‘Ata Rangi’ is a family owned winery in New Zealand, known for being small in size, but enormous is quality, style and reputation. Located in Martinborough, ‘Ata Rangi’ is run by Clive and Phyll Paton, alongside Clive’s sister Alison and the formidable force that is head Winemaker Helen Masters. In 1980 Clive read a scientific report that highlighted how the soil and climate in Martinborough was perfect for growing grapes in, from that he made the bold decision to sell his dairy cows to buy 5 hectares of a stony, barren sheep paddock, from that ‘Ata Rangi’ was born.

‘Ata Rangi’ in Maori means “dawn sky” or “new beginnings” which we believe to be an extremely apt summation of their ethos and Winemaking prowess. ‘Ata Rangi’ are committed to nurturing the land they work from so that is will be habitable for future generations, with a clear focus on organic winemaking, sustainability and a clear focus on leaving the land better than they found it. They want to achieve wines that are courageous, complex, and mouth filling experiences. Head winemaker Helen Masters - who won the ‘2019 New Zealand Winemaker of the year’ award - is in large part to thank for these standards of excellence.

‘Ata Rangi’ had an admirable reputation as one of the most respected and reputable Pinot Noir producers in the New World of winemaking. Their three flagship Pinot Noirs are the ‘Ata Rangi Pinot Noir’, the ‘McCrone Pinot Noir’, and the ‘Crimson’ Pinot Noir - a wine designed to drink early. Sales of this help support ‘Project Crimson’, a charitable trust dedicated to the conservation of New Zealand’s famous Pohutukawa tree. Other mentionable wines are Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot - Syrah - Cabernet Blend and the wine that inspired founder of Specialist Cellars Melanie Brown to start her Journey in wine - ‘The Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay’.  

For more information on Ata Rangi and their wines, you can visit their website here.