Dense, complex pinot noir in a typical Ata Rangi style, with a nice mix of fruit and savoury characters. Dark-fleshed plum, black cherry with a suggestion of floral, mixed spice and sweet herbs. Spectacular wine with plenty of power and an incredibly lengthy finish. More accessible than the previous vintage was at this stage but showing great cellaring potential. The best Ata Rangi pinot noir I’ve tasted.

As ever this has an extra dimension and remains the high watermark for New Zealand pinot noir to be measured against. How do they do it: complete and uncompromised dedication to the cause, combined with an early play to make the most of the available land in a young region, as well as the ability to attract talented and dedicated people such as winemaker Helen Masters to the cause. Already entrancingly complex, the wine has a brambly array of cherry and summer berry fruits in addition to blueberries, some spicy saffron and earthy nuances. It's totally composed and still able to deliver a sense of aromatic purity amid web-like complexity. As you swoon into the first mouthful, it takes total control and is plush and layered with an air of playful luxury. The center billows soft and deceptively airy, finishing in a run of succulent, fresh and satisfying tannins that leave you breathless. Drink now to 2025+.

Medium ruby colored, the 2014 Pinot Noir gives plenty of earthy, red berry-laced characters on the nose with notes of red currants, raspberry leaves and cranberries as well as nuances of lavender, wild thyme, mossy tree bark and forest floor, plus a waft of fungi. The light to medium-bodied palate provides great intensity with red berry and earth layers supported by finely grained tannins and finishes long with some mineral hints. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown