smooth entry and almost doesn’t prepare you for the focus and freshness of this wine.
2023 Vintage
2022 Vintage
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A full and inviting nose of white peach, grapefruit and lemon pith, with highlights of fresh chervil. The palate is precise and detailed, but also openly inviting with apple, lemon, floral notes that flow into fantastically driving finish. Crystalline and etched, this is a very elegant, vibrant Chardonnay with a fine-grained, flowing texture.
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The 2022 has an expressive, floral, and delicate fruit driven nose of white peach, rock melon and orange blossom. The palate has a refined mineral entry, with hints of salinity. It opens further with notes of citrus and fennel and flavours of pastry and almond. Beautifully balanced on the palate, this wine is fresh and joyous, combining cool fruit notes with fine acidity.
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Our Lismore Pinot Gris was originally influenced by the style of wines from Alsace and has developed over the years into our own, uniquely Martinborough style. Fruits and baking spices are the focus of this very aromatic wine. Aromas of apple and pear pie with flaky pastry, and notes of crystallised ginger and marmalade blend together on the nose. Vibrant acidity ties this generous, complex wine together, giving a salty and salivating line to the palate.
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A blend of 58% Pinot Gris, 38% Chenin Blanc and 4% Riesling which were slowly co-fermented in barrel over a two-month period, this wine is rich and fresh. Aromas of lavender, feijoa, sweet pineapple with hints of incense and Turkish delight fill the nose and spread through on to the palate. This wine is full of flavour and the 28g/l of residual sugar is beautifully balanced with acidity and fruit weight.
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Kahu, Māori for our native harrier hawk, is the inspiration for the name of the Hensley family's neighbouring vineyard and the luscious dessert wine made from there. 2022 was the perfect season for our late harvest botrytised Riesling, with rain fall in late February encouraging the establishment of noble rot. Perfectly raisined from a brilliant spell of dry weather, the fruit was selected over two picks. This resulted in a deep, intense style with acid and residual sugar perfectly balanced.
2021 Vintage
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This is the second release of the Masters Chardonnay from Helen and Ben Masters home block 4km south of town. Here the soils have a higher clay content which brings concentration while the cooler aspect of the site heightens florals and acidity. These vines now 22 years old and are showing a singular expression unique to this site.
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Pōtiki, meaning ‘last born’ in Maori, is blended from a selection of newer plantings and some of our more established blocks on the Martinborough Terrace. Barrel fermented in 300 litre puncheons with indigenous yeasts. The 2021 vintage is concentrated, detailed, and balanced with vibrant acidity.
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From vines now over 24 years of age, the depth and complexity of flavour make it one of our favourite and versatile wine matching choices, from antipasto platters to dishes with heady spice and/or challenging flavours. Fermented in neutral barrels for extra texture, this Pinot Gris will benefit from bottle age.
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A deep concentrated style, with 40% whole bunch fermentation, skin contact gives an intense aromatic profile of nectarine, fennel flowers, melon and manuka honey. Spicey notes of cardamon pod follow through to an intense, concentrated, and powerful palate. This is a serious style of Sauvignon Blanc far removed from what has come to be expected from NZ.
2020 Vintage
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Stephen Wong MW wrote this about the Masters 2020 Chardonnay – ” There is no doubt about it, this is a truly exciting and daring wine. Instantly impressive, super-complex and undeniably powerful even from the nose alone; the salty, zingy aromas are wrapped in a creamy white minerality - distinctly cool-climate in expression.
It is wines like this which are carving the path forward for New Zealand Chardonnay - bravo to the Ata Rangi team!”
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The palate is complex, with great weight and precision and a lingering finish. Hallmarks of our Craighall Chardonnay. We love the unforced feel of this wine, no overt oak or fermentation characters; a great representation of the Martinborough Terrace terroir.
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Te Wā, ‘time and place’ in te reo Māori pays homage to the distinctive wine style delivered by the stony, alluvial gravels and the cool climate of the Martinborough Terrace. Our cool south prevailing wind during spring is ruthless on developing bunches at flowering resulting in looser, lighter bunch weights providing lower yields. The deep gravels temper the vigour of the otherwise robust Sauvignon Blanc vine, giving less overall canopy. This smaller canopy results in a slower, longer ripening, with a depth of flavour in the skins and a ripe crunchy seed.
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Stephen Wong MW summed it up; “Combining lovely herbal and mineral complexity with slight spice on the palate, this is really quite classy without sacrificing bright, lively fruit character. The palate’s overall lift and lightness hides a considerable amount of concentration, but where the 2018 expressed it as power and size, the 2020 is all about detail and elegance. All of this wonderfully interwoven complexity finishes on a lovely nutty note that conjures echoes of modern Meursault.”
2019 Vintage
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Bright aromas of citrus blossom, apple, blanched almonds with a hint of lime leaf. The palate is focused, with a salty, mineral line and fresh flavours of lemon and coriander. This is a youthful wine that’s delicious drinking now, but it will also reward further with cellar age. Barrel fermented in 300 litre puncheons with indigenous yeasts.
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This blend of skins fermentations with the more traditional pressed juice results in an exotically perfumed wine, with aromas of grapefruit, guava, green papaya salad and Vietnamese mint. The palate compliments, an intense nose, with flavours of ginger, lemon grass and cinnamon. The 2019 season with it lower yields and great balance of sugar and flavour intensity has resulted in a wine with real palate volume and a long lingering finish.
2018 Vintage
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The aromatics are very clean and precise: fresh ripe white peach, florals of jasmine blended with a delicate spice note. The palate is complex, with great weight and precision, with a lingering finish which is a hallmark of our Craighall Chardonnay. We love the unforced feel of this wine, no overt oak or fermentation characters; a great representation of the Martinborough Terrace terroir.
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An expressive nose of red fruits, with hints of pink peppercorn, hibiscus, fresh sage and rosemary. The palate opens to plush fruit, with a dash of graphite and crushed rock. The tannins are finely textured, like crisp cut velvet. This wine has a salivating, exciting quality that sets it apart from Crimson of other years. An all-encompassing wine that drinks beautifully now, its persistence and energy will reward those who cellar.
Full tasting note -
Deep ruby-red in colour with lifted florals of lilac entwined with aroma of Damson plum, blueberry, meat jus and a note of cinnamon. Deep and spicey on entry the palate combines vibrant blue fruits with flavours of cinnamon quill and star anise. Supple mid-palate tannins combine with savoury elements of white pepper and truffle. This is a seamless, intricate and exciting release from this vineyard.
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The nose greets you with intense aromas of plush fruits of boysenberry and blueberry. Along with more spicy notes of brandy snaps and red liquorice this wine completely saturates the senses.
Bright fine and supple, the fruit here is perfectly balanced by fine chalky tannins. This Célèbre is a beautifully poised wine that typifies what late varieties can achieve with a long dry autumn in a cool region. Drink now or cellar for 20 years.
2024 Vintage
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Bright and breezy like a fresh spring day, is the uplifting feeling that the 2025 Chenin Blanc exudes. Aromas of elderflower, waxy lemon and firm nectarine define the nose. The palate is tangy and vibrant with notes of salted rockmelon and cucumber, intermingled with honeyed lemon. This wine beckons a good time and is built to last.
2025 Vintage
2025 Vintage
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Fresh and perfumed, this is a delightful Pinot Noir that has floral notes of rose, bergamot tea, ginger with more savoury salivating notes of roast lamb with a hint of mint. The palate is finely textured, with supple tannins and a seam of pure fruit.
Our French harvest interns described this wine as ‘glou-glou’ a term they use for a wine that is delicious and before you know it the bottle is finished. Enjoy!