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New owners outline plans for Ascension
17 Dec 2013 10:26 am
The new owners of Matakana’s Ascension Wine Estate are promising to bring the venue back to life, with plans for a “traditional” Italian restaurant, as well as a new outlet serving spit-roasted meat. The winery, which was placed in receivership in May, is expected to be handed over on December 20 to two Auckland families with a strong Italian and Macedonian background.
Brothers Gino and Kiro Gurshin have a low profile in Auckland, despite having been in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years. The brothers, who both live in Remuera, own the Portofino restaurant chain, which has nine restaurants in Auckland, Hamilton, Taupo, New Plymouth and Wellington. They have also recently opened Osteria da Gino in Mount Maunganui. Companies Office records appear to show they also have a beef and sheep farm at Waipu.
They have teamed up with brothers Alex and Mick Sipka to buy Ascension. The Sipka brothers also live in Remuera and have a background in installing telecommunications and security equipment in commercial premises, but more recently have branched out into residential and commercial property investment.
According to their website, their investments include Canterbury Arcade in central Auckland. On LinkedIn, Alex Sipka lists his interests as “property, new technology, hunting and wines”.
Gino Gurshin told Mahurangi Matters the Ascension purchase was “the best thing I ever bought”. “I am so happy. I always wanted to buy a winery and make wine. The place is very nice,” he said.
He explained that his mother came from Portofino, while his father was Macedonian. “That makes me tutti-frutti!” he exclaimed.
He said he intended to rename the restaurant “Ascension Osteria Matakana”. In Italy, an Osteria was originally a place in the mountains that served wine and simple food. Gino said he planned to offer fine dining options for weddings, and was also keen to build another “little house” on the front corner of the 9.6ha property, and set up an open rosticceria — a slow-food takeaway serving spit-roasted meat. “When you’re passing you can see it and you can smell it,” he enthused.
Gino — who joked about owning a Lamborghini and a Ferrari (he has previously owned property on Paratai Drive) — said he also planned to “tidy up” the driveway and parking, and build more fences. He said he didn’t know much about making wine, but intended to get some help from friends in Italy. And he would definitely be keeping the Ascension brand.
“I love the name. I can’t even pronounce it but I know what it means – beautiful. Even if I do nothing to the place it is still beautiful.”
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Dry summer makes for a good vintage
31 Mar 2014 01:22 pm
The pizza oven is firing up and the grapes are coming off the vines as Ascension prepares to reopen its restaurant later this month. The winery’s new co-owner, Kiro Gurshin, got out for the first day of harvest to pick the chardonnay. The last time Kiro picked grapes was with his father back in Leguria in north-west Italy. “Making the wine is very important to us,” Kiro says.
“In my background my father always made wine for home and I still remember being little and picking grapes. That’s why I like it — it reminds me of my childhood.” The family harvest would produce around 1000 litres of wine and enough grappa to last the family until the next season, Kiro says. But this is his first time working with a commercial vineyard. “It’s looking like it will be a good chardonnay.”
The new restaurant, Ascension Osteria, is rapidly taking shape, Kiro says, and will offer traditional Italian cuisine, including homemade pasta and rotisserie meats. “Everything will be made on premises and either imported from Italy or made from local produce,” he says. “If you spend the time and you’re passionate about it then you’ll make it work. We love this stuff. Food and wine, that’s our love.”
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