Ata Rangi

2024 Ata Rangi Pōtiki Chardonnay | 97 Points James Suckling | Martinborough

Name: 2024 Ata Rangi Pōtiki Chardonnay | 97 Points James Suckling | Martinborough
Brand: Ata Rangi
Price: 55.00 AUD
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🏆 97 Points | A Remarkable Martinborough Chardonnay from One of New Zealand's Greatest Wineries!

97 Points – JamesSuckling.com | 94+ Points – Halliday Wine Companion

From the Legendary Ata Rangi Estate – A Chardonnay with Extraordinary Flinty Minerality and Precision!

2024 Ata Rangi Pōtiki Chardonnay

Martinborough, New Zealand

RRP $55

What happens when one of New Zealand's most celebrated wineries takes extraordinary Chardonnay fruit from the famous Martinborough Terrace and creates a wine that receives an incredible 97 points from James Suckling?

You get one hell of a Chardonnay!

And this is a seriously exciting discovery.

Most wine lovers know Ata Rangi for its extraordinary Pinot Noir.

And rightly so.

Its flagship Pinot Noir has been recognised as one of New Zealand's greatest wines for decades.

But here's something I think more people should know.

Ata Rangi also makes absolutely magnificent Chardonnay!

And the 2024 Pōtiki is a perfect example.

97 POINTS – JAMES SUCKLING!

94+ POINTS – HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION!

A wine of beautiful citrus purity, white nectarine, struck-flint complexity, chalky mineral tension and extraordinary natural acidity.

And all from a producer with one of the most remarkable histories in New Zealand wine.

At an RRP of just $55, this is seriously compelling Chardonnay!

Ata Rangi – One of New Zealand's Most Important Wineries

The story begins in 1980.

A young Clive Paton purchased a small, stony sheep paddock on the edge of Martinborough.

At the time, Martinborough was hardly recognised as one of the world's great Pinot Noir regions.

But Clive had read a scientific report suggesting that the district possessed climatic similarities to Burgundy.

He believed the area had extraordinary potential.

So he planted vines.

It was a remarkably bold decision.

Today, Ata Rangi is recognised internationally as one of New Zealand's greatest wineries.

Its Pinot Noir has helped establish Martinborough as one of the world's most exciting cool-climate wine regions.

But what I particularly love is that Ata Rangi has never been content to make just one great wine.

Its Chardonnays are increasingly attracting extraordinary attention.

And the 2024 Pōtiki is a magnificent example.

Here's Something Most People Don't Know – Ata Rangi Was Awarded New Zealand's First Grand Cru Recognition

In 2010, Ata Rangi received the inaugural Tipuranga Teitei o Aotearoa, often described as a Grand Cru of New Zealand.

This recognition celebrated the winery's extraordinary contribution to New Zealand wine.

Think about that.

A small vineyard established on an old sheep paddock in 1980 became one of the country's most celebrated wine estates.

And now its Chardonnay is receiving scores that place it among the finest examples of the variety.

That's an extraordinary wine story.

What Does Pōtiki Mean?

Here's another fascinating detail.

Pōtiki is a Māori word meaning the youngest or last-born child.

And it's a beautifully appropriate name.

While Ata Rangi's Craighall and Masters Chardonnays occupy a more established position within the winery's premium range, Pōtiki represents a vibrant expression of Chardonnay drawn from a selection of newer plantings and more established vineyard blocks.

It's a wine designed to capture the purity, freshness and distinctive character of Martinborough Chardonnay.

But don't mistake that approachability for simplicity.

This is a seriously sophisticated wine.

And the 97-point score proves just how extraordinary it can be.

The Martinborough Terrace – One of New Zealand's Great Vineyard Landscapes

The Martinborough Terrace is one of the most fascinating vineyard environments in New Zealand.

Its ancient alluvial gravels were deposited by river systems over thousands of years.

These free-draining soils are particularly well suited to premium winegrowing.

The region also benefits from a distinctive cool climate.

Warm, dry periods during the growing season allow fruit to develop flavour concentration.

Cool nights help preserve natural acidity.

And the long growing season encourages beautiful aromatic development.

For Chardonnay, that's a magnificent combination.

You can achieve wonderful fruit depth without losing freshness.

And the finest wines display an extraordinary balance between concentration, texture and mineral precision.

The 2024 Ata Rangi Pōtiki Chardonnay captures that balance beautifully.

Three Vineyards – Three Chardonnay Clones

Here's something particularly interesting about the 2024 wine.

The fruit came from three Martinborough vineyard sources:

Walnut Ridge.

Cambrae.

Craighall.

And the Chardonnay includes three different clonal selections:

Mendoza.

Clone 95.

Clone 548.

Each selection can contribute different characteristics depending on its vineyard and growing conditions.

Mendoza Chardonnay is particularly interesting because of its association with small berries, flavour concentration and fine natural acidity.

Clones 95 and 548 offer additional opportunities to develop balance, texture and aromatic complexity.

And bringing these parcels together allows Ata Rangi to create a Chardonnay with wonderful depth and precision.

The 2024 Vintage – An Extraordinary Year in Martinborough

Ata Rangi describes 2024 as an exceptional vintage.

And the quality of this Chardonnay certainly supports that assessment.

The fruit was harvested between 4 and 27 March 2024.

That extended picking period allowed the team to select different parcels as they reached the desired balance of ripeness and acidity.

The finished wine has beautiful concentration.

But it also retains extraordinary freshness.

And that's what makes it so exciting.

This is not a heavy, overly rich Chardonnay.

It's a wine with wonderful fruit depth and an almost electric line of acidity.

Winemaking – Beautifully Precise and Thoughtfully Restrained

The winemaking details are fascinating.

Hand-picked fruit.

Whole-bunch pressing.

Wild yeast fermentation.

300-litre Burgundian French oak puncheons.

Only 20% new oak.

Partial malolactic fermentation.

11 months maturation on lees.

That's a wonderfully considered approach.

The wild fermentation contributes complexity.

The large-format French oak provides texture and subtle spice without overwhelming the fruit.

Partial malolactic fermentation adds softness while preserving natural acidity.

And extended lees maturation develops mouthfeel and savoury complexity.

But here's the most important part.

The wine still tastes beautifully fresh and vibrant.

The fruit is the star.

The oak is supporting the performance.

And the acidity brings everything together.

Tasting Notes – Nectarine, Bergamot, Flint and Extraordinary Mineral Precision

The 2024 Pōtiki Chardonnay is a beautifully expressive wine.

The aromatics reveal:

Yellow nectarine
Fresh grapefruit
Crisp apple
Bergamot
Delicate white flowers
Subtle sesame and savoury spice
Fine struck-flint character
Crushed stone and mineral notes

The palate is absolutely gorgeous.

There's lovely nectarine and citrus concentration.

Fresh apple brings additional brightness.

And then comes a fascinating savoury dimension.

Hints of baked apple.

Sesame.

Subtle pastry complexity.

And a delicate lanolin character.

But what really makes the wine stand out is its structure.

Fine chalky texture.

Beautifully integrated acidity.

Wonderful saline freshness.

And extraordinary length.

The finish is clean, persistent and mouth-watering.

This is a Chardonnay that combines serious complexity with wonderful drinkability.

Nectarine. Grapefruit. Bergamot. Apple. Flint. Crushed stone. Saline minerality. Extraordinary precision.

Helen Masters – One of New Zealand's Great Winemakers

Another reason Ata Rangi's wines are so exciting is the talent behind them.

Helen Masters has been central to Ata Rangi's modern winemaking story.

Her ability to balance fruit purity, texture, savoury complexity and natural acidity has helped maintain the estate's international reputation.

And while Ata Rangi is most famous for Pinot Noir, her work with Chardonnay is particularly compelling.

The best wines have wonderful precision.

Subtle oak.

Beautiful mineral structure.

And remarkable longevity.

The 2024 Pōtiki is a magnificent example of that philosophy.

For Lovers of Great White Burgundy

If you love Chardonnay with beautiful mineral precision, restrained oak and vibrant acidity, this wine deserves your attention.

Think about the qualities that make great white Burgundy so compelling.

Fresh citrus.

White stone fruit.

Fine texture.

Savoury complexity.

Mineral tension.

And extraordinary length.

The 2024 Pōtiki delivers many of those qualities.

But it does so with its own distinctive Martinborough personality.

It's not trying to imitate Burgundy.

It's expressing the Martinborough Terrace.

And that's what makes it so exciting.

Cellaring Potential

This is a wonderfully fresh, beautifully structured Chardonnay.

I'd happily open a bottle now.

But there's excellent potential for further development.

Cameron Douglas MS suggests a drinking window extending from 2027 to 2033 and beyond.

With time, the youthful citrus and nectarine characters should develop greater nutty and savoury complexity.

And the fine acidity should continue to provide freshness and definition.

Suggested drinking window: 2026–2033+.

Food Pairings

This is a magnificent food wine.

I'd recommend:

Freshly shucked oysters
King George whiting
Grilled scallops
Southern rock lobster
Roast chicken with lemon and thyme
Snapper with beurre blanc
Mushroom risotto
Comté or Gruyère

Personally, I'd love this with grilled scallops, brown butter and a squeeze of lemon.

The combination of citrus freshness, fine texture and saline minerality would be absolutely sensational.

Why We Love It at Liquid Vibe

Because this is exactly what makes discovering extraordinary Chardonnay so exciting.

One of New Zealand's most celebrated wineries.

A remarkable Martinborough vineyard history.

Three exceptional vineyard sources.

Thoughtfully selected Chardonnay clones.

Beautifully restrained winemaking.

Extraordinary flinty mineral character.

And an incredible 97-point score.

Look at what you're getting.

2024 Ata Rangi Pōtiki Chardonnay

Martinborough, New Zealand

Winemaker – Helen Masters

Walnut Ridge, Cambrae and Craighall Vineyard Fruit

Mendoza, Clone 95 and Clone 548 Chardonnay

Hand-Picked and Whole-Bunch Pressed

Wild Yeast Fermentation

20% New French Oak

11 Months on Lees

97 Points – JamesSuckling.com

RRP $55

This is serious Chardonnay.

Beautifully refined.

Wonderfully textured.

Full of citrus purity and flinty mineral complexity.

And offering extraordinary quality for the money.