Daring to be Different

Short video featuring founder Darryl Soljan on what makes Ascension different from the rest...

"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary."
- Cecil Beaton

Anyone can follow the crowd. It's safe and predictable but pretty darned boring! When knowledge, passion and enthusiasm are brimming over - frankly, following the crowd is not an option. And when excellence is a core value, being different is not really a choice. It comes from within and cannot be held back.

And so it is at Ascension. We make no bones about it - we love to be different! Because differences are to be celebrated and that's what Ascension is all about... the joy of celebration.

What makes Ascension wine different?

Green
We make our living from the land. Before it became trendy, we devised ways to return the favour and protect this fragile environment, simply because we believe it is the right thing to do.

Hard to find
We handcraft small quantities of distinctive, terroir-driven wines from both traditional and very unusual varieties. These are highly sought after and rarely found outside Matakana.

A special place

Our terroir is unique...

• The Bordeaux-like iron rich, friable Matakana clay contributes an earthiness to our wines and enriches the middle palate.
• Our steep north facing slope maximises both sun and drainage.
• Matakana Coast's maritime climate allows for deliciously long, slow ripening.

Dry-farmed
Although artificial irrigation is the norm in New Zealand, we choose to "dry-farm" instead. In most of the world's great vineyard regions, it's illegal to artificially irrigate! Dry-farming can be challenging, but it means our wine truly reflects the terroir and celebrates the diversity of each vintage the way nature intended.

Passion
We have no corporate boardroom. Our decisions are driven solely by a passion to grow the very best grapes, and make the very finest wines.

Tradition
We are 5th generation wine makers moderated by a cheeky streak of youthful energy. Our wine is hand-crafted by people who care, not mass produced by machines and chemists in a factory.

The result of this extraordinary dedication?
When you taste our wine, it's like we've squeezed the vineyard and a year's worth of weather into your glass!