Matakana Estate Winery Bistro

About this place

Matakana Estate Winery Bistro sits at 568–570 Matakana Road, Warkworth, roughly an hour north of Auckland and minutes from Matakana Village. It is the dining arm of a boutique winery that spans 35 hectares of rolling coastal country, and it operates alongside the estate's cellar door, wine experiences and vineyard lodge.

### The estate and its wines

Matakana Estate is one of the region's pioneering wine producers. The property was established in 1988 by Peter and Paul Vegar on what had been a deer farm, and the first vines were planted in 1996. The family story reaches further back to Croatian immigrant Luka Lunjevich, who arrived in New Zealand in 1902 aboard the SS Elingamite — which struck rocks near the Three Kings Islands and sank — and went on to establish vineyards in the far north. In 2012 Chrissy Lu and a new team took over with the aim of developing the estate as both a wine producer and a visitor destination, and Matakana Estate Lodge opened in 2018.

Winemaker Richard Robson has led production since early 2007. Australian-born, he took his winemaking degree at Charles Sturt University and worked for Charles Melton, Yalumba and Plantagenet, where he was chief winemaker, before moving to Matakana. The estate grows Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Gris on site, and sources Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc from Hawke's Bay and Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough.

### Eating and drinking

The Winery Bistro pairs curated tasting flights — including a regional flight drawing on other Matakana vineyards — with seasonal appetisers, signature sharing platters, flame-grilled dishes, curated mains and wine-based cocktails. A guided Wine Blending Experience runs on Fridays and Saturdays at 2pm, in which guests build their own blend with a sommelier. Bookings are taken online, and gift vouchers cover tastings, dining and experiences.

### Function and corporate use

Matakana Estate actively markets itself for events and operates on an exclusive, by-appointment basis, so bookings are essential.

• Cellar door — a flexible, rustic space with vineyard views, described by the estate as suiting small to medium groups. Used for wine tastings, group lunches, cocktail receptions, private celebrations and corporate or networking events. Furniture hire and bar staff are included.
• Private lodge — a self-contained space among the vines, positioned for multi-day corporate retreats, strategy sessions, weddings and exclusive celebrations.
• Enchanted Forest — an outdoor setting on the property used for parties and less conventional gatherings.

Both the cellar door and the lodge can be configured for cocktail-style functions and seated dinners. Published group packages include a three- or four-course shared dining experience, a "Blend & Feast" combining a blending session with a paired meal, and a "Wine & Graze Affair" grazing table with wines by the bottle, which the estate specifies as suiting groups of 10–20 guests. Other options mentioned include long-table dinners under the vines, product launches, team-building days, wellness retreats and bonfire evenings.

Site visits can be arranged on request. The venue does not publish maximum seated or standing capacities, so organisers should confirm numbers directly. Matakana Estate holds a Google rating of 4.4.

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