“One of the finest estate wineries in Australia. Main Ridge Estate
is a seriously good producer. Visiting and tasting from the barrels in Nat’s
tiny underground cellar is reminiscent of a Burgundy grower's "cave".
This parallel works in describing his Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which have
a rare finesse and purity to them. They are delicate, restrained, long-living
wines in a classic Burgundy style.”
Huon Hooke. Sydney Morning Herald 8 June 2000.
“My congratulations to Main Ridge on their superb Chardonnay being
accorded Gold Star status with this edition - a tasting of 9 successive vintages
of this exemplary wine demonstrated the extreme quality achieved by this
label, with nary a hint of flatness or inelegance in even the oldest vintages.
Well done that maker!”
...extract from the preface to the 19th. Edition of Robin
Bradley’s Australian Wine Vintages 2002.
Of the tens of thousands of table wines made in Australia today, I have allocated the highest possible Five Star Rating to a mere twenty. These are the benchmarks, the Grand Cru standards – the wines against which all others can be measured.”
Main Ridge Estate Half Acre Pinot Noir is one of these wines and is described as…..
“The most sensual, perfumed and elegant of Victorian pinot noir, this deep, alluring and long-living wine typically builds in structure and depth of flavour with time in the bottle.”
...extract from the Australian Wine Annual 2010 Jeremy Oliver
Chardonnay 2008
As always Nat White produces truly magnificent chardonnay—rich with loads of creamy, leesy texture and yet there’s a certain subtlety and restraint—it’s a yin and yang wine, perfectly balanced. Layers of citrus and lemon curd, fig paste and nectarines flood the mouth, spice notes, roundness partly from incisive oak integration; persistent, excellent length. An addictive drink.
Age Epicure March 2010 Jane Faulkner
Mornington Peninsula winemaker Nat White is renowned for his focused,fine and elegant wines and this chardonnay is no different. A core of excellent fruit , full of fig and stone fruit notes, underscores this savoury and textural wine. Seamlessly integrated oak adds to the palate weight and length, giving complexity from leesy, nutty notes. All is superbly balanced and it is a pleasure to drink.
Age Epicure 7th. March 2009 Jane Faulkner
Like its maker, Nat White, this Mornington Peninsula chardonnay is a charming, understated type, yet there's substance underneath. Its fine harmonious nose is reminiscent of nectarines, with subtle nuttiness in the mix, and a sort of pineapple donut aroma, that's very inviting (really) .The palate is seamless, rich and intense with good underlying structure. Drink over five years.
Age Epicure March 2009 Ralph Kyte- Powell 5 Stars
Half Acre Pinot Noir 2008
Along lived vintage for Half Acre, this is a perfumed red-fruited wine which juxtaposes delicate red cherry and strawberry fruit with firm French oak. Fine grippy tannins are prominent, but the fruit ultimately wins out in the end.
Wine 100 April 2010 Tyson Stelzer 93 points
Half Acre Pinot Noir 2007
Given that Nat and Rosalie White’s Main Ridge Estate at Red Hill is one of the Peninsula’s coolest and oldest sites ( it was established in 1975 ) , it’s a testament to the couple’s vision and persistence that their pinot noir ranks amongst the very best in Australia. With its purity of fruit, subtle spices and overall balance, this is classic, cool-climate pinot at its best.
Australian Financial Review May 2009 Phillip Rich
A heady perfume of violets, red flowers and fresh dark berries, juicy plums and forest floor backed by complex suggestions of pepper,musky spices and suede leather.Sumptuous and forward, intensely concentrated and vibrant, it’s somehow almost ethereal in the lightness of its impact on the palate, with a sappy, genuinely luscious but silky texture underpinned by smooth, fine grained tannins. It finishes with exemplary length and persistence.
The Australian Wine Annual 2010 Jeremy Oliver 96 / 100
A regular on Qantas 1st. Class, fruit in the raspberry / mulberry and dark cherry spectrum but no plum.
Australian Wine Vintages 2010 Robert Geddes 96 / 100
Deeper colour than usual; a totally delicious array of vibrant red fruits with fine-grained, spicy tannins adding appropriate authority; great balance and length.
Australian Wine Companion 2010 James Halliday 96 / 100
….showed terrific promise tasted in barrel in Jan. 2008. Tastes of the finished wine in February and May this year (2009) confirm it as one of the finest ever made in Australia, in my opinion – a silky, succulent, fine – boned wine of rare dimension, with the capacity to age for many years.
Sunday Canberra Times May 2009 Chris Shanahan.
2007 The Acre Pinot Noir
Supple and flavoursome, this forward , medium -weighted pinot has a pretty spicy perfume whose fresh cherry, raspberry and sweetly oaked aromas are lifted by musky, floral scents and backed by nuances of dried earth and meatiness. Smooth and soft, it’s supple and silky, with a delightfully fresh presence of dark cherries, berries and plums with lingering savoury finish of earthy, herbal, meaty and spicy nuances.
The Australian Wine Annual 2010 Jeremy Oliver 91 / 100