Every season leaves an imprint on the wine, and Crimson Pinot Noir 2014 is a very true reflection of the year's conditions. The spring of 2013 was unusually settled. Mercifully missing were the cold southerly winds often experienced in the Wairarapa, the benign weather delivering flowering conditions that normally reside in a winemaker's dreams. Overall, the growing season was mild with rain at regular intervals resulting in well-formed bunches and healthy canopies coming into the summer months. The 2014 Crimson reflects this more relaxed harvest with its enticing nose, a medley of bright red fruits, cranberry, rosehip, loganberry and a note of spicy red licorice. The palate is divinely silky with tannins that are velvety and long. Already this wine shows great balance and seductiveness, the hallmark of 2014. Ata Rangi founder Clive Paton is an avid conservationist, determined to help restore New Zealand's native forests to their former glory. His work led him to an association with Project Crimson, an established Charitable Conservation Trust focused on saving two spectacular red-flowering native trees - mountain-loving rata and the closely related, coastal pohutukawa, also known and loved as New Zealand's own "Christmas tree". Ata Rangi has now sponsored Project Crimson for over a decade. Sales of Crimson Pinot Noir help to spread the word of their work and Ata Rangi also donates cash for community planting projects. Clive has received a string of awards for his efforts, which include founding and chairing the Aorangi Restoration Trust covering over 40,000 hectares of the SE corner of New Zealand. He was appointed an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit in 2012 for his contribution to both conservation and viticulture in NZ and in 2014 was awarded the historic Gerald Loder Cup, this country's highest conservation honour.