Ash Ridge: The Hawke’s Bay couple building a cellar door for ‘the whole community’

The Ashworth family - owners of Ash Ridge Winery, (from left) Leith, Max, Tracy, Imogen and Elodie. Photo / Paul Taylor

As I sat in the shade sipping cool water and chatting to the Ashworth family at their winery in Bridge Pa there was one burning question on the tip of my tongue — will you adopt me?

I had two reasons I wanted to be part of this family. Well three, actually.

The first, they are so lovely. I watched as Leith and Tracy interacted with their delightful daughters Imogen and Elodie and talked about their son Max who was off in the vines. Just beautiful.

Second, and this is a biggie, the Ashworth children and the family dog Winston have wines named after them. How brilliant is that? I would really like a wine named after me. The Linda; a bit fruity and loud, leave to age.

And the final reason, they own Ash Ridge Winery, a boutique organic vineyard, cellar door and kitchen on State Highway 50, Roys Hill, Hastings, in the Bridge Pa Triangle. I could help out by tasting wine and greeting guests.

Seriously, this couple in just two years have worked tirelessly to showcase their winery and wines.

They put a lot of time into their cellar door experience and it paid off when they were named winners of Bayleys Hawke’s Bay Wine Awards Cellar Door of the Year 2023 with judges saying, “Leith and Tracy Ashworth are successfully building a cellar door experience that’s young and fresh, for all of the community to enjoy.”

Leith, who is an award-winning winemaker, and also the winemaker at Junction Wines in Central Hawke’s Bay (owned by his parents, John and Jo Ashworth), is involved in every aspect of the business from growing, bottling, tastings, hosting events, farming the animals and can sometimes be found in the kitchen flipping pizza.

He started his wine career with Vidals in 2004 and says his winemaking mindset has changed since spending time in the cellar door.

“It’s interesting to hear what people think when they taste our wines. Seeing them enjoy it, and discussing the taste, has given me insights into how I make wine.

“So my wine-making has changed a bit. I’m making more approachable wines and getting enjoyment out of seeing people enjoy them.”

The couple, who live in Maraekakaho, say the Bridge Pa Wine Association works well with all the wineries in the area.

The wines at Ash Ridge Winery named after the Ashworth family's children. Photo / Paul Taylor

“It’s a nice community here,” Tracy said.

They employ students from EIT “rather than trained winemakers”.

“It gives these emerging winemakers a chance to work at a winery that offers the whole thing from vineyard to winery to cellar door,” Leith said.

He says he feels most comfortable in the winery but the excitement of the harvest is hard to beat.

“Harvest is also the hardest time for growers. All year we are optimistic about harvest but you just never know what’s going to happen.

“Things are looking good so far. Yields are down a bit but the quality will be really good, all going well.”

Tracy and Leith have also been working hard at improving their wine club.

Every four months wine club members get a special selection of wines created by Leith. “It’s a great way to show people different wines that can’t be found in the supermarket. We also offer members a harvest pick and blending afternoon. It’s great fun and always popular”.

Tracy and Leith are passionate about Ash Ridge. “ We love seeing families coming to Ash Ridge and enjoying the space,” Tracy said.

The winery produces a variety of wines and also offers Junction Wines, made by Leith too, and is the perfect place to spend an afternoon with friends and family, relaxing in the spacious outdoor area or sitting inside or on the veranda. There is plenty of shade and a friendly dog called Winston who loves a pat.

For more information go to ashridgewines.com

The family wines

• ELODIE is young, lively and bubbly with a fresh nose and quite cheeky. The wine is quite similar too!
• Once upon a time, the eldest Ashworth daughter IMOGEN was born. The “beloved child” surrounded by vines, rare creatures and storybooks, grew up bold, modern and unique - three characteristics that also describe the essence of this one-of-a-kind wine, the newest addition to the Ash Ridge story.
• MAXIMUS: Once in a blue moon we unleash a wine that, like our middle child, is exuberant, generous and sits on the cusp of greatness. A star in its own right, it never has to compete for attention.
• WINSTON: This Ruby Syrah is sweet, exuberant and friendly, just like Winston, the Ashworth family’s beloved labrador.

Linda Hall is a Hastings-based assistant editor for Hawke’s Bay Today and has 30 years of experience in newsrooms. She writes regularly on arts and entertainment, lifestyle and hospitality, and pens a column.