About Rongopai Wines
The name Rongopai comes from te reo Māori, meaning “good news”. This name was chosen during our founding, in 1932, to reflect a positive moment in Aotearoa New Zealand’s early winemaking history. Established in Te Kauwhata, home to New Zealand’s first viticultural research station, Rongopai is one of the country’s oldest wine brands.
The Rongopai label carries the koru, a symbol of growth and renewal, reflecting both the brand’s history and its continued focus on fresh, vibrant New Zealand wines. With roots in some of the earliest chapters of New Zealand winemaking, Rongopai continues to celebrate its heritage while looking to the future.
Rongopai’s Māori Foundations
Koru
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Kotahitanga (Unity)
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Kaitiakitanga (Guardianship)
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| Represents growth, renewal, and continuity | The coming together of land, people, and craft | Long-term care for land and resources |
Our story
The story of Rongopai is closely tied to the early history of the New Zealand wine industry.
Founded in 1932 in the Waikato town of Te Kauwhata, Rongopai began at the site of New Zealand’s first viticultural research station. Before becoming a winery, the station played an important role in understanding which grape varieties and growing conditions would succeed in New Zealand’s climate.
That pioneering spirit became part of Rongopai from the beginning. Over the decades, the brand has continued to produce approachable New Zealand wines while remaining connected to the heritage that shaped its early days.
Sustainability
As the first wine industry to establish a national sustainability programme, New Zealand has always led the way on giving back to the ground we grow on. At Rongopai, it’s in our very essence. We look back to the way nature once was and forward to the way it can be for future generations. All our vineyards follow established sustainable practices and seek out innovative new ones. Because what’s good for the earth is good for our wine
– and good for tomorrow.
