New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough
(11/4/2014)
The product of a good, high yielding growing season. Under screw cap. Colour deep garnet. A more perfumed, attractive nose than the 2010, showing florals, largely red berry notes, warm earth and dry underbrush, and a touch of raspberry jam. More accessible and open textured on the palate than the 2010, more towards the red fruit spectrum of flavours, particularly spicy plums, raspberries, with clay and a savoury, dry brushwood finish. There is good fruit weight and structure here and plush, juicy fruit. The acids and fine grained tannins are in proportion and well integrated. My closest Burgundy analogy here was a Corton approaching maturity although this wine is unmistakably New World. Just hitting its drinking window now, I think, but years ahead of it, obviously.
New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough
(11/5/2014)
From a cooler vintage than 2008. Under screw cap. Colour deep red, marginally darker than the 2008. Also a dumber nose, more dark berry fruit, particularly dark cherries and blackberries, also damp soil and sous bois, espresso, umami and dried black herbs, with a hint of violets. In the mouth, more backward than the 2008. Primary, dense, brooding and seriously structured. Largely dark fruited flavours, with Porcini mushroom, soy sauce, minerals and black olive. Prominent acids, a bit disjointed, but with silky smooth tannins. At present, the flavour profile a little linear. This wine needs a minimum of five years cellar time and easily could handle more. My Burgundy analogy here would be a five year old Morey St Denis. However, with adequate cellar time, there is the dry extract and structure here that I would not be surprised if ultimately this blossomed into a better wine than the 2008. At present, 92. Edit: I wrote this TN without realising I had written one a few months ago. I'm pleased they are reasonably consistent!
2008 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 92 Points
New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough
(11/4/2014)
The product of a good, high yielding growing season. Under screw cap. Colour deep garnet. A more perfumed, attractive nose than the 2010, showing florals, largely red berry notes, warm earth and dry underbrush, and a touch of raspberry jam. More accessible and open textured on the palate than the 2010, more towards the red fruit spectrum of flavours, particularly spicy plums, raspberries, with clay and a savoury, dry brushwood finish. There is good fruit weight and structure here and plush, juicy fruit. The acids and fine grained tannins are in proportion and well integrated. My closest Burgundy analogy here was a Corton approaching maturity although this wine is unmistakably New World. Just hitting its drinking window now, I think, but years ahead of it, obviously.
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2010 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 92 Points
New Zealand, North Island, Wairarapa, Martinborough
(11/5/2014)
From a cooler vintage than 2008. Under screw cap. Colour deep red, marginally darker than the 2008. Also a dumber nose, more dark berry fruit, particularly dark cherries and blackberries, also damp soil and sous bois, espresso, umami and dried black herbs, with a hint of violets. In the mouth, more backward than the 2008. Primary, dense, brooding and seriously structured. Largely dark fruited flavours, with Porcini mushroom, soy sauce, minerals and black olive. Prominent acids, a bit disjointed, but with silky smooth tannins. At present, the flavour profile a little linear. This wine needs a minimum of five years cellar time and easily could handle more. My Burgundy analogy here would be a five year old Morey St Denis. However, with adequate cellar time, there is the dry extract and structure here that I would not be surprised if ultimately this blossomed into a better wine than the 2008. At present, 92. Edit: I wrote this TN without realising I had written one a few months ago. I'm pleased they are reasonably consistent!
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No