Our Wines

Winner - "Best Winery Experience" Manaakitanga Awards 2009

Ascension wines
All wines are subject to vintage availability.

Ascension's "home vineyard" is situated on a single steep, north-facing hillside at Matakana, just 39 minutes from the centre of Auckland. This vineyard is planted with a mix of traditional and very unusual grape varieties that are hand-tended to produce small intensely flavoured crops. Each parcel of fruit is hand picked to express Ascension's unique combination of sunny maritime climate and soils of free draining, iron-rich Matakana clay. From time to time we also search out exciting grapes from other premium regions. Using traditional winemaking techniques, these grapes are lovingly crafted into small batches of very individual wines that enhance food and develop with time.

Red, Rose and Fortified Wines...

Ascension *Epiphany* Matakana Pressings - Merlot dominant red blend
Ascension "Epiphany" Matakana Pressings
Our "secret" Merlot dominant red blend made only in outstanding vintages ('02 and '05 so far) and in miniscule quantities from the best parcels of grapes. Aged in the finest new French oak barriques for 18 months.

  • Structure - dry, firm, full bodied.
  • Flavours - plums, fruitcake, leather, vanilla.

First ever release - too new to photograph!

Ascension "The Bandit" Matakana Syrah / Viognier
Ascension is the first winery in Matakana to release this classic & stylish Rhone Valley blend of Syrah (95%) and Viognier (5%).
Super-ripe hand-picked Syrah grapes were traditionally fermented with regular hand plunging, before the addition of Viognier from some of the oldest plantings in NZ.

  • Structure - dry, creamy, full-bodied.
  • Flavours - Black Doris plum, cracked pepper, spice vanilla.

Ascension *The Twelve Apostles* Matakana Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon
Ascension "The Twelve Apostles" Matakana Merlot Malbec
Our most popular red wine is crafted from twelve special rows of vines we call "The Twelve Apostles". This is an earlier drinking version of its big brother "The Benediction", handcrafted using the same traditional techniques of hand plunging in open-top fermenters and aged in barriques.

  • Structure - dry, moderately firm, medium bodied.
  • Flavours - black cherry, plum, tobacco, toasty oak.

Ascension *The Benediction* Reserve Matakana Merlot Cabernet Malbec
Ascension "The Benediction" Reserve Matakana Cabernet Franc
Our classically styled blend of Bordeaux varieties is fermented and plunged by hand and aged in a high proportion of new French and merican oak barriques for 12 months.

  • Structure - dry, firm, full bodied.
  • Flavours - blackcurrant, coffee, mint, cedar.

Ascension *The Bell Ringer* Matakana Pinotage
Ascension "The Bell Ringer" Matakana Pinotage
We are the pioneers of Pinotage in Matakana. Closely related to Pinot Noir, this variety is also known as the "great grape of South Africa". We have proven that when planted on the right site and grape yields are kept low, the normally "rustic" Pinotage can produce vibrant, intense and elegant wines.

  • Structure - dry, soft, medium to full bodied.
  • Flavours - plum, cracked pepper, cured meat, wood smoke.


Ascension *The Steep Bit* Matakana Malbec
Ascension "The Steep Bit" Matakana Malbec
Ascension was the first winery in Matakana and one of the first in New Zealand to make a wine from 100% Malbec. Perfectly suited to clay soils, Malbec is an important variety in Bordeaux and Argentina, however it crops very erratically and can be very frustrating to grow!

  • Structure - dry, soft, medium bodied.
  • Flavours - violets, raspberry, earth, spice, coconut.

Ascension *The Rosarian* Matakana Rosé
Ascension "The Rosarian" Matakana Rose
Every row of vines at Ascension is planted with a rose, a tradition dating back many hundreds of years. "The Rosarian" is named in honour of those that care for them.

  • Structure - off-dry, soft, medium bodied.
  • Flavours - crushed strawberries, raspberries.

Ascension *Fortitude* Old Tawny
Ascension "Fortitude" Old Tawny
Made using the same traditional techniques as those in Portugal's Douro Valley, the home of "Port".

  • Structure - sweet, rich and soft.
  • Flavours - raisins, vanilla, nuts, chocolate.

White and Sparkling Wines...

Ascension *The Ascent* Reserve Matakana Chardonnay
Ascension "The Ascent" Reserve Matakana Chardonnay
Our "Flagship" Chardonnay is regularly one of the most acclaimed Chardonnays from Waiheke northward. It is made from our tiniest and most concentrated grapes and then crafted into wine using a range of very traditional Burgundian wine making techniques that include whole bunch pressing, barrel fermentation in the finest French oak, full malolactic fermentation and ageing "sure lie" (on its yeast lees) with weekly "battonage" (stirring of the lees).

  • Structure - dry, crisp, full bodied.
  • Flavours - peaches, grapefruit, hazelnut, toasty oak.

Ascension *The Rogue* Matakana Flora
Ascension "The Rogue" Matakana Flora
Recent DNA testing in California revealed that the vines we originally planted as a special clone of "Pinot Gris" are in fact an exceptionally rare variety called "Flora". The "mother" vines turned out to be "rogue" vines, creating "The Rogue" Flora, a new grape variety for Matakana and very similar to Pinot Gris.

  • Structure - off-dry, soft, medium bodied.
  • Flavours - pear drops, lychees, cinnamon, guava.

Ascension *The Apogee* Matakana Viognier
Ascension "The Apogee" Matakana Viognier
Viognier is one of the world's most rare and exotic grape varieties. Notoriously difficult to grow, we were one of the first vineyards in New Zealand to plant Viognier and remain the only winery in Matakana dedicated to this grape which is perfectly suited to our hillside vineyard.

  • Structure - off-dry, soft, light bodied.
  • Flavours - honeysuckle, apricot, spice, white peaches.

Ascension *The Druid* Matakana & East Coast Chardonnay
Ascension "The Druid" Matakana & East Coast Chardonnay
Intense tropical fruitiness is the hallmark of this delicious wine, produced from some of the ripest Chardonnay grapes we have ever harvested and fermented in high quality French and American oak.

  • Structure - dry, soft, full bodied.
  • Flavours - golden queen peaches, toffee, coconut, butterscotch.

Ascension *The Passion* Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Ascension "The Passion" Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
"The Passion" acknowledges the intense passionfruit aromas typical of this fully ripened, single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit was so named by Spanish missionaries when they first arrived in South America - they thought the flowers portrayed "Christ's passion on the cross".

  • Structure - dry, crisp, medium bodied.
  • Flavours - passionfruit, straw, gooseberry, red pepper.

Ascension *Flamenco* Matakana Sparkling Rosé
Ascension "Flamenco" Matakana Sparkling Rose
Abounding with the sparkling effervescence of celebration, "Flamenco" is one of very few sparkling rosés in New Zealand, and is made to celebrate fun, friends & life. Ole!

  • Structure - medium, crisp, light bodied.
  • Flavours - strawberry, cherry, raspberry.

Ascension Methode Traditionnelle NV - Limited Release
Ascension Methode Traditionnelle NV - Limited Release
Made using the time-honoured and labour intensive "Champagne" method, this full flavoured and elegant wine is crafted from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines grown at a very special vineyard in Marlborough.

  • Structure - dry, crisp, medium to full bodied.
  • Flavours - freshly baked bread, apple, lemon, macadamia nut.

Ascension "The Lost Vines" Late Harvest
A vinous "freak" made from grapes that were discovered hanging on the vine, forgotten, long after vintage. A very special and decadent nectar!

  • Structure - very sweet, soft, full bodied.
  • Flavours - apricot, honey, cinnamon, toffee.