Wine Review: A 'Beautifully Fragrant' New Zealand Pinot Noir

Founder Clive Patton and winemaker Helen Masters weave their magic here. I remember staying in the cottage behind the winery years ago, drinking beer with Patton and listening wide-eyed as he told stories of being a pioneer in the region. Special people. 

Deeply coloured with just a flash of purple, the 2015 Pinot Noir is a beautifully fragrant wine. Appealing violet and jasmine notes provide a high-toned melody above the dark  cherry bassline with hints of macerated strawberry, sous bois, vanilla bean, game meats and gentle spicy oak.

This is a calm wine; very comfortable in its own skin. Nothing is protruding or vying for your attention. Everything is in balance. The characters from the nose transpose neatly over onto the palate.

There’s precision here, with a finely honed line driven by a seam of acidity and powdery tannins, finishing long, pure and multi-layered in its complexity. Delicious now but will be better in a couple of years and will continue to improve over the medium term.

ATA RANGI 2015 Pinot Noir

atarangi.co.nz

Image Credit: Pete Monk / Ata Rangi