Ata Rangi

Syrah is grown at Ata Rangi primarily as a blend component for our distinctive Célèbre, although in the best and warmest seasons we like to squirrel away just a few barrels to be bottled as a single varietal. The vines are close-planted on only our warmest and most sheltered sites. Swathes of reflective cloth, sun-heated river stones and glass bottles roughly smashed in Clive's old concrete mixer are used under vines to further boost heat and light. This limited volume Syrah 2010 release is richly perfumed with ripe mulberry and damson plum aromas mingling with headier notes of rose, Turkish Delight, star-anise and tamarind. First sips unveil hints of darker, more savoury, spiced meat and pepper characters. This is a complex wine, still vibrant, succulent, long and fine. Delicious now, we expect it will also cellar well for another three to four years in cool conditions.

Craighall, our premium Chardonnay, is from prized blocks of low-yielding Mendoza clone vines.
The oldest, now over 30 years of age, are situated directly opposite the Ata Rangi home block in
the heart of the deep, free-draining gravels that make up the Martinborough Terrace.
The aromatics are very clean and precise: fresh ripe white peach, florals of jasmine blended with a
delicate spice note. The palate is complex, with great weight and precision, with a lingering finish
which is a hallmark of our Craighall Chardonnay. We love the unforced feel of this wine, no overt oak
or fermentation characters; a great representation of the Martinborough Terrace terroir.

Kahu, Māori for our native harrier hawk, is the inspiration for the name of the Hensley family's
neighbouring vineyard and the luscious dessert wine made from there. This Riesling block is
harvested late in the season when morning dew is heavy, encouraging the spread of botrytis.
2021 was marked by very clean fruit due to a dryer than average finish to the season. This resulted
in a style that is fresh and vibrant, and more acid focused then the vintages where the berries are
more fully botrytised. The Riesling vines were picked in three passes, over two weeks.
The nose has intense aromas of nashi pear, pineapple, lime leaf with a hint of green papaya.
Opening to flavours that conjure up fresh croissant with butter and marmalade.
The 2021 Kahu is an inviting wine that brings together exotic aromas, supple richness while
remaining vibrant and energetic.
Aged cheese, Fig and walnut cake would be excellent accompaniments to this gorgeous
Riesling. Serve chilled. 375 ml bottles.

Delicious and dry is how we love our Rosé. The 2021 is crafted from old-vine Wairarapa Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with smaller portions of Syrah and Pinot Noir to bring added complexity. All barrel fermented in larger format barrels to meld the fruits aromas with a more savoury complexity.

The nose has a wonderful array of aromas: peach, blood orange, pomegranate, red apple and pink peppercorns. The palate is smooth and juicy with notes of nectarine, watermelon and prosciutto. Bright acidity holds all the flavours together giving vibrancy and length. This is a wonderful summer wine and due to its more savoury style, a great pairing with food.

Te Wā , ‘time and place’ in te reo Māori pays homage to the distinctive wine style delivered by the stony, alluvial gravels and the cool climate of the Martinborough Terrace. Our cool south prevailing wind during spring is brutal on developing bunches at flowering resulting in looser, lighter bunch weights providing lower yields. The deep gravels temper the vigour of the otherwise rampant Sauvignon Blanc vine, giving less overall canopy. This smaller canopy results in a slower, longer ripening, with a depth of flavour in the skins and a ripe crunchy seed.

The 2019 season with it lower yields and great balance of sugar and flavour intensity has resulted in a wine with real palate volume and a long lingering finish. The balance of acid, and phenolics from the skins will see this wine developing further over the next 5 years.

A fuller style of Pinot Gris originally influenced by the style of wines from Alsace
but developed over the years into our own, uniquely Martinborough style.
Fruits and baking spices are the focus of this very aromatic wine. Aromas of apple strudel with
flaky pastry and poached pear, with a notes of hard cheese rind meld together. Succulent fresh
acidity keeps this generous, complex wine flowing right to the back palate.
From vines now over 24 years of age, the depth and complexity of flavour make it one of our
favourite and versatile wine matching choices, from antipasto platters to dishes with heady
spice and/or challenging flavours. Fermented in neutral barrels for extra texture, this Pinot Gris
will benefit from bottle age.

Home › Products › Wine › Ata Rangi Martinborough Petrie Chardonnay 2014
Lifted florals, notes of white peach and hints of freshly-baked brioche make a salivating first impression of this finely-tuned, cool climate Chardonnay. The entry is mouth-wateringly crisp and bright, then opens and fills out across the mid-palate with a lovely textural creaminess. The minerally, wet stone thread, hint of matchstick and hallmark grapefruit note are all distinctive markers of this maturing site. Owned by the Petrie family, the 23 year-old block is 20 minutes’ drive north-east of Martinborough on the deep, gravelled, uplifted river terraces of East Taratahi. The vineyard itself is generally cooler than our own blocks due to its higher elevation. Vineyard perspective and wind exposure are also factors in cooling this site, making it ideal for the Clone 15 plantings and expressed in the typically bright fruit and marked thread of minerality that Petrie Chardonnay is renowned for.

2017 was a cool vintage, perfect for Chardonnay. The aromatics are very clean and precise: fresh ripe white pear, florals of jasmine blended with savoury aromas of almond and cashew nuts, opening out in the glass like apple in puff pastry. The palate is incredibly elegant with bright fine acidity that pulls you right to the end of the palate. We love the unforced feel of this wine, no overt oak or fermentation characters; a great representation of the Martinborough Terrace terrior.

This vintage has the intensity and structure that we love from Martinborough – complex notes of rose petal, blood orange, sandalwood, tamarind and toasted rice entice aromatically while the flavours of cranberry, cinnamon and bergamot tea align with the soft savoury notes of tobacco to taste. This structure makes for a beautifully food-friendly Pinot Noir.