Ata Rangi Tasting Evening
It was our great pleasure to host Ata Rangi
winemaker Helen Masters in what was a very rare chance to taste 5 vintages of
Ata Rangi Pinot Noir, including the yet-to-be-released 2012. As is
customary at Fine Wine Delivery Co, the wines would be paired with the
gastronomic musings of Philip Reynolds from The Difference Catering.
Helen is one of the most inclusive and informative presenters one could hope to
find – she has a knack of explaining the complex viticultural and winemaking
decisions she makes as if they were the most logical things in the world.
Guests were very pleased to start the evening with the Ata Rangi Craighall
Riesling 2009, a wine they make only around 650 litres of and release when it's
finally ready, on this occasion around 4 years from vintage. The dry style took
many by surprise but it won its fair share of admirers with its understated
style.
The pair of Lismore Pinot Gris 2013 and Craighall Chardonnay 2011 were both
lovely, the Craighall clearly in a class apart, as you'd expect from one of
NZ's great Chardonnays. It's still too young mind you, and I would urge readers
to show restraint for another year or two to experience the best of that wine.
Helen was a little nervous at the beginning to see if Philip's ‘White Peach
baked Apple Pie with Cinnamon Hazelnut Butter, Smoked Fennel Jam Rosehip and
Elderflower syrup' would be too sweet for the Chardonnay but Philip judged it
beautifully, the result being fruity and savoury but not sweet. It showed off
Craighall very nicely.
The main event was of course the 5 Pinot Noirs: 2008-2012. Interestingly
enough, opinion was spread across the vintages as to which was the best. 2008
received probably the most votes, perhaps due to its extra age with an almost perfectly
even and slight decline of votes through the years 2009 onwards...proving as
much as anything that great Pinot Noir, especially Ata Rangi Pinot Noir just
gets better and better with age. It doesn't matter so much the vintage – there
will be stylistic differences for sure – but that an Ata Rangi with some bottle
development will almost always beat one without.
A big thank you to Helen Masters, Ata Rangi and Euro-Vintage – as well as The
Difference Catering. The night was a resounding success and we can't wait to do
it again soon!