2022 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough

Full screwcapped bottle 1,314 g. In 2014 the vineyards achieved full organic certification. Grapes are planted on a thin layer of well-drained alluvial soil. This is a blend of their oldest vines from the Home Block, Cambrae, Champ Ali, Walnut Ridge, Dimattina and Boundary Road vineyards, vines 25–43 years old, the oldest Pinot Noir plantings on the Martinborough Terrace, apparently. The clonal make up is unique to the region with the major portion (40%) being the Abel clone. This clone is later to flower and avoids some of the worst of the spring frosts. Hand-picked and 40% of the fruit was whole-bunch pressed, with the remainder destemmed. Fruit from the different clones and vineyards was kept separate during fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation continued for 15–23 days. Malolactic conversion in barrel and 11 months in low-toast French oak barriques, of which 35% were new. The wine was blended and held in stainless-steel tanks for a further eight months before bottling. Mid crimson. Enticingly fragrant with aromatic dark-red fruit, pure Pinot aroma. Neither sweet nor savoury, neither ripe nor stemmy. Relatively light-bodied, beautifully balanced between the fruit, mouth-watering freshness and extremely fine tannins. None of the sweetness that can make Pinot in Marlborough taste simple, this has the more savoury Martinborough character with just a touch of spice from the oak on the finish. Still very youthful with greater bottle-aged complexity sure to come. (JH)