MAIN RIDGE ESTATE TEAM
As a small family wine business, we all wear many hats in the vineyard, winery, garden, cellar door and office,
ably supported by a great team of casual staff and contractors.
James Sexton
Winemaker
James completed a commerce degree at The Blue Mountains Hotel School in 2006, and then embarked on a career in leading Sydney restaurants, firstly with the Merivale group, then the renowned Sepia and Oscillate Wildly. In 2011 James was the national Electrolux Young Waiter of the Year. As a sommelier and manager, James gradually developed his wine knowledge. Since commencing as winemaker at Main Ridge Estate in 2015, James has completed a wine science degree at Charles Sturt University.
Tim & Libby Sexton
Owners & Managers
Libby and Tim met at William Angliss College in Melbourne as hotel management students. After moving to London they graduated from the Westminster College Hotel school in 1977. After marriage followed forty-year corporate careers in hospitality and tourism, working in large scale catering, events, international hotels and travel, based in London, Sydney, Korea and Melbourne.
Linda Hodges
Viticulturalist and Assistant Winemaker
Linda commenced working at Main Ridge Estate 20 years ago, and thus has deep knowledge of the property and our winemaking traditions. She holds a Diploma of Wine Technology from Melbourne University’s Dookie College. Linda has been a key contributor to the successful transition of ownership of the MRE business, and is very much part of the family!
Josh Stilwell
Cellar Door Manager
Josh discovered wine whilst studying music in London and Amsterdam. Alongside his orchestral performance career, Josh worked in London’s hospitality industry and in the wine trading business. Since returning to Melbourne, Josh has continued this double life of freelancing throughout Australia as a violist, and working as a sommelier at some of Melbourne’s most respected restaurants. In 2020, he began a wine science degree and in 2021 joined the Main Ridge Estate family.
MAIN RIDGE ESTATE FOUNDERS
Nat and Rosalie White
Nat White is a pioneering Mornington Peninsula wine maker who 48 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 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.
