Crimson Pinot Noir

Dishes with a touch of spice such as crispy duck pancakes, grilled quail, pulled or char siu pork.

Ata Rangi meaning “dawn sky” or “new beginning” is a small New Zealand winery with a renowned reputation for Pinot Noir. Located at the southern end of the North Island in the village of Martinborough 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. Ata Rangi Pinot Noir is undoubtedly the flagship wine and in 2010 was honoured with the inaugural Tipuranga Teitei o Aotearoa or “Grand Cru of New Zealand”. With a skilled team in place including dynamic winemaker Helen Masters Clive now has more time to focus on his commitment to conservation and to the Ata Rangi alliance with Project Crimson.

2015 was a great and largely typical season – a gentle spring, with a warm January and a welcome coolness at the back end through February and March. Some large winds in January put pressure on the canopies, the positive being that berry size was kept smaller, intensifying the fruit.

Nine months in French oak (20% new).

Hand-picked fruit. 100% de-stemmed with as much whole berry as possible intact. 2 to 6 days pre-fermentation maceration. Indigenous yeast ferments, hand plunged throughout. 2-3 weeks’ total tank time. Complete malolactic fermentation in barrel.