Canonical: https://peninsulainsider.com.au/wine/main-ridge-estate/ Publisher: Peninsula Insider Published: unknown Modified: unknown Format: public main text, generated from the canonical page; imagery and interactive controls omitted. Dates and caveats below retain their page meaning; this format is not a new fact check. [Wine Country]() Winery [Main Ridge]() Red Hill # Main Ridge Estate Planted in 1975 by Nat and Rosalie White, the Peninsula's founding vineyard, still making restrained Pinot and Chardonnay from the original blocks. Known for Planted 1975 by Nat White Peninsula's First Vineyard Half Acre Pinot Noir Tim Shand Winemaker [Book a tasting]() +61 3 5989 2686 **By appointment.** This producer doesn't take walk-ins. Call +61 3 5989 2686 to arrange a visit. Main Ridge Estate · Main Ridge Why we’d go Main Ridge Estate is the vineyard that started it all, planted in 1975 when nobody in Victoria quite believed cool-climate Pinot could be taken seriously. Main Ridge Estate is the vineyard that started it all. Nat and Rosalie White planted the first vines up here in 1975 when nobody in Victoria quite believed cool-climate Pinot could be taken seriously, and the property remains a pilgrimage for anyone who cares about how the Peninsula wine region actually came to be. The cellar door is small, the tasting room sits in a quiet bush setting on top of the ridge, and the wines, Chardonnay from the Half Acre and Three Quarter Acre blocks, Pinot Noir from the Half Acre, still hold to the restrained, structured, long-lived style the Whites established four decades ago. The kitchen runs a short lunch menu Friday through Sunday, built around the wines rather than competing with them. There is no attempt to turn the place into a wedding venue or sculpture park; this is a working estate where the founders are still quietly in residence and the wines are bottled under Tim Shand's exacting hand. Go mid-week in winter if you want the quietest tasting. Order the Half Acre Pinot with a cheese plate and an hour to yourself. Worth knowing **Best for** Cellar door visits · Wine lovers · Couples · Food lovers If you only do one thing Go mid-week in winter, order the Half Acre Pinot Noir with a cheese plate, and take your time. Works well with La Baracca at T'Gallant · Johnny Ripe Filed under Cellar Door Fireplace Weekend Escape Worth The Drive All Year Couples Solo Winemaker James Sexton Varieties Pinot Noir Chardonnay Pinot Gris Pinot Meunier Worth seeking 'The Acre' Pinot Noir At a glance **Type** Winery **Location** 80 William Rd, Red Hill VIC 3937 · [Directions]() **Call** +61 3 5989 2686 **Awards** Planted 1975 - The Peninsula's Original Vineyard · James Halliday 5-Red-Star Winery **Website** [mre.com.au]() **Directions** [Get directions]() **Opening hours** - Fri to Sun 11am–5pm - Mon to Thu Closed **Live status** [Check current hours →]() **Winemaker** James Sexton **Tasting fee** Charged **Booking** Required **Halliday** [Halliday listing]() [Book now]() Editor's verdict Main Ridge Estate is where the Mornington Peninsula wine story begins. Nat and Rosalie White planted the first vines in 1975; the first commercial vintage came in 1980. The Sexton family now stewards the property, and The Acre and Half Acre Pinot Noir continue to be two of the most recognisable bottles in Peninsula wine. This is a pilgrimage stop for anyone serious about the region's history. ## Visiting Bookings required via the estate reservation system (including for dogs). Open Friday–Sunday 11am–5pm, tastings until 4pm. Tastings cover a selection of 6 wines, charged per person. **Booking required.** [Reserve a tasting]() ## The wines **Key varieties:** Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Meunier. **Worth seeking out:** 'The Acre' Pinot Noir. ## The Kitchen Seasonal shared plates and casual lunch on weekend days. Head Chef Ben Lydford. Unpretentious produce-driven menu. **Cuisine:** Modern Australian. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does Main Ridge Estate take walk-ins or do you need to book? Bookings are required via the estate reservation system, including for dogs. Open Friday–Sunday, 11am–5pm. ### Does Main Ridge Estate have a restaurant? Yes - The Kitchen serves seasonal shared plates and casual lunch on weekends. No current Good Food Guide hat. ### Are dogs allowed at Main Ridge Estate? Confirmed yes - well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome in the outdoor deck area, but must be pre-booked via the reservation system. Not sure how to build a day around Main Ridge Estate? [Search Peninsula Insider]() In the journal ## Stories that mention Main Ridge Estate These pieces give you the context a listing page never does - the when, the why, and the who-it’s-for. [Journal →]() Service 6 min ### [What to Do in Red Hill This Weekend: The Saturday Plan]() 8 April 2026 A ridge morning, one properly chosen cellar door, and a lunch that earns the drive. The clearest version of a Red Hill Saturday. Cellar Door Dispatch 6 min ### [The Cellar Door Short List: Four Producers Worth the Stop]() 6 April 2026 Not the biggest estates, not the flashiest rooms. The four Peninsula cellar doors where the wines - and the people pouring them - actually change how you think about the region. More to explore ## Other wine experiences to compare [Back to Wine Country →]() Winery [Red Hill]() ### [Avani Wines]() 98 Stanleys Road, Red Hill South VIC 3937 Shashi and Rohit Singh's biodynamic family estate, one of the Peninsula's only serious Syrah programs alongside the Amrit single-vineyard range. cellar door slow [Read notes]() Winery [Merricks]() ### [Baillieu Vineyard]() 51 Stanleys Rd, Merricks VIC 3916 A thoughtfully managed Merricks estate making elegant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that rewards the drive to find it. cellar door slow [Read notes]() [Book]() Winery [Moorooduc]() ### [Barmah Park Vineyard]() 3007 Frankston-Flinders Rd, Moorooduc VIC 3933 A rustic, intimate cellar door running a five-wine, five-canape pairing from a hatted-standard kitchen, the most structured tasting format on the Peninsula. cellar door long lunch [Read notes]() Build a day around this ## Planning guides that include Main Ridge Estate Peninsula Insider guides that put this stop into the context of a full day or weekend. [Peninsula weekend itinerary →]() [Cellar door shortlist →]() [Self-drive winery tour →]() [Winter on the Peninsula →]() Keep this for later [← Part of Main Ridge - view the destination guide]() Is this your business? [Manage this listing]() Something wrong on this page, or is this your business? [Tell us what to fix]() and you get a case reference back. corrections@peninsulainsider.com.au reaches the same desk. ## The Insider Note The Peninsula worth knowing. An occasional email. What's on, where we'd go and what's worth knowing next. Independent editorial. Sent when there is something worth knowing. Unsubscribe any time [Privacy]()