We believe wine should capture more than a grape variety. It should reflect the soil beneath the vines, the rhythm of the seasons and Mother Nature’s unpredictable hand in every growing year.
Our small production reflects the size of our vineyard, our commitment to quality and the conditions of each season. Every decision is guided by one objective: to produce wines of concentration, balance and character. Parcels are harvested and crafted separately where their individual character calls for it, inviting you to discover the diversity of Ohara Estate.
Each vintage brings something different. Some seasons are generous; others yield only small quantities. We work thoughtfully with what the vineyard gives us, creating wines that reflect the place they come from and the season that shaped them.
Current Release
2025 Sparkling Rosé & Still Rosé
2025 O’Petite Sparkling Rosé & Still Rosé
2026 Estate Rosé - 1700 bottles released
2026 Syrah Blanc de Noir - 1400 bottles released
In the Cellar
Our Syrahs and Chardonnay are produced with longevity in mind. Matured in carefully selected French oak barrels, chosen to complement each wine. Every barrel is selected for the subtle contribution it makes to texture, complexity and longevity, allowing the vineyard to remain the defining voice in every bottle.
2026 Chardonnay - 300 bottles - scheduled release late 2027
2026 Syrah Terroir Trilogy - 1200 bottles of each - scheduled release late 2028
THE TERROIR TRILOGY
Of Hill & River
Three expressions of a single vineyard.
This Terroir Trilogy is a collection created not only to express the remarkable diversity of soils within a small four-hectare vineyard, but to honour the people, land and farming heritage that continue to shape it.
Each wine represents a distinct parcel, revealing how differences in soil, aspect and microclimate create three unique expressions of Syrah. While each can be enjoyed on its own, they were conceived to be experienced together. Presented as a three-bottle collection, the trilogy invites comparison and discovery, telling the complete story of our vineyard from one vintage.
Only 1,200 bottles of each wine are produced. Crafted for longevity and carefully matured in selected French oak, the Trilogy represents the culmination of every decision made throughout the growing season. It is our belief that the greatest understanding of a vineyard comes not from tasting one wine, but from experiencing all three together.
Release date scheduled for 2028
-
The Lyon honours the vineyard’s founder, Johnny Lyons, whose vision led to the planting of these vines in 1998. Sourced from our hillside parcel, it represents the courage to begin, the pioneering spirit of the land and the legacy entrusted to future generations.
-
The Stag represents the owner’s farm Ohara Station, where beneath the Ruahine Ranges wild deer roam on the banks of the Ohara Stream, a tributary of the Ngaruroro River. It celebrates the untamed landscape that surrounds us, and the enduring connection between the vineyard - which lies on the Ngaruroro’s ancient riverbed - and the wider estate.
-
The Bull symbolises the union of two Hawke’s Bay farming families. A blend of the hillside and riverbed parcels, it brings together the vineyard’s two soil profiles into one wine - honouring generations of stewardship, hard work and shared commitment to producing something that will outlast us all.
THE WINEMAKER’S TRILOGY
The Art of Transformation
Three expressions of one grape.
The Winemaker’s Trilogy is a collection created to explore the remarkable versatility of a single grape - Syrah - and the transformative power of the pressing process.
Each wine begins with the same grape, yet takes on an entirely different character depending on how it’s pressed and how long the skins are in contact with the juice. From the palest touch of colour to the fullest expression of red, the trilogy moves through a spectrum of style, texture and depth. While each can be enjoyed on its own, they were conceived to be experienced together. Presented as a three-bottle collection, the trilogy invites comparison and discovery, revealing the full range of what one grape, in the hands of one winemaker, can become.
Release date scheduled for 2028
-
The Blanc de Noir is Syrah stripped back to its palest form. Pressed immediately upon picking with almost no skin contact, it captures the grape’s purity before colour or tannin can take hold - a wine of restraint, precision and quiet complexity using grapes from our oldest vines that are usually selected for prestigious Syrah’s.
-
The Rosé sits at the midpoint of the trilogy, where brief skin contact draws out just enough colour, texture and character to bridge white and red. It is Syrah caught in transition — structured, textural and expressive, without ever tipping into the weight of a full red.
-
The Syrah is the trilogy’s natural conclusion: extended skin contact drawing out the grape’s full depth of colour, tannin and flavour. It is Syrah in its most complete form — the same fruit, the same hands, transformed entirely by time and patience.
“Not yet released. Register your interest to be notified, and add the Syrah to your Winemaker’s Trilogy when it becomes available.”