Askerne Hawkes Bay
267 Te Mata Mangateretere Rd, Havelock North
Presenter – John Loughlin, Co-Founder and Director
Wednesday 11th February 8 pm start
Door Price: to be advised later
Askerne Estate winery commenced in April 1993 when wine lovers John and Kathryn Loughlin purchased the original 11.6 hectares site in Te Mata Mangateretere Road. John and Kathryn had studied winemaking and viticulture in the previous years with Kathryn, as the more diligent student, achieving the higher grades.
They called the property Askerne, being the olde English name of Kathryn’s birthplace, Askern in Yorkshire, England.
Sauvignon Blanc vines were planted in late 1993, Semillon and Riesling in 1994, Chardonnay in 1995 and Gewürztraminer in 1996. The first wines were made at the Waimarama Estate Winery (then owned by Dr John Loughlin, John’s father) in 1996.
In February 1997, the Askerne cellar door was opened to the public, and it also sold Waimarama Estate’s red wines, including the then famous Waimarama Dessert Cabernet.
The 1997 vintage produced very fine wines from Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay which confirmed the potential of the site. Askerne commenced exporting with wines from the 1997 vintage. It was a complete surprise to us when our Sauvignon Blanc won an award in The Netherlands as the best match with a cigar. It was not something we thought of in making the wine, nor have subsequently aspired to.
In 1998 Dr John Loughlin sold Waimarama Estate Winery and from the 1999 vintage, Askerne’s wines were made on site. The cellar door building was expanded to accommodate winemaking activities. The first red wine grapes were planted. Also, in 1999 the first Botrytis Semillon wine was made, and the first componentry was created for the Noble Noir wine which was first released in 2013.
In the significantly frost-affected 2001 the first red grapes were harvested, and a Cabernet Merlot Franc blend and Dessert Cabernet were made. Both these red wine styles were encouraging examples of the desired styles. A Chardonnay from the 2001 vintage won Askerne’s first gold medal.
In 2004 a new purpose-built winery was completed, only hours before it was used for vintage. The 2005 vintage saw the first multi-awarded wine with our Gewürztraminer winning double golds. The 2006 vintage saw the first trophy which was taken by our Noble Semillon. The 2007 vintage saw Askerne produce a Gewürztraminer that won 5 gold medals and a trophy.
Large vintages in 2008, 2009 and 2010 coincided with the global financial crisis and a downturn in business as customers changed and downsized and the market moved to cheaper price points. Export channels also dried up for Askerne. They launched their first white and gold label Rouge and Blanc blends as lower tier responses and sold them directly to consumers. Most of the fruit from the 2011 and 2012 vintages were sold as we sought to rebalance inventories with demand.
In 2014 Askerne commenced an exporting relationship in China with Beijing Touch World International Trading Company.
The 2018 vintage proved to be a great one and saw the launch of two of the planned new wine styles being a Sauvignon Blanc / Sauvignon Gris / Semillon blend and the first of the Icon series of wines in “The Archer” Chardonnay.
Cairn Coghill
2018 also saw the 25th anniversary of the Askerne venture and was a time to think about the past and present The 2019 vintage was another excellent one which saw a second Icon wine produced in a Syrah called “Tere” which speaks of our site on Te Mata Mangateretere Road, adjoining the Tuki Tuki River.
The 2020 vintage was spectacular in terms of climate and quality. It was also unusual in terms of vintage operations which coincided with the covid-19 global pandemic, but Askerne was able to operate as an essential business.
From the 2020 vintage we added a new product to our range, being the first Sérieux rosé which was made from a blend of Carménère and Mourvèdre.
In January 2021 Cairn Coghill joined the Askerne team as winemaker.
Key takeaways from the January 2026 Cellar Club newsletter.
February Tasting: Askerne (Hawke’s Bay)
Event: Askerne tasting with Co‑Founder John Loughlin.
Date: Wednesday 11 February, 8pm.
Venue: Clubrooms.
Background: Askerne has grown from an 11.6ha family venture (est. 1993) into a diverse producer with a long history of award‑winning wines and evolving styles.
Notable history:
Early plantings from 1993–1996.
First cellar door opened in 1997.
Multiple gold medals and trophies through the 2000s.
New Icon series launched in 2018–2019.
Continued innovation through 2020–2021.
December Christmas Dinner Recap
Venue: Le Cloche.
Experience: Excellent food, friendly staff, and a relaxed evening across three large tables.
Menu highlights: Bubbles on arrival, amuse‑bouche, salmon terrine, choice of fish or duck, and a standout chocolate‑and‑red‑fruit dessert.
Member feedback: Very positive, especially about the dessert.
Wine News Highlights
Swift Wines (Hawke’s Bay):
New colourful cellar door on Mere Rd.
Build‑your‑own platter system and six‑wine tasting.
Reminder: Currently, there is no function planned for this January, but your committee is currently considering a specific idea for 2027. That said, if you have an idea that we also might consider, please talk to a committee member.
February – Askerne Wines
March – Penfolds Tasting: wines from your Club Cellar, plus new wines
Acknowledgments
Your committee would like to acknowledge how the Club works for and on behalf of everyone in the wine industry. We are a sought-after Club for the wineries, especially the ones that have presented in the past, and want to present to us again. This is down to everyone who attends and orders at our monthly events. Lets continue this into 2026.
Survey update
Thank you to everyone who answered the Survey that we recently sent out. We received 41 responses in total. To give a summary of responses:
On the question of which influences your decision to remain a member, there were large numbers besides ‘an opportunity to try new and different wines’; ‘to meet winemakers and hear them talk about their wine’ and also ‘socialising with other members – this seems to sum up the reason for our Club!
There was an overwhelming response to the question. If you could only choose between these two … To try new and different wines won over To purchase wine at discounted price.
If you decide to purchase wine, what is your main consideration – more people leaned towards the combination answer of quality and price of the wine.
What price would influence your decision not to purchase wine had an interesting tally of responses. We had pretty even responses to $20, $40, $60, with slightly more ticking ‘Price is unlikely to prevent me purchasing a wine that I really like.
What style of BYO restaurant dining would you prefer we organise, had slightly more people opting for ‘Cafe/Bistro Dining, over Fine Dining and Ethnic restaurants. This reply gives us a steer to focus on, thanks.
What price (incl. corkage) would you consider too great at a restaurant, had a tie between $100 and ‘My decision would not be based on cost’.
Is easy access to public transport a consideration in your decision to attend a restaurant event, again had an interesting response percentage: 60% said ‘no’, and 40% said ‘yes’.
Do you enjoy the events presented by the Club that don’t involve purchase options had an overwhelmingly positive response!
In relation to events presented by the Club, would you like to see – we had an overwhelmingly positive response under ‘About the same number’.
It is positive for your committee that members feel that things are going in the right direction. Please feel free to talk to a committee member if you have any concerns or ideas to pass on, thanks.
This was a fun, festive evening, hosted by Tammy, Mission’s Rep, who
along with Wayne, chose the wines for our evening.
We were fortunate to have two of their premier Jewelstone range, to
savour, along with a Rose’ from Stables to compare with a Jewelstone
Rose, plus Mission’s Brut Cuvee bubbles, made in the champagne way.
Tammy updated us with the news that the CEO for the last 30 years was departing for other pastures. So they now have at Mission a new CE, new-ish vintner and new web page with new motto – ‘History in the Making’! Exciting times!
This evening has left everyone with some thoughtfully selected wines to source for Christmas celebrations. As a reminder of what to put on your shopping list, the wines we tasted were:
Mission Fete Brut Cuvee – Pinot Gris from Mission’s Home Block at Taradale, zesty with delicate pear and apple and fine mousse.
2025 Stables Rose – made from a mix of grapes, to be used as an aperitif, cheap and cheerful
Jewelstone Rose [noting that 2024 has recently been released and is now called Blanc De Noir], This will cellar well for another five years if you want to. Handpicked whole bunch pressed organic Merlot grapes from Mere Rd in the Gimblett Gravels.
2022 Jewelstone Chardonnay – these grapes were from their Green Meadows site in Taradale, made up of two clones, hand harvested and gently pressed, the firstly placed in French oak before spending time in neutral barrels.
Mission Reserve Syrah – Gimblett Gravels grapes, a nice light-ish wine, from a single vineyard. Can be kept for up to five years.
Mission Reserve Malbec – light, dry and on oak for 12 months, this can be cellared for five more years if you wish.
Mission Estate Late Harvest Riesling – this was a nice light-ish desert wine, and as well as going well with our Xmas fare provided by Wayne, it would pair nicely with lemon meringue pie.
There is some angle parking on the side street going down towards Animates,
this is in Westminister Street, there is two La Cloche parks in Animates carpark.
You are asked to arrive on or before 6:30 pm.
Please come in either door, both of which have a few stairs, where you will be
greeted with a complementary glass of bubbles.
The meal is BYO wine, and your prepaid cost includes corkage and a discount on the meal. During the evening, it is customary to share the bottle of wine you have brought with your neighbours.
We are expecting to finish sometime between 9.00 pm and 9.30 pm, but this is a guideline only, in case you are arranging transport home. Please try and stay as flexible as possible.
As a reminder of the menu for this evening:
Amuse Bouche
Smoked Chicken Gougère
Mushroom and Blue Cheese Vol au Vent
Entrée
La Terrine de Saumon fumé
Smoked salmon terrine with lemon dill cream served with pickled cucumber and crispy capers
Main Course
Le Confit de Canard sur son lit de Lentilles du Puy
Duck leg confit with warm Le Puy lentil salad and cherry jus
OR
Le poisson du marché en croute persillée
Pan-fried market fish with parsley crust and piperade served with crunchy fennel salad
Dessert
Le chocolat et les fruits rouges.
This promises to be a very enjoyable way to finish our year with 31 people attending.
Wayne will shortly send out a table seating plan so we can make sure that your Duck or Fish main ends up at the right place on your table.
Although our numbers were down a little with 27 attending, the evening went with well Rockburn’s Canadian Cellar Door Manager, Alex Crone being both informative and engaging.
The wines produced were a little different to what we are used to, which was exciting for a taste test, with a Fume’ Blanc on the menu for the evening! This was a blend that had been in old oak barrels and was advised as best being served just chilled a little bit. It could also be cellared for up to 10 years.
Their Pinot Gris had a lovely colour, due to half of the wine content having skin contact before being barrelled with the other half of the harvest. A nice touch that added to the taste experience.
Their chardonnay was in a Chablis style, with 60% being barrelled in neutral oak, so the wine didn’t have the normal oaky chardonnay taste we are more used to, none the less a taste experience.
We had the privilege of having a taste of their first vintage of Rockburn Crimson Peak Pinot Noir [2023] – a tasty drop, along with their ‘star wine’ the 2023 Rockburn Pinot Noir.
A reminder of the wines we tasted during the evening:
Welcome Wine – 2025 Stolen Kiss Rose’
2024 Pinot Gris
2024 Fume’ Blanc
2023 Chardonnay
2023 Crimson Peak
2023 Pinot Noir
2022 The Art Pinot Noir
They no longer do a Reisling! But Alex advised that if you could pick up one of these from wine suppliers around Wellington, it was worth a try.
For our November we are returning to Hawkes Bay and trying some wines not previously tasted by us. We’ve described the evening as a Summer Festive Tasting as we are looking to taste some bubbles, compare two Rosés, as well as looking at two great reds that you might want to enjoy at a summer BBQ. We are finishing with a sticky that we know will appeal to many of our members.
That said, there is also plenty of quality in this tasting as it includes two wines from the Jewelstone range, Mission’s premier range, as well as two of their reserve wines. And the other good news is these wines have been heavily subsidised which is why the door price is so attractive.
Here’s what’s on our tasting list for the evening, in no particular order at this time.
Mission Fete Brut Cuvee
Stables Rosé
Jewelstone Rosé [noting the 2024 has recently been released and is now called Blanc De Noir]
Jewelstone Chardonnay
Mission Reserve Syrah
Mission Reserve Malbec
Mission Estate Late Harvest Riesling
And finishing our last formal tasting for the year, there will be a Christmas morsel to go with the last wine. What a great way to finish!
This is going to be a fun evening, and we look forward to seeing you all there.
Wow! What an enjoyable evening. Most people would have known or visited this local vineyard, although it’s now, thanks to Transmission Gully, simply a short drive north of Wellington.
We had 30 people turn up for the evening and we were entertained and informed by the vineyards CE, Donna and Jo Scully. They opened with a Karakia which was a change from the norm for our evenings, then went on to explain that their winemaker was Jayne Cooper, a well known winemaker
and wine judge.
Visit Ohau wines
They had got up to 4ha of grapes at one stage but were now down to 25ha as a business decision and better knowledge of their grape varieties and the land they grow on. One side of their land used to be used to farm horses, the other as a produce farm, so they are blessed with highly fertile growing soils with a high amount of organic content.
Their wines have been vegan since 2020, but this doesn’t hold them back at all!
As all their wines are ‘made’ in the Wairarapa, they truck their grapes over the hill for production.
This leaves extra barrel time for the grapes to be in contact with their skins, so the wine can have different expression at the end of its journey, when compared to similar varietals grown by other wineries.
As a reminder the wines we tasted on the evening:
View toward Tararua Forest Park
Not the Norm Rose 2020 – opening wine – a lovely drop, liked by all that is substantially Pinot Gris with a small amount of Pinot Noir for colour. This is their second vintage.
Ohau Gravels Pinot Gris 2023 – fruit forward and aromatic; they leave the grapes on the vines longer before harvesting this batch to bring out fuller flavours.
Ohau Gravels Chardonnay 2024 – they plant their Chardonnay on either side of SH2, as the tarmac provides a natural heat source for these vines and the traffic keeps the flow circulating!
Selected Vines Sauvignon Blanc 2012 – made using more than one clone of Sauvignon, this is fully oaked with wild ferment but no added yeast – the French have been ‘oaking’ Sauvignon for yonks! A nice change to the usual taste of Sauvignon for non-white drinkers.
Not the Norm Sauvignon Black 2021 – this is made with a mix of skins cold-pressed; stainless steel barrel and oak barrel with wild ferment. Sauvignon drinkers will like this!
Ohau Gravels Pinot Noir 2024 – 80% stainless steel / 20% oak cask, this was a light but flavoursome drop.
Not the Norm Te Tihi – this is in effect a fortified Pinot Noir. A drop that came about because of COVID lockdown and a cancelled export order of their WovenStone Pinot Noir. The staff thought laterally and took this batch of red to the Brewtown people, asked them to add a white spirit and whala! They have their version of a lighter sweet red – well worth the taste experience, and one of our members of taking it around the country to family this Christmas!
Well worth a visit, their cellar door is open from Tuesday-Saturday.
Wednesday 8 October, 8 pm
Door Price: Members $18 / Guests $22
A pure expression of Central Otago
Alex comes from a background in hospitality and tourism back in Canada.
Moving to Aotearoa last year to pursue opportunities in the heart of Pinot Noir territory, Central Otago, she found her place at Rockburn. Alex has held positions from the cellar door to marketing but loves getting to chat about wines and finding the best fit for every individual palette-there’s a wine out there for everyone! When not at the winery, she spends her time in the
mountains skiing and hiking or diving deep into vintage jazz tracks and dances.
Gibbston Valley Back Road Vineyard reflects the unique terroir.
Rockburn is a wine producer in the Central Otago region on the South Island of New Zealand. The estate makes a range of wines but is perhaps best-known for its award-winning Pinot Noirs – the flagship variety of region.
The winery was founded in 1991 by pioneering heart surgeon Dr. Richard (Dick) Bunton, who planted some of the first vines near Lake Hayes. Over the years, Rockburn expanded its vineyard holdings, with significant sites in Gibbston and Parkburn/Pisa on the shores of Lake Dunstan. In 2002, the brand name changed from Hayes Lake to Rockburn, reflecting the rugged, schist-laden terrain and the region’s distinctive character.
Today, Rockburn remains proudly independent, with the James and Halford families as key stakeholders. Longstanding winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis, who joined the team in 2005, continues to lead the winemaking, focusing on minimal intervention and precision to express site and season. A new winery opened in 2016, designed around Rees-Francis’ winemaking approach. This year marks his 20th vintage at Rockburn.
Rockburn’s signature varietals are crafted to highlight the vibrant purity and cool-climate elegance of Central Otago.
Rockburn produces a diverse portfolio of wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and the Stolen Kiss Rosé, alongside other labels such as Crimson Peak and Devil’s Staircase. All wines are made at the Cromwell winery, with fruit sourced from premium vineyards across Gibbston and Parkburn/Pisa.
Wines for the night are:
2025 Stolen Kiss Rose’
2024 Pinot Gris
2024 Fume’ Blanc
2023 Chardonnay
2023 Crimson Peak
2023 Pinot Noir
2022 The Art Pinot Noir
To help members have an easy payment method on the evening, there will be an EFTPOS machine to process orders.
March Event: Penfolds Tasting
March Event: Penfolds Tasting
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