Ata Rangi, Pinot Noir

Ata Rangi, Pinot NoirStill rather firm in texture, the 2014 Pinot Noir offers up leafy, tomato like notes that are nicely balanced by black cherries and earth. It's medium to full bodied, then turns velvety on the long finish, with at least another decade of life ahead of it. Just days before my visit, Helen Masters was named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine, which just shows I'm not alone in my admiration for her remarkable achievements at Ata

as it needs at least several years in bottle to be at its very best

grainy tannins with oodles of freshness and epic persistence

dense soil full of rocks and minerals

sporting black pepper

high clay content soil sitting on a bed of solid rock)

it is built on its minerality with very fine intensity to the medium weight plus flavors that also culminate in an impressively long but still quite compact finish

black and blue fruit profile easily

concentrated Tempranillo with abundant

in 2010 it offers a truly remarkably sophisticated mouth feel because like the RSV

Although Gaja is easily the most glamorous winery in Piedmont

it's another brilliant wine from a great producer at the top of his form

indeed one could deservedly call this Cistercian