2009 Ata Rangi Sauvignon Blanc Martinborough

The pristine 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, entirely sourced from Martinborough, has a well-defined, crisp, gooseberry and nettle-scented bouquet with just a hint of crushed stone. The palate is well balanced with touches of orange zest, crisp green apple and a touch of lime towards the dry, penetrating finish that invigorates the senses. Drink now-2012. Ata Rangi, along with Felton Road, was elected a ‘Kiwi Grand Cru’ during the Pinot Noir conference in Wellington in January 2010 and though that is not an ‘official’ classification, it is certainly deserved. Clive Paton continues to produce a finely crafted selection of Martinborough wines that are both animated and expressive. He told me that the benevolent 2008 growing season had a reasonable fruit set with a warm early season, quite a long summer and was fortunate to pick before and after the rain and as usual, Ata Rangi’s wines come highly recommended. Importer: Epic Wines, Santa Cruz, CA; tel. (800) 322-3742