99 Points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

This is impeccably composed and seductively expressed, showing dark cherry, clove, thyme and cedar characters on the nose with a gorgeous floral overtone. The concentrated palate is plush yet poised and refined with fleshy texture and perfectly pitched tannins. The wine exhibits stunning depth with layers of delectable flavours and meticulously structured mouthfeel, leading to a totally captivating, sensual finish.

97 Points — Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous

The 2021 PinotNoir definitely reflects vintage. Its good colour and abundance of gravelly tannins display the smaller berried, smaller vintage. Its bright fruit, intense concentration and plentiful acidity accompany primary red fruit flavour, with an impressive show of ample black tea leaf-like tannins. It’s a wine for the long haul that draws out to an extended finish.

96 Points — Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review

Deep crimson. A firm, upright nose with blackberry, violet minerality in a restricted but concentrated package. Not immediately exuberant but there is clearly a lot of innate power here. The palate is full-bodied, very structured from the start with both fruit and oak tannins giving texture and dimension to this impressively serious, mineral and very long wine. Very young currently (March 2024), it needs a few years to relax into itself but will be fantastic in time as the floral and blackberry flavours unfurl.

95 Points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2021 Pinot Noir is vibrant on the nose and totally precise and focused. The acid spools right from the front of the palate and has a mobile, agile way about it. The season may have had it’s challenges, but the wine is effortless, natural and shapely. It’s great. The 40% whole bunch here sits well within the red fruit and creates a capacious mid-palate without an impact of stalky flavour. Superb. A real pleasure to drink.

97 Points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

Exquisitely elegant and sophisticated, the wine shows white flesh stone fruit, crunchy apple, white floral and oatmeal nuances on the nose, followed by a brilliantly focused palate exhibiting linear mouthfeel and seamless flow. Offering exceptional purity as well as impressive structure, this is gorgeously poised with a outstanding line and length.

96 Points — Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review

Pale white-gold. A flinty, pithy, reductive nose. Not giving much right now. The palate is expressed all in pale flavours; daikon, grapefruit and ginger with perfume and minerality. Etched, detailed and quietly powerful with excellent salinity and a very finely tuned acidity. Very young, but with a great future—really compact, steely and concentrated yet light on its feet and almost ethereal in delivery. A quietly sophisticated and refined wine which reflects a cooler vintage character.

95 Points — James Suckling, james.suckling.com

Very precise chardonnay with sliced apples, lemons, lemongrass, white peaches and just a hint of flint. Medium-bodied with a tight and very defined palate that shows energy and focus. Structured for longevity, but already thoughtful to taste. Drink or hold.

94 Points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

Charming and enticing, the bouquet shows ripe stone fruit, nougat, hazelnut and oatmeal nuances, leading to a beautifully layered palate that's succulent and creamy. Wonderfully composed and expressed with elegant complexity and persistency. At its best: now to 2030.

92+ Points — Cam Douglas MS, camdouglasms.com

A sparkling wine from Ata Rangi is rare indeed, in fact this is a first, and may never be repeated. After tasting it though, I do hope there might be some more made one day.

A pale salmon-orange-hued, very bright appearance with a fine persistent bead. Aromas and flavours of a fine lees autolysis, a whisper of white miso and white bread then peach and tangelo, then white flesh nectarine. There’s a very-fine to fine bubble carrying a mineral clay-earthy core. A plush and refreshing mousse texture with a back bone of acidity then flavours of peach and light yellow plum. Balanced, refreshing and ready to drink from day of purchase through 2027.

91 Points — James Suckling. james.suckling.com

A fun and fresh sparkling wine with hints of strawberries and canteloupe on the nose and palate. Light-bodied with friendly bubbles and a dry and crisp finish. Pure pinot noir aged 11 months on the lees. Drink now.

93 Points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

Beautifully restrained and delicately expressed, the bouquet shows pomegranate, lemon peel, crunchy apple and subtle spice nuances, followed by a linear palate offering pristine fruit flavours with fine texture and bright acidity. Focused and elegant with a mouth-watering finish.

95 Points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

Splendidly fruited and elegantly fragrant, showing Asian pear, rockmelon, lemon peel and oatmeal notes, it's gorgeously textured in the mouth displaying excellent weight and youthful fruit intensity. Offering excellent clarity and finesse with delicate complexity, finishing long and satisfying.

93 Points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The vines for this are 20 or more years old now, and the vine age counts for complexity and stature in the wine. Here, the 2023 Pinot Gris leads with salted nashi pear, a hint of mealy apple and some crushed nuts stitched together with fine strands of acid. The texture through the finish is fine and chalky. It's good! By all accounts, 2023 was challenging [for the region] to the point of unpleasant, but I have found some beautiful wines from this season, so go slow on hasty judgments.

96 Points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2021 Masters Chardonnay is spicy and concentrated on the nose, with lashings of fruit flavor in the mouth. This has a really savory edge to it that sits so gracefully within the fruit. You get salted peach, white tea/dandelion, cracked fennel seeds, a hint of cumin, white pepper, curls of saffron and loads of crushed shells. This is sleek and polished—it moves sort of like a spearhead through the air. There is full malolactic conversion here but within a tighter frame, and it is a kaleidoscopic, balanced experience. Feels good, smells good, tastes good.

95 points —Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

Intense, complex wine with grapefruit, cashew nut, oyster shell, ginger and nutty yeast lees flavours. Stylish wine that can be appreciated now but will respond positively to a little bottle age

94+ points — Mike Bennie, The Winefront

Lighter expression than the 2020 – a freshness here, lift, a more delicate touch let’s say. Green melon, green mango, lime juice and nougat found here. Skittish in the palate, tight and zesty with acidity and yet with delightful inward concentration. Feels compact, ready to be born later on. It’s got great mojo.

18.5 points — Stephen Wong MW, Wine Sentience

The second vintage of this to be released, and even more restrained than the 2020, this is very young, showing tightly wound fruit framed by carefully judged oak and a flinty reductive edge. The fruit is precise and detailed, poised between white peach, apple and lemon with a touch of cream, delicately floral perfume and fantastically driving acidity. This has a coiled, energetic core of citrus/apple fruit, coupled with a hint of phenolic bitterness to accentuate its chalky minerality. Crystalline and etched, this is very elegant, vibrant Chardonnay with a fine-grained, flowing texture. Focussed, tight and refreshingly pure on the finish, the quality and class is undeniable.

93+ points — Mike Bennie, The Winefront

Chewy, dense and yet light on its feet. Plenty concentrated, edgy acidity holding in nougat, lemon cream, ginger and cedar notes. It’s a wine needing a touch longer to come together, though intensity and length are notable. Structure in spades. On the fresher, friskier side too.

93 points — Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

Creamy-textured wine with peach, ginger, vanilla, struck flint and spicy oak flavours. Tangy wine with good weight and an appealing texture and a backbone of peppery phenolics. Good now but promises to develop well with bottle age.

17.5 points — Stephen Wong MW, Wine Sentience

The nose is holding some minerally reduction at this early stage of its life, laced with subtle cinnamon and currently restrained, but ripe fruit. Wilder in expression than the 2020, it has both fleshier, more generous fruit, yet also more structure. The acidity weaves its way between peppery, citrus pith and touches of fresh butter. Very young at this stage, the fruit pops across the mid-palate before being reined in by a nicely defined phenolic grip on the end, finishing with a nicely delineated back-palate with quiet power.

94 Points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

This is immediately appealing on the nose showing ripe cherry, apricot, red apple and subtle spice aromas, leading to a vibrant palate delivering terrific fruit intensity backed by fine texture and juicy acidity. Charming and deliciously appealing. At its best: now to 2023.

95 Points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

Elegantly fragrant and immensely appealing, the bouquet shows clover honey, lime sorbet, orange peel and dried flower nuances, leading to a succulent palate that’s delectably sweet with creamy texture and perfectly pitched acidity. Balanced and flavoursome with a lengthy delicious finish. At its best: now to 2030

95 Points — Bob Campbell, Master of Wine

Luscious dessert wine with honey, apricot, mandarin blossom and exotic spice flavours. A bright, fresh wine, thanks to mouth-watering acidity, that is not in the least bit cloying. Great served well-chilled as an aperitif.

98 Points

Wine of the Year, Top 100 NZ Wines for 2022

— James Suckling, James.Suckling.com

A beautiful nose of sliced strawberries, crushed cherries, violets, grated nutmeg and a hint of white pepper. Some hibiscus, too. Supremely vibrant and perfumed with fine tannins that run the length of the medium-bodied palate. Textural. Ground spice and fresh fruit are intertwined, providing wonderful depth and complexity. So long as well. Seamless balance. Superb. Sustainable. Drink or hold.

98 Points — Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

Concentrated, complex pinot noir with cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, violet, wood smoke and savoury/dried herb flavours. Accessible now but with a proven history of ageing gracefully. Elegant wine with impressive power.

95 Points — Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast

This is a classic expression of this renowned winery's estate vines, now over 40 years old, on alluvial gravels. It opens with a rich bouquet of heady spices, dried florals, cherry cola and cinnamon bark, and there's some vanillin oak influence, too. There's density and concentration to the palate. It walks a tightrope of power and elegance, with chiseled, distinctly textured tannins and finely tuned oak. Drink now with protein and until 2033, at least

96 points — Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous

The 2020 Pinot Noir reminds me of walking into a cathedral - that quiet, cool hush that falls as you walk through its doors. This is harmonious, supple, unshowy and unforced. Hailing from old vines and delicately textured despite the abundance of fruit concentration. Refined tannins with the finest of gravelly textures, akin to licking a stone. Scented yet restrained, with a fragrance of sweet red fruit, tea leaf and cedar spices with persistent acidity that carries it. Very complete and already approachable.

94 Points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Most of the fruit comes off free-draining Terrace soils and older vine sites. Oldest vine age core, let’s say. This wine is 40% whole bunch.

Bold, full and concentrated style, albeit finds structure and levity from frisky acidity and fine, lacy tannin profile. Richness and density in perfume from hello. Dark cherry, mocha notes, liquorice, sweet tobacco and white pepper. Palate and bouquet in synch on characters. Feels fine, trim, a little tough but pulled very long. Great expression.

93 Points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2020 Pinot Noir leads with cherry and sumac, layers of graphite and dehydrated blood orange rind. The wine is fine-boned and savory, powered by a fine spool of acidity through the fruit. There are lovely, chalky tannins through the finish.

96 Points — Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

This vineyard was planted in 2000 in free-draining alluvial gravels. Ripe and moderately concentrated wine that is distinctively different to the other single-vineyard pinots with less savoury influence and more pronounced fruit with a backbone of sweet, soft tannins. Brilliant wine .

96 Points — James Suckling, James.Suckling.com

Perfumed aromas of sliced strawberries, grated nutmeg, milk chocolate, wild thyme, violet and orange peel. Some mushroom. Medium- to full-bodied with silky, textured tannins that are soaked in beautifully fresh red fruit and berries. Floral and nuanced on the palate with subtle concentration and length. A beautiful wine. New single vineyard bottling. Best after 2024.

96 Points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

Tannin profile marked here, for quality. A vineyard planted in 2000 to Dijon clones (no Abel). Gravel soil. Includes 40% whole bunch. Aged in used foudre. The idea is to retain the sappy, crunchiness of the inherent personality of the site. A first time release out of foudre for Ata Rangi. Interesting, the reduction and tannin in this wine from previous owners was overt, while farmed conventionally, and organic conversion (and now certification) has reduced or eliminated this now. Higher toned perfume, game meat, dried rose petal, red cherry, a bit more of a savoury lead in. The palate supports this, powdery tannins in a web cinching red cherry, game meat, white pepper and dusty, rose petal characters too. Trim, structured, a bit autumnal and very good. The tannins almost Italianate a highlight. Super stuff.

94+ Points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2020 Kotinga Pinot Noir is savory, gravelly and spiced. The wine has a gentle bone broth persuasion through the middle palate, with star anise and sumac, hints of ginger root, clove, cherry pip and salted red licorice, and there's a gentle walnut character, with red apple acidity at the core. This is a wonderful complex and layered wine. Quite exciting. There is a lovely undulating flow of flavor through the long finish

93 points — Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast

2020 is the first vintage of Kotinga as a single vineyard wine. Ata Rangi took it over in 2017 and converted to organics in '18. It's aromatic and lucid, with heady notes of licorice, savory herbs, ground pepper, plump cherry and red currant. There's a mineral, gravelly thread throughout. Tannins are almost surprisingly powerful and sinewy, cinching elegant fruit and spice. This is an austere but honest expression of site, with many years ahead of it.

97 Points — James Suckling, James.Suckling.com

Inviting aromas of green strawberry, hibiscus tea, milk chocolate and rosemary stem. Medium-bodied with velvety tannins and silky texture. Slightly chewy. Beautiful on the palate with lovely ground spice detailing the fresh red fruit and berries. Layered and dynamic. White pepper and coriander come through. Spicy, but pretty as well. An exciting wine. New single vineyard bottling. Sustainable. Drink or hold.

96 Points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2020 Masters Pinot Noir is immediately aromatically distinct from the other wines here. It leads with a floral/orange blossom character on the nose, with blood, graphite, cherry, sumac and cracked cumin seeds. It's one thing for Pinot to taste good, but it's a whole other level of experience for it to smell good; and I feel I could smell this all day. On the palate, the wine is weighty and wide, blanketing the tongue and feeling cohesive and harmonious. The whole bunch character here works structurally, without leaving any distinct whole bunch characters. It's really great, pleasurable, distinct and exciting. It's a full 360-degree experience, with weight, aroma, flavor, spool of acid, saliva, etc. Kirsch is through the finish.

96 Points — Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

Youthful, supple pinot noir with an initial hint of fruit sweetness that is balanced by fine, peppery tannins that suggest cellaring potential. Floral/rose petal, cherry, plum and crushed grape stem flavours. Elegant pinot noir with power that's delivered with consummate subtlety. 

96 Points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

The 2001 planting. Owned by Helen and Ben Masters since 2015. Certified organic. Tannins strict and firm, dry and minerally, very beautiful. Clay soils. Around 70% whole bunch.

Ebullient, evocactive scents of rose hip tea, cranberry, raspberry and fennel. The palate somewhat juicy, but for a stretch of fine, silty, Italianate tannins keeping things in check. Flavours re dry and savoury, dried cranberry, rose hip tea, bergamot, vermouth and crushed rocks. The finish puckering, minerally and stony. Love it.

93 points — Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast

This is the first release of this wine, from winemaker Helen Masters's home block of vines, all in clay. There's ample fruit concentration (think blueberry and strawberry jam) underpinned by cloves, black pepper, dried herbs, spices and florals. The mid-weight palate has a juicy tang of acidity. There's a powerful grip to the chalky tannins. The juicy fruit lingers long on the finish. This is an expressive Pinot fast on its way becoming a shining star in the Ata Rangi stable.

97 Points — Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

Quite a fragrant/floral aroma with more plum, dark cherry, wood smoke, liquorice and nutty oak evident on the palate. Seamless, silken texture that is appealing now but promises to get even better with bottle age. The wine opened up as it sat in the glass and deserves to be aerated. Cellar 2023 — 2025

97 Points — James Suckling, James.Suckling.com

A lovely nose of sliced strawberry, grated nutmeg, suede and rose. Negroni. Orange. Medium- to full-bodied with silky, fine tannins. Nuanced and concentrated with an array of subtle spice and herbs decorating the beautifully fresh red berries. Spice. Iron. Rust. Savory undertones provide depth and complexity on the palate and evolve and oscillate as time goes on. Open grain tannins at the end. New single vineyard bottling. Sustainable. Best after 2025.

97 points — Christina Pickard, Wine Enthusiast

The McCrone Vineyard, with is combo of clay and alluvial gravel soils, brings distinct personality and minerality to this beautifully expressive wine. It starts with a heady nose you could fall straight into. Dried spices and herbs, vanilla pod, tree bark and cracked black pepper are in the fore, weaving through cherry, redcurrant cordial and orange rind. There's an ethereal lightness to the palate, but a tight structure to the fine tannins. Silky, freshly fruity and spicy, it's elegant, approachable and age-worthy

94 Points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

A hotter site, per se. Clay soils. Certified organic site. Around 40% whole bunch, which seems to be a major part of the identity of the wine, showing more here. Very floral perfume, violets, rose petal, lots of raspberry and sweeter fruit and spice characters to sniff on. Juicy and bright in the palate, fresh-feeling and loaded with primary fruit, albeit gossamer textured, glossy and vibrant too. Tannins squeaky, bouncy, crisp in a way. Fine and frisky expression.

93+ Points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2020 McCrone Vineyard Pinot Noir is great. This leads with salted tomato, cherry and caper brine. This is mineral as hell, tight, expansive and spicy and gray in color spectrum; it's not all ribald cherry/berry fruit. There is drama here—floral and rocky with ferruginous tannins. I like it.

2024 NZ Wine Show in London

Perfect acidic tension and equally easy to drink. As for the Wairarapa in the North Island, it’s always tough to look past the incredible wines from Ata Rangi in Martinborough. The Ata Rangi McCrone Pinot Noir 2020 showcases the quality that earned the iconic Helen Masters such well-deserved international accolades.

95 points — Cam Douglas, Master Sommelier

Fabulous bouquet and palate, true to style of Célèbre with aromas and textures, flavours and impact of core red berry fruits, plums and spiced cherry flavours, some tart raspberry and mild peppery blackcurrant flavours. Firm tannins and a back bone of acidity ensure this wines longevity as well laying the foundation for the fruit and wood flavours. A lengthy primary fruited finish with textures of tannins and acidity, minerality and power. Excellent drink from 2025 through 2035+. Decant for service.

95 points — Bob Campbell, MW, The Real Review

A blend of merlot, syrah and malbec gives a medley of dark berry, plum, floral and black pepper flavours. A bold, concentrated and youthful wine that is underpinned with ripe, drying tannins. Can be enjoyed now but will reward cellaring.

94 Points — Cam Douglas, Master Sommelier

There’s no mistaking the purity of fruit at the center of the bouquet - red cherries and ripe sweet plum, some raspberry and baked strawberry suggestions. Oak layers in some complexity and spice and the varietal signature is enhanced by a fine layer of mineral silty soil scents. Taut and youthful on the palate with a core of red berry fruit flavours, plums and tart strawberry. Tannins and acidity accentuate the youthful mouthfeel adding foundation structure and power. While drinkable today I suggest you cellar this wine till late 2023 and try again. Excellent drinking from early 2024 through 2030+.

96 points — Bob Campbell, MW, The Real Review

Attractively perfumed wine with red rose and violet floral notes together with pronounced spice on the palate. A beautifully structured wine with a silken texture and a core of sweet, ripe fruit. Deliciously drinkable but with obvious cellaring potential. Serious syrah.

94 points — Cam Douglas, Master Sommelier

An enticing, rather complex bouquet with aromas that swing between a core of red berry fruits and silty mineral qualities, layers of barrel spices and French oak qualities. Complex, youthful and very enticing with a touch of peppery spice. Delicious, but very new, textured with plenty of palate impacts from tannins and acidity then a core of cherry and tart raspberry, plum and mangosteen berries. An abundance of polished tannins and back bone of acidity, varietal flavours and lengthy finish. Great drinking from late 2023 through 2030+

97 Points — Jane Skilton, Gourmet Traveller

Beautifully aromatic with fresh red berry fruit and floral dried petal notes. The palate is a little reticent at first, but with time, reveals concentrated flavours wrapped up in exquisite, finely grained and carefully judged tannins. Terrific drive and length. Cellar for 2 - 9 years.

96 Points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

Sophisticated and gorgeously complex, the wine shows dark cherry, dried herb, warm mushroom, almond and game nuances on the nose, leading to a refined palate offering excellent focus and flow. It's finely textured with grainy tannins, offering superb structure and length. At its best: now to 2035. $75.00. www.atarangi.co.nz. Oct 2021.

96 points — Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

Exquisite and focused, the wine shows lime cordial, green tea and jasmine nuances on the nose, followed by a concentrated palate displaying linear flow and refined texture with a subliminal saline mouthfeel. The wine offers terrific fruit purity with outstanding tension, acidity and structure, finishing persistent and supremely elegant. Style: Dry. At its best: now to 2035

95 Points — Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2017 Craighall Riesling is sadly no more —it was an old block on its own roots. On the nose, this wine leads with cold buttered toast, pink grapefruit marmalade and preserved citrus rind. On the palate, the wine is as focused as the nose suggests, with a fleshy mid-palate that is built around fruit volume rather than residual sugar (only two grams per liter). Sadly, this wine is no longer around. It holds beautifully now, and it will hold for a long time into the future.