New Zealand Pinot Noir: Martinborough, Marlborough, and Central Otago
Rachael Ryan, K&L Southern Hemisphere Buyer
Pinot Noir is one of the world’s most beloved grapes, and in recent decades demand has continued to skyrocket. I’ve been lucky enough to taste many of the most collectible—and often most expensive—Pinot Noirs available, and I would argue that those from New Zealand not only compete with the best in the world but also offer a compelling expression that is entirely unique.
If I had to make a generalization, I would say that the common thread that ties together Pinot Noir from New Zealand is purity—there’s an almost crystalline transparency to the fruit. That’s not to say that the wines are overly cloying, but rather there’s a brightness and openness to the fruit thanks to the clean, fresh air blowing straight from the ocean through the vineyards. The cool climate of New Zealand contributes elevated acidity and moderate alcohol, which keeps the mouthfeel lively. Tasting these wines blind, they show up as unabashedly New World, with subtle minerality underlying the core of youthful, bright red fruit, but there’s also a marked sense of restraint and a tension on the palate that calls to mind Burgundy. Less opulent than other New World Pinot Noirs, they balance exuberance with quiet sophistication.
Score Key: SK Sam Kim, BC Bob Campbell MW, JS James Suckling, RP Wine Advocate, DC Decanter, VN Vinous, JM Jasper Morris MW.
Helen Masters, winemaker at Ata Rangi in Martinborough, New Zealand Masters, winemaker at Ata Rangi.
Martinborough: Ata Rangi
Our newest container of wines from New Zealand recently landed, and though it was filled with some of the best examples of Pinot Noir in the country, I’m perhaps most excited to have Ata Rangi back on the shelves. A true pioneer, Ata Rangi is famous in New Zealand yet still somewhat under the radar elsewhere. Founded in 1980 on five hectares of stony sheep pasture on the edge of Martinborough, on the North Island, the estate was among the very first to recognize the region's potential. Today, the estate is still family-owned, with winemaker Helen Masters at the helm. Ata Rangi farms a collection of vineyards, allowing its wines to explore the differences between Martinborough's gravel and clay soils. The 2022 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough $69.99 98SK 96BC 96DC 94JS 94RP brings together the best fruit from these sites and older estate vines, featuring almost brooding black cherry notes, while the 2024 Ata Rangi "Crimson" Pinot Noir Martinborough $29.99 94JS 94SK 92BC 92JM offers a more youthful, approachable expression of the Ata Rangi house style. The three single-vineyard wines—2019 Ata Rangi "McCrone" Pinot Noir Martinborough $79.99 97JS 94RP 94VN, 2021 Ata Rangi "Kotinga" Pinot Noir Martinborough $79.99 97JS 95RP, and 2021 Ata Rangi "Masters" Pinot Noir Martinborough $79.99 96RP 94JS—take the story further, showing just how dramatically site can shape Martinborough Pinot Noir: McCrone's clay-influenced soils produce a darker, more powerful wine; Kotinga's free-draining alluvial gravels emphasize minerality and energy; and the later-ripening Masters Vineyard brings depth and texture from its mixture of clay and gravel.
Marlborough: Fromm
Moving south to Marlborough on the South Island, a region much more well-known for Sauvignon Blanc, the wines of Fromm are a must-try for those seeking a brighter and lighter-bodied expression of the variety. Marlborough Pinot Noir is traditionally celebrated for its vibrant fruit, energetic acidity, and bright red berry profile. However, Fromm’s style leans slightly more structural, favoring fine, chalky tannins that prioritize restraint over sheer weight. The 2023 Fromm Pinot Noir Marlborough $24.99 94SK 93JS is sourced from the home estate's gravelly soils, delivering intense red plum, dark cherry, and wild herb notes. It is taut, energetic, and anchored by a distinct stony minerality, while the 2022 Fromm "Clayvin Vineyard" Pinot Noir Marlborough $49.99 97JS hails from Marlborough’s famed hillside site, offering concentrated wild bramble and forest floor complexity. Lastly the 2022 Fromm "The Curation" Pinot Noir Marlborough $37.99 96JS is Fromm’s flagship blend of top single-vineyard parcels, balancing graphite minerality with effortless elegance.
Central Otago: Matt Connell and Valli
Lastly, no conversation about New Zealand Pinot Noir would be complete without mentioning Central Otago, which is not only New Zealand’s most southerly region, but one of the most marginal in the world. Cold winters mean that frost is a danger every spring, and the southerly latitude means big day-to-night temperature swings during the growing season, but very long sunlight hours allow the grapes to achieve full ripeness. The wines here are a contrast: intensely concentrated, but with exceptionally fresh, racy acidity. The 2024 Matt Connell "Rendition" Pinot Noir Central Otago $29.99 95SK is a great example of this, at first approach bright and light-footed on the palate, but with a savory note that builds on the finish, offering surprising length and complexity.
Gibbston vs Bannockburn vs Bendigo
Likewise, the wines of Valli share an incredible sense of restraint and structure, but through the lens of three distinct sub-regions. The 2023 Valli "Gibbston" Pinot Noir Central Otago $49.99 96JM 96RP 95DC 95VN 94JS is from the cooler, higher-altitude western end of Central Otago and is the most floral, perfumed, and dark-fruited expression. In contrast, the 2023 Valli "Bannockburn" Pinot Noir Central Otago $49.99 97SK 95JM 94RP is sourced from warmer schist terraces and showcases a plushly red-fruited, mid-weight style, blending cherry and baking spice with a rich, supple texture. The 2023 Valli "Bendigo" Pinot Noir Central Otago $49.99 97SK 95JS 95RP has the broadest shoulders of the trio, as it comes from the warmest sub-region with north-facing slopes. Muscular and concentrated, it delivers brooding black fruit and firm, grippy tannins built for serious aging.