Our Story

Phyll...Ata Rangi was a small, stony sheep paddock in 1980 when Clive bought it with a wad of cash from the sale of his herd of cows. His farming mates thought he was mad; grapes were unheard of in the region. With a handful of grape cuttings and 5-year old daughter Ness on board, he drove his old tractor up the valley, settled into the cottage on the property, and started digging. He knew the area well. "I'd regularly skinned my knees playing rugby there in mid-winter, so I knew exactly how hard the ground was." He'd developed a love of red wine but couldn't afford 'the good stuff' so, in classic Kiwi-style, thought he'd have a go himself. Ali, Clive's sister, shared his vision and soon bought 5 acres next door before heading to London to study and work in the wine trade.

Martinborough was pretty basic in those days - gravel roads, two pubs, a grocery and farm-supply store, service station and a fish-n-chip shop. Clive's resolve was strengthened by a 1978 scientific report which showed Martinborough had a microclimate similar to that of Burgundy. It also had the driest and windiest climate in the North Island, was fringed to the north-east by a 25 metre deep, free-draining alluvial gravel terrace, and was only an hour from the lively capital city of Wellington.

The early days were tough. There were no trees for shelter; tough-going for the young vines exposed to howling nor-westers. Clive relied on the sale of pumpkins and garlic that he'd grown between the rows, and on family and friends who pitched in to help. Local farmer and rugby mate of Clive's, John Stephen, put up cash to form an early partnership, keeping Ata Rangi afloat until the vines came into production. They also enlisted 100 'barrel share' investors, each of whom stumped up $50 (in a primitive en-primeur scheme) to fund the first barrels. By the time I ran into Clive in 1986 he'd just received the first Gold Medal for a Pinot Noir from Martinborough, no small thanks to the legendary 'gumboot clone'. "Just trust me" he'd said "Within ten years we'll be able to walk into the village and decide which cafe we'd like to go to." Though not entirely convinced, I threw in my Marlborough wine-making job and, in a leap of faith, bought John's share and moved north to join the family.

Three decades later - backed by a string of awards and accolades - Ata Rangi is well established in 25 international markets and has an enviable reputation as one of the New World's most respected Pinot Noir producers.   And Clive was right... Martinborough has transformed from a rural backwater to a laid-back, charmingly rustic wine village with a cluster of cafes, restaurants, quirky boutiques and a day-spa; a popular destination for wine-and-food lovers from all over the world, and a great escape from bustling city life.