Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir (Organic) 2023 ~ Martinborough, New Zealand

91/100 Stephen Wong, The Real Review
94/100 Cameron Douglas MS (2022 vintage) 
94/100 Cameron Douglas MS (2020 vintage)
Bronze - Wine Enthusiast (2020 vintage)
Bronze - CellarTracker (2020 vintage)
94/100 Bob Campbell (2021 vintage)
94/100 The Real Review, Bob Campbell (2019 vintage)
94/100 The Real Review, Huon Hooke (2019 vintage)
93/100 Cameron Douglas MS (2019 vintage)
93/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)

Organic

Stephen Wong "Light ruby. Floral, delicate nose with subtle aromas of pot-pourri, wild berry and rosehip. A light, crisp palate with crystalline, light-weight tangy flavours and a subtly savoury finish which rests on bony, chalky, fine tannins. Volnay-esque in its expression of lightness and clarity, like lace stained with cherry. Accessible now but it will unfurl and evolve within the context of its more contemplative, delicate style, at least in the mid-term."

Cameron Douglas MS "Ripe, pure, vibrant, varietal, complex and and new. Aromas of dark plums and cherries, layers of savoury spices, barrel spices and a mix of red flowers including roses. A lovely bouquet with a youthful energy and power. On the palate an equally vibrant wine touches first with tannins and acidity making their presence known, then a core of dark red berry fruits and savoury baking spice qualities take over. Tannins are in abundance, are firm-ish and acidity all set the structure in place. A lovely wine." (2022 vintage)

Cameron Douglas MS "There’s no mistaking the purity of fruit at the center of the bouquet - red cherries and ripe sweet plum, some raspberry and baked strawberry suggestions. Oak layers in some complexity and spice and the varietal signature is enhanced by a fine layer of mineral silty soil scents. Taut and youthful on the palate with a core of red berry fruit flavours, plums and tart strawberry. Tannins and acidity accentuate the youthful mouthfeel adding foundation structure and power." (2020 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "The Crimson Range supports founder Clive Paton's efforts to replant and preserve native New Zealand trees. This vintage is a bit austere, leading with damp earth and mushrooms, but with aeration it opens to more plump raspberry, cherry, sap and spice characters. Tannins are savory and chiseled, made more angular by edgy acidity. There's plenty of fruit, too." (2020 vintage)

Bob Campbell, The Real Review "Made from mainly younger pinot noir vines but with extra concentration from a low-yielding vintage. Classy wine with dark cherry, plum, violet and dried herb flavours. A delicious texture and surprising length. Good value at this price." (2021 vintage)

The Real Review, Bob Campbell "Ata Rangi's second-label pinot noir made from grapes grown on younger vines than their flagship wine. It is sporting a new label showing a stylised Pohutukawa flower. Seamless, stylish pinot noir with savoury, dried herb, spice, cherry, floral and violet flavours. Deliciously approachable now but should develop well, at least in the medium-term." (2019 vintage)

The Real Review, Huon Hooke "Medium to deep red colour with a rim of purple and a foresty bouquet that suggests substantial whole-bunch fermentation. The wine is intense and quite structured, with quite a full-body, the tannins imparting a degree of bitterness to the finish and follow-through. The bouquet is charming and captivating, the palate should follow on if given a little more time. It already drinks well with food." (2019 vintage)

Cameron Douglas MS "Youthful, vibrant, fresh and lively bouquet with aromas of cherries and plums, dried herbs and silty soil layers, a fine lees and wood spice aromatics. Overall - vibrant, youthful and high energy. On the palate - dry, youthful, plenty of texture from tannin and acidity, bright young red fruit flavours contrast the texture and a vibrant youthful mouthfeel overall." (2019 vintage)

James Suckling "A very attractive Crimson with bright red cherries and perfume, as well as a sappy edge that adds further interest. Plenty of spice, too. The palate has a very supple and elegant feel with a plush and fresh core of spicy red cherries and plums. Bright, vibrant and gently creamy. " (2019 vintage)

Matthew Jukes "This stunning estate makes the most revered Pinot Noir in New Zealand"

Lisa Perrotti-Brown eRobertParker.com "Their Pinots have always been great and yet, even in a world where the Pinot benchmark gets higher every year, Ata Rangi is better than ever."

Organic wines are made from grapes grown without pesticides, following strict organic standards. Organic wines are produced in vineyards that do not use synthetic chemicals. Certified BioGro organic wines in New Zealand.

Ata Rangi, meaning "dawn sky" or "new beginning" is a small New Zealand winery with a big reputation for serious Pinot Noir. Located at the southern end of the North Island, it is owned and managed by a family trio - Clive Paton, his wife Phyll and his sister Alison.

Clive planted his first vines on a small, stony sheep paddock at the edge of the Martinborough village in 1980 as one of a handful of people who pioneered winegrowing in the area.

Crimson is a wine which was inspired by a love of New Zealand’s native ‘Christmas Trees’ the rata and pohutukawa trees. Sales of this wine support Project Crimson, a charitable conservation trust which plants and protects these trees. The Pinot Noir grapes for Crimson are produced from 10-20 year old Martinborough vines in Lismore, Waiora and Walnut Ridge blocks.The grapes were hand picked and 100% destemmed, keeping as much whole berry fruit as possible.

After four years of transition, Ata Rangi were certified in 2014 as fully organic.

Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now produced in wine regions all over the world, including western Germany, northern Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and, perhaps most notably, California, Oregon and New Zealand. The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of strawberry and cherry (fresh red cherries in lighter wines and stewed black cherries in weightier examples), underpinned in the most complex examples by hints of forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, also exhibit notes of leather and violets, sometimes approaching the flavor spectrum of Syrah.