Review Ascension Winery - Matakana

Always love coming here. I walk in and am immersed in a whole new world. The decor, lighting and music at to the cozy atmosphere. The views are amazing even in wet weather and the fireplaces are inviting when there is a chill. There is a playpen I can lose my kids too as well while I drink my wine.

Beautiful place for wine tasting. Staffs were very nice. Very Spacious specially for parties and marriage function.

I'm a wedding planner, and recently had the opportunity to work with Ascension Wine Estate on my clients wedding. Marina, Axel, Robert and the entire team were fantastic, and nothing was a problem. The day ran really well, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them for any function. True professionals! A fabulous spot set in a beautiful spot.

Absoulety loved my experience here. The views were spectacular. Tasty wines and delicious food. The staff were very friendly. Great place for catchup with friends or family.

I would like to say thank you to all staff and especially Marina. You have provided the great customer service. You are professional, helpful, understanding, kind and great team to work with. Marina always tried to meet our expectations and even more she always positively and nicely surprised us by doing her best to please us as their customers. The place is amazing. The food was great too. I am happy I have chosen this place as our wedding venue. I highly recommend everyone to go with this wine yard to celebrate your big day. Thank you very much for everything. I miss you all already, you were very helpful through out the preparation and organisational part of the wedding. Thank you for Raki, it was just in time, right before going to the ceremony. Once again, highly recommend, great team to work with! Best regards and wishes to all of you, Velya and Jakub

Service was astounding... the wine is delicious. Food was average but love the atmosphere and setting.

Beautiful venue for weddings etc, food and service was top notch 👍

I loved photographing at this venue, such lovely staff and a beautiful space for a wedding reception! the ceremony in the vines was stunning as well.

I attended the Bridal&Bliss Event at Ascensions Winery as a vendor in May. I was blown away by the professionalism and kindness of the team at Ascensions - they were always willing to help and lend and a hand. The venue was absolutely stunning and we had the most perfect weather! The venue is so unique and has so many different possibilities when it comes to planning a wedding or event! Would highly recommended to anyone looking to wow their guests in a beautiful setting.

We have just celebrated our wedding here on Thursday (13.12.18) and we couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. The venue was absolutely stunning!!! We had so many people comment on what a gorgeous venue Ascension is. We couldn’t of been any happier!! The gardens are so amazing with all the beautiful jasmine growing and the vines climbing up the walls. A spectacular venue to get married in and it made for the most beautiful wedding photos. The service and organisation on the night/day of our wedding was second to none. The food and drinks were all superb!! Everyone was talking about how delicious the food was! (Especially that lamb belly - to die for!) Service was amazing from the bar staff to the chefs to the waiters and everyone who had a hand in helping to make sure our day went off without a hitch. We have to especially say a huge thank you to Marina - the most amazing wedding coordinator who organised our amazing day and night. She is so friendly, super helpful and organised, hardworking and went above and beyond! MARINA & THE ASCENSION - THANK YOU SO MUCH. We loved every minute of our day - couldn’t have asked for anything better or more beautiful. Hoana & Fras x

We recently had our fusion (Indian/European) wedding at Ascension with 190 guests. Marina, Axel, Robert and the entire Ascension team were just brilliant. They were accommodating, always keen to help and nothing was a problem. They worked tirelessly to make sure everything was perfect and the day went off without a hitch. Such a pleasure getting to know and work with each of them. I’d highly recommend having your wedding or next event at Ascension!

We took an international conference group of 20 people for refreshments. Booked for 4.00pm and our table was ready on arrival. One long table on a shaded courtyard patio, beautifully set. Enjoyed delicious platters for an hour and sampled four local wines. A warm and welcoming experience.

Oh my God! Such a great experience. I have already rate this restaurant in TripAdvisor. We came back just for our wedding anniversary and it was stunning. Food was unbelievable , always fresh and tasty which is super hard to find in nz. Staff is also very attentive and helpful. Thanks for the flowers on the table that was the cherry on top of the cake.

We had lunch today at Ascension. We enjoyed the delicious cheeseballs. But we were very disappointed with the marinated olives and feta cheese. The green olives were hard. Not very enjoyable at all. We told the waitress but she didn't seem overly concerned. We told the maitre de who agreed with us that the olives were hard. He said that they were locally grown olives. Don't order the olives and feta cheese as you will be wasting your money. We also had pizza which was delicious. We ordered the Countryman red wine which was very nice. Overall-very enjoyable afternoon.

Awesome food and great service, depth of flavours was amazing. It had to be one of the best Pork Belly I have tried in a long time..highly recommended, The ambiance was great and their wine pairing superb. The whole experience was worth the hours drive , we will visit again for sure.

Food was cold. All three meals. Staff didnt seem interested. We didn't feel welcome. We went for lunch first and we were sent away even when the restrant wasn't busy lots of vacent tables and a couple that arrived after us was seated with out a booking and we were told we needed to book.

Best chicken salad I've EVER had!!! Was a huge plate and I ate it all. Amazing service as well. Definitely a place to visit whilst in New Zealand

We decided to try Ascension for lunch on our Wedding Anniversary. We both ordered the fettuccine which was disappointing. The dish was thin broth in the bottom with small amount of pasta and a rather gluggy salty sauce on top. The service was just average considering only three tables occupied. We won’t be back, such a shame given a great venue.<br/>It’s a pity the Menu is so “heavy” for daytime dining.

The setting is beautiful and there are plenty of areas for children to roam.  We enjoyed the antipasto plates and smoked salmon, the mains were a bit heavy for lunch and my pasta was a tad underseasoned.  We probably should have stayed with more of the starters.  The wine tasting at the table was fun, my favourite was the rose, but in general I don't find the wines as good as other regions.  All in all a nice afternoon spent amongst the vines

Pizzas were great! Honestly the best pizza I’ve had in a while. Had a glass of rosé which went down a treat. Beautiful grounds, extremely child friendly and warm service. Thank you!

The gardens are nice but horrible staffs and service. We waited for extremely long period of time and the food was disappointing. The pizza was extremely salty and the staffs refused to say anything about it. Wouldn’t recommend anyone to go for food. Such a beautiful site but disappointing management.

Simply exquisite!!! Loved the food and their wine. They vineyard and the view from the dining area is simply superb. Cannot wait to attend one of the concerts they host from time to time.

Came here with my family and a 2 year old. First thing that came to my mind was that this place is beautiful! Probably the prettiest winery ive been to so far in auckland. <br/>We just had few drinks and some pizza. Pizza was delicious but the wine was a bit disappointing, it tasted like a $8 wine u get from countdown which was a shame. <br/>The bit i liked the most was that they had lots of spacious areas for kids to play in including indoor and outdoor. <br/>I'd like to definitely come again and try out different foods and wine next time.<br/>

Such a beautiful winery. We went on Saturday and got a little lost so we were 20 mins late, the staff were so accomodating. We had a grabone voucher for a platter and 2 glasses of wine...best platter. We took our baby and the staff were amazing. Amazing service and food...perfection. Can't wait to go back.

Nice place here - I had the spaghetti with seafood and it was delish. The garlic bread was really fluffy and tasty also. Wine wasn't bad. The only feedback I have is that the place does get very noisy and appear chaotic.. (The accordion player was in full swing) Some might call it a "buzz" but for me on this occasion I called it a "racket" 😂

Came here on a beautiful sunny day, the place is stunning and would be perfect for weddings. Outdoor setting is great for children to walk around and the restaurant had a little corner for kids to play as well. Service was average. My pork belly was very tender and the market fish was cooked just right. My favourite was the strawberry degustation, with different strawberry desserts in one plate.

We had been meaning to try this restaurant for a while, since moving to Matakana late last year. When looking at the menu online the prices seemed reasonable, sadly however when you get to the restaurant the prices are higher and due to being a public holiday we were also stung with a 15% surcharge, so not a very good start. 5 of the 6 people round our table ordered pizzas which were good if not spectacular. However the one pasta dish ordered was the worst Ive ever seen served at a restaurant. The pasta was hand made but so poorly it was hard and over cooked. It was then served swimming in a sea of horrible tasting oil. The filling too was flavourless. Quite astounding when clearly they specialise in pastas and pizzas, neither which were authentic to their origins in Italy much like the decor. The staff were pleasant and accommodating but that could not make up for the pasta dish, which thankfully was taken off our bill which was much appreciated considering it was inedible.

My husband and I have dined at Ascension a number of times, so when we were deciding where to dine for our wedding anniversary, we could see no place more fitting than Ascension.<br/><br/>Ascension offers a fine wine and cuisine experience that delights on both the plate and the palate. We dined inside the restaurant, enjoying the warm ambiance and outlook onto the beautiful Italian-inspired garden and courtyard. The service was attentive and showed genuine care, going above and beyond to ensure our anniversary was memorable. We especially enjoyed the potato gratinate which complimented our dinner, and Ascension's luscious Vestal Virgin Viognier wine.<br/><br/>Surrounded by the lush, natural beauty of Matakana's rolling hills, Ascension is truly Tuscan elegance.

A little piece of Tuscany in the heart of Matakana. Stunning decor, beautiful food and wine, friendly staff and great service. Nice indoor and outdoor settings, child friendly also. Wine tastings available. Definitely one of my favourites and will be back again!

We went the Resturant for lunch today with group about 90 people. We were promised to supply buffet lunch,price is $35/pp,but we didn't give enough food some of them just got a couple of pieces broccoli. The Chinese lady who said she graduated from Shenzhen University, and she is very rude said " you didn't pay enough money" .

Ascension is a beautiful venue of Tuscany design overlooking a vineyard with lovely gardens. Interior is also lovely with vintage feel to it.<br/><br/>We came here for a family lunch. And it is a very child-friendly restaurant which is vital for us with a under-1 Bub. There is a child's play area, high chair and also parenting room. <br/><br/>Food is above average in general and slightly on the pricey side. The taste and flavour is all there but just wish the portion is a bit bigger and perhaps more ingredients in our pasta. Highlight is the dessert though with our strawberry degustation.

I went here yesterday for a special birthday lunch with 15 other family members. The weather was fantastic, along with the food and drinks and we loved the fact it as very laid back and relaxing, well worth the drive from Auckland. From the first initial enquiries we found all the staff to be great. It has recently been sold to it's new owners and I think they are doing a great job - it looks a fantastic place for a wedding with beautiful flowers and has that 'Tuscanny' feel about the place. We dressed smart casual and had a mix of pizzas, salads, veges and fries, which was great as the kids devoured them down no problem. The pizzas are great, nice thin traditional bases and that garlic aioli with the fries - yum.

We had two platters and drinks followed by the quatro pizza, seasonal vegetables, green salad and fries. Throughly enjoyed everything. The platters were so great! Would definitely recommend. The atmosphere and set up of the vineyard is very nice and staff lovely too.

Nice location and friendly staff. Food was variable. Pheasant risotto was not very tasty and it was over salted.  The beef cheek was tender but dry. However the starters were really nice - venison and the Caesar salad ( side salad but made a nice starter).  Caeser salad could have been on a plate to eat, rather than in a very awkward bowl.

Lovely ambience, superb service. We were awfully late, but they were nice to hold our reservation on a busy Saturday (to be polite, I did update them our TOA along the way). <br/><br/>Wine was delish (PInotage was yummo, we ended up polishing down 2 bottles and purchasing another bottle home!), food was delicate (we had the pork belly, market fish, beef fillet and beef cheek) and dessert was beautiful (loved the creme caramel and chocolate pave). I took off 0.5 points simply because my affogato only arrived after the others were done with their desserts, so that was no fun. <br/><br/>But overall, it's worth the drive (note to self: it's a good 1 hour drive from Auckland, maybe longer if the motorway has some kinda holdup). Lovely experience.

Ascension Wine Estate is a very beautiful venue even on a day like today when the weather was a bit unpredictable. Other than that there aren't many positives. My partner and I went for lunch with his family. The service was average, the food was ok at best. I ordered the pork belly which came with two pieces (good portion sizes for the price) one was cooked through the fat on the belly was not rendered so it wasn't crispy. The other piece was raw in the middle. When I went to tell the waitress she came back by saying that that's how it came as it is cured not cooked in an oven. When I said the other piece was cooked through and so was the other persons at the table she didn't know what to do. The manager came over and politely apologised and offered me another main on the house (declined this as we had time constraints) my partner ordered the pheasant risotto which was ok, the best bit was apparently the raisins. Wouldn't come back again from this experience.