welcome to macforbes

Ever since I worked my first vintage at the age of 18 in France, I was challenged and engrossed by what it takes to make wines that stand the test of time and that are unique to a place.

By the end of 2004, I had returned home from Europe to the Yarra Valley convinced we were only scratching the surface in terms of expression and potential. Sub-regions were dismissed and winemaking was the most important part of a wine.

Fast-forward to 2012 and we are still here working harder than ever but with a few changes in place. Today sub-regionality is broadly accepted and vineyards and their practices are discussed in equal measure with winemaking practices. Things are pretty exciting here in the Yarra.

Thankfully I am no longer making the wines solo. Over the last years, we have assembled a crack team including Dylan Grigg (Viticulturalist), Stuart Dudine (Winemaker) and Ben Craig (vineyard manager). Today we are both grapegrower and winemaker, responsible for a handful of vineyard sites that we lease with our winery located in Healesville.

Our philosophy is simple; to care for the land and plants to maximise plant and fruit health. By achieving this in the vineyard, winemaking becomes a lot more about respect and care resulting in wines that convey both region and variety with clarity and detail.