Passing of Mornington Peninsula Wine pioneer

We sadly record the passing of one of the Peninsula’s finest winemakers who was a pioneer of the local wine industry – Nat White.

Nat and Rosalie White established Main Ridge Estate in 1975 after they visited Château Pommard in Burgundy in the 60’s and they were inspired to purchase an old lemon orchard in 1975 at Red Hill, and planted vines the following year. The first commercial release was in 1981, with three wines from the 1980 vintage, a pinot meunier, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon.

Those first plantings consisted of seven varieties, with, much like the rest of the Peninsula, pinot noir and chardonnay eventually eclipsing lesser performers, like cabernet, with the most celebrated wines being their ‘Acre’ and ‘Half Acre’ pinots.

In the meantime, the vines flourished while Nat undertook studies in viticulture and oenology.  Nat and father-in-law -Gwyn set up the Mornington Peninsula Vignerons Association.

Nat was a legend and mentor 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.

Nat was a quiet, gentle man whose experience and knowledge he was happy to share with colleagues in the wine industry.

In 2017 Nat was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his services to the wine industry and in that year the family sold Main Ridge Estate to the Sexton family who continue the tradition.