Main Ridge Estate

Planted in 1975, Main Ridge Estate is one of the oldest vineyards and wineries on the Mornington Peninsula. Despite this, it’s resisted the temptation to expand for the sake of expansion and remains a small-scale family operation.

The family in question is the Sextons, who bought Main Ridge Estate in 2015 from founders Nat and Rosalie White. Son James Sexton was previously a sommelier at high-powered Sydney restaurants including Sepia and Oscillate Wildly – now he’s making wine as well as pouring it. His parents Tim and Libby otherwise run the place.

In keeping with most of the Mornington Peninsula, Main Ridge’s main output is excellent chardonnay and pinot noir, but pinot meunier has also been grown here since the early days.

After a wine tasting, the estate’s country-style restaurant, The Larder, serves a set lunch menu worth sticking around for. You might begin with snacks such as marinated Main Ridge olives, hummus with pine nuts and sumac, and seared baby chorizo with roasted vine tomatoes. Then it’s a choice of three main dishes to share – think Fraser Island spanner crab pasties with aioli, grilled lamb loin with tzatziki and a med salad, or a selection of local cheeses.

If you’re here a little later, sundowner drinks and snacks are served from 3pm–5pm. Order some cheese or a tapas board and nab a spot on the small umbrella-shaded patio. It offers serene vineyard views, and is absolutely where you want to be at golden hour.