Open 4 hours. An absolutely majestic nose headlined by roses, violets, spring undergrowth, and a little bit of wild strawberries. It smells like the woods in the spring. With air the rose adds a very feint chocolate giving a Turkish Delight note. The woods, flowers and cocoa return on the palette, but the fruit maybe a bit more black than red, wild brambles. A light iron minerality too. On the third glass, a little cola, like Fentiman’s cola, botanical style. This is an exceptional pinot noir, and I can’t wait to try other vintages.
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Light red. Minor deposit on decanting. Briary raspberry and red cherry. Oak evident. Ditto palate. More lifted raspberry fruit. Medium length. Coarse finish. I’m not as enamoured with it as previously. Drink up. Day 2 - Nose more refined, fruitful. Palate more balanced, more black fruits evident. Black cherry. Still short but much more enjoyable and not fraying from being open for a day.
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eleven-vintage Ata Rangi vertical (K&L Redwood City): dark ruby colour. dark fruit dominates the generally sweet nose with vanilla and rose notes and just subtle earthy whiffs. in the mouth it is currently rather open-knit: dark and red fruits parade across the palate, tangy and bitter notes appear and fade, as do spice and herbal accents. the tannins are grippy but smooth, and the acidity is subtle but persistent. very good length.
at nearly eight years, it seems to me that this wine has not yet quite fully come together… i expect it to improve with even a bit more age. 40% whole cluster, 35% new oak for eleven months
[low-yielding season with smaller berry size. the driest growing season in about two decades affected by high winds. late season rains gave the vines a boost of energy]
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👀 Slight purple-ish hue which is faded more towards brick red colour now, translucent. 👃🏼 Barnyard funk, animal, sweat, smoke. 👅 Structured pinot, even at this age shows good acidity and plenty of well integrated smooth tannin. Almost no primary fruit left at this stage, a bit of morello cherry. Mushroom and animal sweatiness predominate. A rounded, structured, good quality wine but a bit too hot and short on the finish. Very Burg like.
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1/1/2024 - Amberissey Likes this wine: 91 Points
Open 4 hours. An absolutely majestic nose headlined by roses, violets, spring undergrowth, and a little bit of wild strawberries. It smells like the woods in the spring. With air the rose adds a very feint chocolate giving a Turkish Delight note. The woods, flowers and cocoa return on the palette, but the fruit maybe a bit more black than red, wild brambles. A light iron minerality too. On the third glass, a little cola, like Fentiman’s cola, botanical style. This is an exceptional pinot noir, and I can’t wait to try other vintages.
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7/7/2023 - richard.presser Likes this wine: 89 Points
Light red. Minor deposit on decanting.
Briary raspberry and red cherry. Oak evident.
Ditto palate. More lifted raspberry fruit. Medium length. Coarse finish. I’m not as enamoured with it as previously.
Drink up.
Day 2 - Nose more refined, fruitful.
Palate more balanced, more black fruits evident. Black cherry. Still short but much more enjoyable and not fraying from being open for a day.
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5/13/2023 - Wadham Cellar wrote: 89 Points
Sour cherry some funk. Nice structure. Ok length. Very Pleasant but not great.
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5/11/2023 - WindFlyer wrote: 91 Points
eleven-vintage Ata Rangi vertical (K&L Redwood City): dark ruby colour. dark fruit dominates the generally sweet nose with vanilla and rose notes and just subtle earthy whiffs. in the mouth it is currently rather open-knit: dark and red fruits parade across the palate, tangy and bitter notes appear and fade, as do spice and herbal accents. the tannins are grippy but smooth, and the acidity is subtle but persistent. very good length.
at nearly eight years, it seems to me that this wine has not yet quite fully come together… i expect it to improve with even a bit more age.
40% whole cluster, 35% new oak for eleven months
[low-yielding season with smaller berry size. the driest growing season in about two decades affected by high winds. late season rains gave the vines a boost of energy]
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2023 - Berk_The_Caretaker Likes this wine: 92 Points
👀 Slight purple-ish hue which is faded more towards brick red colour now, translucent.
👃🏼 Barnyard funk, animal, sweat, smoke.
👅 Structured pinot, even at this age shows good acidity and plenty of well integrated smooth tannin. Almost no primary fruit left at this stage, a bit of morello cherry. Mushroom and animal sweatiness predominate. A rounded, structured, good quality wine but a bit too hot and short on the finish. Very Burg like.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment