Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2023, Martinborough, NZD $38
A departure from the typically broad-shouldered expression of Crimson, this is a reflection of the 2023 vintage. Instead of making three single vineyards, plus the estate pinot and the Crimson pinot in 2023, winemaker Helen Masters responded to the cool, wet conditions by crafting an estate-wide blend for the Crimson as the only still pinot noir in the cellar that year. This is clearly a lighter year, but there’s also a delicate, elegant side which emerges from the shadows—it’s an ethereal wine which speaks in whispers and echoes. For the devoted Ata Rangi pinot noir collector, Crimson 2023 is what you drink while waiting for the other vintages to come out of their shells.
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. (Screwcap)
Score: 91 ★★★★ – view original tasting note
Alcohol: 13.0%
Ageing: now to 2032
Food: seared salmon with fried shallots and wakame ponzu salad
Stockist: Ata Rangi Wines, Moore Wilsons, Wellington and online; Martinborough Wine Merchants, in-store and online; Fine Wine Delivery Co online (NZ)
Ranked: #10 of 19 2023 Pinot Noir from New Zealand
Wine Classification: 1
This Article was originally published on The Real Review
