Ata Rangi

ATA RANGI "new beginning" or "dawn sky" was a barren 5-hectare paddock when Clive Paton bought it in 1980. He was one of a handful of winemaking pioneers in Martinborough, then a forgotten rural settlement, who were attracted to the area by three key features - the localised, free-draining shingle terrace some 20 metres deep, the lowest rainfall records of anywhere in the North Island, and the proximity to the capital city of Wellington, just an hour away. Ata Rangi and the family team have gradually grown since the early days when the first wines were made and sold from the old shed behind the house. Almost 10,000 cases are produced from the 30 hectares of vineyards supplying fruit to the winery. Almost half is now exported, mainly to Australia, the EU, USA and Japan. The winery shop welcomes visitors over the summer months.