Ata Rangi & Hoddles Creek

“…the long-serving, dedicated team behind Ata Rangi just go from strength to strength. Their Pinots have always been great and yet, even in a world where the Pinot benchmark gets higher every year, Ata Rangi is better than ever.” Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

 

“This stunning estate makes the most revered Pinot Noir in New Zealand.” Matthew Jukes

 

One of the pioneers of the region, Clive Paton was one of the first to plant grapes on the Martinborough Terrace in 1980 and the winery has since gone on to become a legend of the New Zealand wine industry. Home of the Gumboot clone of Pinot Noir, a cutting from the vineyards of Domaine de la Romanée Conti allegedly smuggled back into the country by an enterprising Kiwi in a pair of gumboots. In 2010 Ata Rangi was honored with the Tipuranga Teitei o Aotearoa award, New Zealand's equivalent of Grand Cru status and wine-maker Helen Masters consistently produces some of the countries finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

 

"This wine, as we all know at The Winefront, is a modern legend. One day, one fine day, far in the future, this label should win a medal for Services to Australian Pinot Noir.” Campbell Mattinson (Winefront)

 

Located in the heart of the Upper Yarra Valley, Hoddles Creek is one of Australia's most awarded wineries. It was established in 1997 when the D'Anna family decided to establish a vineyard on the property that has been in the family since 1960. The vineyard sits astride Gembrook road and adjacent Hoddles Creek. Its steeply sloping blocks prohibit mechanical harvesting, with both vineyards being hand pruned and harvested. Their wines, which are single vineyard, estate grown, are made in their 300 tonne winery, constructed for the 2003 vintage. The split-level winery has a barrel store located three meters underground. Hoddles Creek Estate is planted with 10ha of pinot noir (five clones), 6 ha of chardonnay, 1ha each of sauvignon blanc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, and 1.5ha of pinot gris.