Crimson Pinot Noir

2015 was a great and largely typical season – a gentle spring, with a warm January and a welcome coolness at the back end through February and March. Some large winds in January put pressure on the canopies, the positive being that berry size was kept smaller, intensifying the fruit.
Crimson is our selection of fruit from younger parcels of vines from our various vineyards on the Martinborough Terrace. Vine age ranges from 5-20 years. In their youth, vines tend to be more fruit expressive, gaining more complexity with age (as do we all!). The winemaking philosophy is the same as for our signature Pinot Noir; no enzymes or yeasts are added, providing a hands-off, traditional approach to expressing the site.
What we find in the 2015 year is a length and drive that belies the age of the vines. More savoury in spectrum than previous vintages, the nose exudes spice, red licorice and a medley of bramble fruit. All carry through onto the palate, with the older vine portion providing real weight and a fine line and length.
Why ‘CRIMSON’ ?
Ata Rangi founder Clive Paton is an avid conservationist, determined to help restore New Zealand's native forests to their former glory. His work led him to an association with Project Crimson, an established Charitable Conservation Trust focused on saving two spectacular red-flowering native trees - mountain-loving rata and the closely related, coastal pohutukawa, also known and loved as New Zealand's own "Christmas tree". Ata Rangi has now sponsored Project Crimson for over a decade. Sales of Crimson Pinot Noir help to spread the word of their work and Ata Rangi also donates cash for community planting projects. Clive has received a string of awards for his efforts, which include founding and chairing the Aorangi Restoration Trust covering over 40,000 hectares of the SE corner of New Zealand. He was appointed an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit in 2012 for his contribution to both conservation and viticulture in NZ and in 2014 was awarded the historic Gerald Loder Cup, this country's highest conservation honour.

Hand-picked fruit. 100% de-stemmed with as much whole berry as possible intact. 2 to 6 days pre-fermentation maceration. Indigenous yeast ferments, hand plunged throughout . 2-3 weeks’ total tank time. Complete malo-lactic fermentation in barrel. Nine months in French oak (20% new).