Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2019
Ata Rangi's Crimson is a wine which was inspired by a love of New Zealand's native 'Christmas Trees' the Rata and Pohutukawa trees. Sales of this wine support Project Crimson, a charitable conservation trust which plants and protects these trees. The Pinot Noir grapes for Crimson are produced from 5-20 year old Martinborough vines in Lismore, Waiora and Walnut Ridge blocks. The area is a deep gravel terrace with an alluvial loess layer over the gravels. The grapes were hand picked and 100% destemmed, keeping as many berries intact as possible. Pre-fermentation maceration lasted between two and six days. The must was inoculated with indigenous yeasts and fermentation lasted two to three weeks in stainless steel tanks, with hand-plunging throughout. The wine was racked into oak barrels, of which 20% were new, where it remained for a further nine months after malolactic fermentation until bottling. The nose is complex with aromas of cranberry, raspberry and carraway alongside an earthy spice element. The palate is finely structured with bramble fruit flavours, fine tannins and a savoury finish.
