Nat and Rosalie White
Founders of Main Ridge Estate – Mornington Peninsula’s Premier Winemakers
Main Ridge Estate is the story of a successful, family-run boutique wine business.
Nat White is a pioneering Mornington Peninsula wine maker 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 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 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 awarded in 2017 for his services to the wine industry.
Nat continues as a mentor to James, and the Sexton and White families enjoy a warm relationship
Nat and Rosalie White
Founders of Main Ridge Estate
Main Ridge Estate is the story of a successful, family-run boutique wine business.
Nat White is a pioneering Mornington Peninsula wine maker 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 winery in a location where the climate was and suitability of wine varieties was uncertain. With limited capital and with huge toil and determination they gradually established 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 awarded in 2017 for his services to the wine industry.
Nat continues as a mentor to James, and the Sexton and White families enjoy a continuing warm relationship
A Short History of Main Ridge Estate
Here are some highlights from the past four decades:
1975 Nat and Rose purchased an affordable back block lemon orchard in Red Hill.
1976 Progressive experimental plantings of 7 grape varietals, over 3 hectares.
1978 Flinders Shire approves construction of the Main Ridge Estate winery.
1979 First vintage – 20 litres pressed through a moulis at Nat and Rose’s Mt Eliza home.
1980 First commercial vintage at MRE and first cellar liquor license granted on the Mornington Peninsula.
1981 First release: Pinot Meunier $5.50, Pinot Noir $5.60, Cabernet $6.50.
1983 Early recognition – gold medals at Lilydale Wine Show.
1987 Nat graduates from Charles Sturt, as Bachelor of Wine Science.
1992 MRE wines launched in the UK at a banquet at Harewood House.
2002 Australian Wine Vintages award 5 Gold Stars to MRE Chardonnay
“…among the great wines of the world.”
2007 Qantas selects Main Ridge Estate for first class cabins.
2008 Half Acre recognised as ‘1 in a 100’ by Wine Business Monthly.
2010 Langton’s Classification of ‘Excellent’ awarded to Half Acre Pinot.
2012 Entire 2011 Pinot vintage discarded, failing to meet MRE standard.
2014 Langton’s Classification of ‘Oustanding’ for Half Acre Pinot Noir.
2015 Half Acre – listed as an ‘Australian Icon’ in Gourmet Traveller.
2015 Nat and Rose retire after 40 years. MRE sold to the Sexton family.
A Short History of Main Ridge Estate
Here are some highlights from the past four decades:
1975 Nat and Rose purchased an affordable back block lemon orchard in Red Hill.
1976 Progressive experimental plantings of 7 grape varietals, over 3 hectares.
1978 Flinders Shire approves construction of the Main Ridge Estate winery.
1979 First vintage – 20 litres pressed through a moulis at Nat and Rose’s Mt Eliza home.
1980 First commercial vintage at MRE and first cellar liquor license granted on the Mornington Peninsula.
1981 First release: Pinot Meunier $5.50, Pinot Noir $5.60, Cabernet $6.50.
1983 Early recognition – gold medals at Lilydale Wine Show.
1987 Nat graduates from Charles Sturt, as Bachelor of Wine Science.
1992 MRE wines launched in the UK at a banquet at Harewood House.
2002 Australian Wine Vintages award 5 Gold Stars to MRE Chardonnay
“…among the great wines of the world.”
2007 Qantas selects Main Ridge Estate for first class cabins.
2008 Half Acre recognised as ‘1 in a 100’ by Wine Business Monthly.
2010 Langton’s Classification of ‘Excellent’ awarded to Half Acre Pinot.
2012 Entire 2011 Pinot vintage discarded, failing to meet MRE standard.
2014 Langton’s Classification of ‘Oustanding’ for Half Acre Pinot Noir.
2015 Half Acre – listed as an ‘Australian Icon’ in Gourmet Traveller.
2015 Nat and Rose retire after 40 years. MRE sold to the Sexton family.