2008 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Crimson

The 2008 Crimson Pinot Noir has a cranberry and redcurrant-scented nose with good definition, later with floral scents developing in the glass. It shows impressive precision for an entry-level wine. The palate is medium-bodied, a slight hardness on the entry, crunchy cranberry and pomegranate fruit, the finish leafy finish and just lacking a little weight. Drink now-2012. Ata Rangi, along with Felton Road, was elected a ‘Kiwi Grand Cru’ during the Pinot Noir conference in Wellington in January 2010 and though that is not an ‘official’ classification, it is certainly deserved. Clive Paton continues to produce a finely crafted selection of Martinborough wines that are both animated and expressive. He told me that the benevolent 2008 growing season had a reasonable fruit set with a warm early season, quite a long summer and was fortunate to pick before and after the rain and as usual, Ata Rangi’s wines come highly recommended. Importer: Epic Wines, Santa Cruz, CA; tel. (800) 322-3742