Main Ridge Estate

Main Ridge Estate is the story of a successful, family-run boutique wine business.

Nat White is a pioneering Mornington Peninsula winemaker who 44 years ago gave up the security of a public service engineering job for a tiny Red Hill lemon orchard with no road access. Nat and Rose had the dream of creating a Burgundian style vineyard and Main Ridge Estate winery in a location where the climate and suitability of wine varieties was uncertain. With limited capital and with huge toil and determination, they gradually established the Main Ridge Estate vineyard.

Nat’s renown as a winemaker grew steadily to the highest levels due to his ability to consistently extract greatness from the plot, based on his philosophies of using only estate-grown fruit at low yields, and creating fault-free, complex wines.

Nat is a legend of the Peninsula winemaking industry for the practical support and guidance he has given to innumerable successful winemakers, and for the collaborative wine community culture he and Rose fostered. In 2017, Nat was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his services to the wine industry.

Nat continues as a mentor to James, and the Sexton and White families enjoy a warm relationship.