Producer Article
Ata Rangi
Last edited on 7/8/2013 by MyCellar01
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Ata Rangi, meaning "dawn sky" or "new beginning" is a small New Zealand winery with a big reputation for serious Pinot Noir.
Located at the southern end of the North Island, 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.
Our Story
Phyll recalls: Ata Rangi was a small, stony sheep paddock when Clive bought it with a wad of cash from the sale of his herd of cows back in 1980. His farming mates thought he was mad; grapes were unheard of in the region. But Clive knew the area well. "I'd regularly skin my knees playing rugby there, so I knew exactly how stony the ground was." He'd developed a passion for red wine but couldn't afford 'the good stuff' so, in classic Kiwi-style, thought he'd have a go himself. Ali, Clive's sister, shared his vision and soon bought 5 acres next door before heading off shore to study and work in the London wine trade.
Martinborough was pretty basic in those days - gravel roads, two pubs, a grocery/farm-supply store, service station and a fish-n-chip shop. Clive's resolve was strengthened by a 1978 scientific report which showed Martinborough had a microclimate similar to that of Burgundy. It also had the driest and windiest climate in the North Island, was fringed to the north-east by a 25 metre deep, free-draining alluvial gravel terrace, and was only an hour from the lively capital city of Wellington.
The early days were tough. With no trees for shelter, young vines struggled against the howling nor-westers. Clive relied on the sale of pumpkins and garlic that he'd grown between the rows, and on family and friends who pitched in to help. He was also a solo Dad, raising young daughter Ness. Local farmer and mate of Clive's, John Stephen, put up cash to form an early partnership, keeping Ata Rangi afloat until the vines came into production. They also enlisted 100 'barrel share' investors, each of whom stumped up $50 (in a primitive en-primeur scheme) to fund the first barrels. By the time I ran into Clive in 1986 he'd just won his first Gold Medal, no small thanks to the legendary 'gumboot clone' of Pinot Noir. "Just trust me" he'd said "Within ten years we'll be able to walk into the village and decide which cafe we'd like to go to." Though not entirely convinced, I threw in my Marlborough wine-making job and, in a leap of faith, bought John's share and moved north to join the family.
More than three decades later - backed by a string of awards and accolades - Ata Rangi is well established in 25 international markets and has an enviable reputation as one of the New World's most respected Pinot Noir producers. And Clive was right... Martinborough has transformed from a rural backwater to a laid-back, charmingly rustic wine village with a cluster of cafes, restaurants, quirky boutiques and a day-spa; a popular destination for wine-and-food lovers from all over the world, and a great escape from bustling city life.
Our Wines
With just nine wines in our range, along with occasional releases of limited-volume offerings for our mail order customers, it's possible to stay 'hands-on' and to give both vines and wines the attention they deserve. In all our wines we aim for fine balance, with structures and textures that deliver far more satisfying, almost more savoury, mouth-filling experiences than wines that rely mainly on youth and 'pretty' aromatics.
We produce two Pinots, the renowned Ata Rangi Pinot Noir and an earlier-drinking style called 'Crimson', named for the charitable conservation trust Project Crimson which sales help to support. Celebre is our very own 'Rhone-meets-Bordeaux', an enduringly popular Merlot/Syrah/Cabernet blend first produced in a lean-to shed in 1986!
Two Chardonnays are included in the line-up; the silky, seamless, elegant Craighall from 28 year-old Mendoza clone vines, and the more vibrant, juicy, 'fully self-expressed' Petrie Chardonnay from a stony block 30 km north. This site has a slightly cooler run, reflected in the wine's fine minerality.
On the aromatic side, a deliciously complex Sauvignon Blanc delivers riper flavours and more textural interest than the average Kiwi Sauvignon. As for all of our wines, these grapes are hand-picked which means that we can, if needed, exclude any remaining unripe "second set" or any damaged or mouldy berries. Our Lismore Pinot Gris is picked late in the season and crafted in a typically Alsation style - a perfect aperitif that pairs beautifully my favourite lemon-grass/ginger combo. The delightful Summer Rose exudes fresh berry and watermelon crunch while, for Ali, the pièce de résistance is our luscious botrytised Riesling named 'Kahu', Maori for the harrier hawk that roosts in the neighbouring vineyard of the same name.
Ata Rangi, meaning "dawn sky" or "new beginning" is a small New Zealand winery with a big reputation for serious Pinot Noir.
Located at the southern end of the North Island, 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.
Our Story
Phyll recalls: Ata Rangi was a small, stony sheep paddock when Clive bought it with a wad of cash from the sale of his herd of cows back in 1980. His farming mates thought he was mad; grapes were unheard of in the region. But Clive knew the area well. "I'd regularly skin my knees playing rugby there, so I knew exactly how stony the ground was." He'd developed a passion for red wine but couldn't afford 'the good stuff' so, in classic Kiwi-style, thought he'd have a go himself. Ali, Clive's sister, shared his vision and soon bought 5 acres next door before heading off shore to study and work in the London wine trade.
Martinborough was pretty basic in those days - gravel roads, two pubs, a grocery/farm-supply store, service station and a fish-n-chip shop. Clive's resolve was strengthened by a 1978 scientific report which showed Martinborough had a microclimate similar to that of Burgundy. It also had the driest and windiest climate in the North Island, was fringed to the north-east by a 25 metre deep, free-draining alluvial gravel terrace, and was only an hour from the lively capital city of Wellington.
The early days were tough. With no trees for shelter, young vines struggled against the howling nor-westers. Clive relied on the sale of pumpkins and garlic that he'd grown between the rows, and on family and friends who pitched in to help. He was also a solo Dad, raising young daughter Ness. Local farmer and mate of Clive's, John Stephen, put up cash to form an early partnership, keeping Ata Rangi afloat until the vines came into production. They also enlisted 100 'barrel share' investors, each of whom stumped up $50 (in a primitive en-primeur scheme) to fund the first barrels. By the time I ran into Clive in 1986 he'd just won his first Gold Medal, no small thanks to the legendary 'gumboot clone' of Pinot Noir. "Just trust me" he'd said "Within ten years we'll be able to walk into the village and decide which cafe we'd like to go to." Though not entirely convinced, I threw in my Marlborough wine-making job and, in a leap of faith, bought John's share and moved north to join the family.
More than three decades later - backed by a string of awards and accolades - Ata Rangi is well established in 25 international markets and has an enviable reputation as one of the New World's most respected Pinot Noir producers. And Clive was right... Martinborough has transformed from a rural backwater to a laid-back, charmingly rustic wine village with a cluster of cafes, restaurants, quirky boutiques and a day-spa; a popular destination for wine-and-food lovers from all over the world, and a great escape from bustling city life.
Our Wines
With just nine wines in our range, along with occasional releases of limited-volume offerings for our mail order customers, it's possible to stay 'hands-on' and to give both vines and wines the attention they deserve. In all our wines we aim for fine balance, with structures and textures that deliver far more satisfying, almost more savoury, mouth-filling experiences than wines that rely mainly on youth and 'pretty' aromatics.
We produce two Pinots, the renowned Ata Rangi Pinot Noir and an earlier-drinking style called 'Crimson', named for the charitable conservation trust Project Crimson which sales help to support. Celebre is our very own 'Rhone-meets-Bordeaux', an enduringly popular Merlot/Syrah/Cabernet blend first produced in a lean-to shed in 1986!
Two Chardonnays are included in the line-up; the silky, seamless, elegant Craighall from 28 year-old Mendoza clone vines, and the more vibrant, juicy, 'fully self-expressed' Petrie Chardonnay from a stony block 30 km north. This site has a slightly cooler run, reflected in the wine's fine minerality.
On the aromatic side, a deliciously complex Sauvignon Blanc delivers riper flavours and more textural interest than the average Kiwi Sauvignon. As for all of our wines, these grapes are hand-picked which means that we can, if needed, exclude any remaining unripe "second set" or any damaged or mouldy berries. Our Lismore Pinot Gris is picked late in the season and crafted in a typically Alsation style - a perfect aperitif that pairs beautifully my favourite lemon-grass/ginger combo. The delightful Summer Rose exudes fresh berry and watermelon crunch while, for Ali, the pièce de résistance is our luscious botrytised Riesling named 'Kahu', Maori for the harrier hawk that roosts in the neighbouring vineyard of the same name.