Description
Ata Rangi, meaning ‘dawn sky, new beginning’ is owned and managed by a family trio – Clive Paton, his wife Phyll and his sister Alison. In 1980 Clive planted the bare, stony, home paddock at the edge of Martinborough, becoming one of a handful of people who pioneered grape growing in the area. Ata Rangi’s first vineyard covered less than five hectares on deep, free-draining alluvial gravels – the original course of a local river which flows from the hills that flank the eastern side of the valley.
The Ata Rangi winemaking philosophy is a notoriously simple, hands-off, and traditional approach that focuses on finding the true expression of their land, or terroir.
They believe that wines from Martinborough have a real depth of palate with texture and length and focus on these qualities as each harvest approaches. They aim for balance in all their wines, championing winemaking practices such as whole bunch pressing and barrel ageing to ensure that vineyard expression remains the hero.
Te Wā, meaning ‘time and place’ in te reo Māori pays homage to the distinctive wine style delivered by the stony, alluvial gravels and the cool climate of the Martinborough Terrace.
The cool south prevailing wind during spring is brutal on developing bunches at flowering resulting in looser, lighter bunch weights providing lower yields. The deep gravels temper the vigour of the otherwise rampant Sauvignon Blanc vine, giving less overall canopy. This smaller canopy results in a slower, longer ripening, with a depth of flavour in the skins and a ripe crunchy seed.
Grapes for this wine are carefully hand-harvested from older low-yielding vines, adding both depth and complexity to nose and palate.
A deep concentrated style, with 40% whole bunch fermentation, skin contact gives an intense aromatic profile of nectarine, fennel flowers, melon and manuka honey.
Spicey notes of cardamon pod, fresh fennel, lemon curd and citrus blossom on the nose follow through to an intense, concentrated, and powerful palate.
The palate is rich and creamy, the result of 30% of the harvest having been fermented in old oak barrels.
Uniquely Martinborough in style, Te Wa has a real depth of palate, texture and length.