Our Story

When a young Alex Sipka first arrived in New Zealand, the first place he went was Matakana Valley. He immediately became attached to the New Zealand countryside. He worked at Providence vineyard at Omaha alongside an old family friend Jim Vuletich, and soaked up the knowledge of wine and winemaking that Jim generously shared. “I fell in love with the wine industry and the region. It became a new passion in my life. Since then I’ve dreamed of having a vineyard here.”

“This is my dream come true. I hope Ascension will stay in our family for generations.”

For years Alex worked hard in the property investment and sound technology industries but he never lost sight of this dream. Each year he would return to Matakana to help with harvest and this kept the dream alive.

10 years ago Alex came across a beautiful woman that caught his eye. Not to be easily won over Susan, an avid ping pong player and very competitive woman challenged him to a game. The prize? a date with her. Needless to say Alex made sure he won. He brought Susan here to Ascension for their first date where she fell in love with the region and the building and that’s when Alex knew he had found the right one. They quickly started a life together and their son Luka followed not long after.

When Ascension came on the market it was like destiny was calling them. They quickly snapped the place up and made the place their second home. They began on renovations straight away. Though much of the hard work was already done, there was still room for upgrades. A new wall and a fresh coat of paint, as well as a full refurbishment of the restaurant and function center.

Much of the work is finished but there is still a bit to go including doubling the size of the winery, adding a underground cellar, expanding wine production to include everything from first press to bottling and planting an orchard. We also intend to plant more vines, including some Italian red varieties

Alex and his wife Susan see Ascension as a legacy for their son and future generations of their family. “I hope Ascension will stay in our family for generations. We hope our kids and their kids will grow up to become a part of the lifestyle here.”