My Account
Open for tasting A – Ascension Wine Estate, B – Brick Bay Wines, C – Heron’s Flight, D – Hyperion Wines, E – Matakana Estate, F – Matavino Wines, G – Omaha Bay Vineyard, H – Runner Duck Estate, I – Sculptureum & Rothko, J – The Vintry. Open by appointment K – Gillman Vineyard, L – Takatu Vineyard. Other vineyards M – Yakutin Family Wines, N – Coxhead Creek Vineyard, O – Monarch Estate Vineyard, P – Nola Family Vineyard, Q – Rift Wines, R – Saltings Estate Vineyard, S – Te Rata Wines, T – The Gabion
The first vineyards in Matakana were planted in the 1970s and 80s, and now this small but eclectic wine region boasts more than 20 producers and nearly 30 grape varieties. Here, Matakana Winegrowers president Hegman Foster gives a current overview of who’s making what and where you can find locally made wines.
The wines of Matakana are constantly evolving and we now have 21 producers and one of the most diverse mixes of grape varieties in New Zealand, with 28 different French, Italian, Spanish and even Austrian varieties. While white wines like Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Albarinõ show consistent excellence, our climate is also warm enough to ripen a wide range of red wine varieties, from French classics Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon to silky Italian varieties, such as Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Barbera and Montepulciano. The Matakana climate is also ideal for making that perennial summer favourite, crisp, dry rosé wines.
Locals and visitors may have noticed a few changes to existing winegrowers in recent years – Ransom and Mahurangi River have closed their doors and are not producing wine at the moment, for example – but far more newcomers have sprung up in their place, many of whom welcome visitors to their cellar doors and vineyards.
We currently have 10 wineries and venues that regularly open their doors for wine tasting, including several that have restaurants or serve food, including newcomer Sculptureum & Rothko restaurant at Omaha Flats, and Matakana Estate, which is open again after being closed to the public for a few years. The others are Ascension Wine Estate, Brick Bay Wines, Heron’s Flight, Hyperion Wines, Matavino Wines, Omaha Bay Vineyard, Runner Duck Estate and The Vintry wine bar in Matakana Village, which is a showcase venue for all our local wines, even the 10 local producers who don’t have a cellar door.
Two other growers welcome visits by appointment, Gillman Vineyard and Takatu Vineyard – give either of these a ring, as they’re probably just out in the vineyard.
Other new winegrowers who have recently started making wines locally include New Zealand’s first Kazakhstani winemakers, Yakutin Family Wines; Rift Wines, a hillside vineyard between Tongue Farm Road and Takatu; Nola Family Vineyard at Upper Whangateau Road; the natural, organic Te Rata Wines of Takatu Road; Omaha Hills vineyard up on the cliffs at the southern end of Omaha Beach; and the distinctively named October 30, an organic vineyard in Anderson Road inspired by the star sign, Scorpio.
All the vineyards in Matakana are family owned and when you visit a cellar door, you’re likely to meet the winegrowers themselves and discover their passion for wine and community. Matakana wines are truly boutique and reflect with distinction their sense of place, climate and community. It is the people behind those delicious wines, the people who handpick the grapes, that will make your visit a special one.
Full details of all our wine producers are easy to find using the latest Matakana Wine Trail map, which can be picked up at local visitor centres, or viewed on our website at matakanawine.co.nz, or on the new Matakana App, which can be downloaded for Android or IOS.
I would urge you to encourage visitors to the region to contact a local tour operator to enjoy the Matakana Wine Trail without having to drive, or use the Wine Trail Map yourself and take some time to experience being a tourist in your own area. We appreciate the local support. Cheers!
