Naturalness Is What I Live For
Mac Forbes is one of Australia's most exciting and intellectually rigorous winemakers — a perfectionist driven by a relentless curiosity about place, texture, and the limits of what wine can be. [^367^] Born and raised in the Yarra Valley, with parents who picked grapes for the legendary John Middleton at Mount Mary, Mac grew up drinking Quintet on special occasions. [^367^] But it wasn't until he left Australia for Europe in 1993 that wine captured him. He ran out of money in the south of France during vintage, found work in vineyards and cellars, and fell in love with the culture of harvest — the people, the shared purpose, the excitement. [^389^] He electrocuted himself twice and nearly died of carbon dioxide poisoning in underground tanks — an inauspicious start to what would become a brilliant career. [^389^] Back in Australia, he studied winemaking at Melbourne University, then cut his teeth at Mount Mary under Dr John Middleton — "the late great" — where he learned the framework for sustainable, passionate, small-scale winemaking. [^386^] [^367^] In 2002, he left for Europe again — three years as winemaker/ambassador for Southcorp, stints in Portugal and Austria, and a transformative period with Dirk Niepoort in the Douro, where he absorbed the concept of elegance in powerful wine. [^367^] In 2004, he returned to the Yarra Valley to create his own label with a clear purpose: to better understand and connect with where he is from. [^368^] Today, Mac makes eight different Pinot Noirs from across the Yarra, plus Riesling from the Strathbogie Ranges, Chardonnay, Syrah, and experimental cuvées that push the boundaries of what Australian wine can be. [^367^] He picks much earlier than almost anyone else — at 11.5–12.5% potential alcohol — seeking texture, tension, and the best expression of each site. [^367^] His team includes winemaker Tony Fikkers and viticulturist Dylan Grigg, though Mac owns the company outright and remains the driving force. [^367^]
From Quintet to Carbon Dioxide Poisoning
Mac Forbes didn't grow up with a passion for vines. He grew up in the Yarra Valley, yes — his parents helped pick grapes for John Middleton at Mount Mary — but wine was background noise, not a calling. [^389^] [^393^] It was the south of France in 1993 that changed everything. Mac had jumped on a plane to Europe, travelled until the money ran out, and found himself in Gaillac during harvest season. [^389^] He worked in vineyards and cellars, electrocuted himself twice, nearly died of CO2 poisoning in underground concrete tanks, and discovered that what he loved was not the physical labour but the culture around it — the people drawn from around the world, the shared excitement of vintage, the rich fabric of harvest. [^389^]
Back in Australia, he enrolled in winemaking at Melbourne University but was "quickly bored out of his brains." [^389^] After some prodding from his parents, he explored the wine industry more broadly — marketing, PR, wine education, winemaking. He worked at Mount Mary under Dr John Middleton, where he learned the framework for what he still believes is sustainable: the right size to remain passionate. [^367^] "Mount Mary provided the basis and framework for what I think can be sustainable," Mac says. "It's the right size to remain passionate." [^367^]
In 2002, Mac left for Europe again. He spent three years as winemaker/ambassador for Southcorp in London, did stints in Portugal and Austria, and spent transformative time with Dirk Niepoort in the Douro Valley. [^367^] Niepoort's Charme — a Pinot Noir-inspired wine from Douro grapes with ultra-short maceration — became the inspiration for Mac's EBL Pinot Noir. [^367^] "It stayed orange for two years and I was expecting to put it down the drain," Mac recalls. "But the wine picked up colour during its long stay in barrel. It goes against what we think we know. Anyone who thinks they know all the answers is a long way from making interesting wine." [^367^]
In 2004, Mac returned to the Yarra Valley to create Mac Forbes Wines. The purpose was clear: "to better understand and connect with where I am from." [^368^] The more he discovered, the more he realised there was still to learn. Today, he is driven by curiosity and a passion for the nuances of the Yarra Valley — a place he believes has massive untapped potential. [^368^]
"Anyone who thinks they know all the answers is a long way from making interesting wine."
— Mac Forbes
Six Sites, Six Stories — Woori Yallock to Strathbogie
Mac Forbes sources fruit from eight Yarra Valley vineyards — seven of which his team manages directly, and one where they liaise with the viticulturist — plus the cool-climate Strathbogie Ranges for his Riesling. [^367^] Each site is chosen for its unique expression of place, and each contributes a distinct voice to the portfolio.
Woori Yallock is home to the Ferguson Vineyard — the iconic site that produces some of Mac's most celebrated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. [^368^] Planted in 1995 and leased by Mac since 2012, it sits at 100–145 metres above sea level on grey loamy clay soils with overlying siltstone. [^368^] [^370^] The wines from Woori Yallock have recognisable structure and are built for extended ageing — "a site that results in recognisable structure that sets wines up perfectly for extended aging." [^368^]
Hoddles Creek provides the Spear Gully Vineyard — Mac's only site with volcanic red soils, very deep with high nutrient load. [^368^] The wines here are more open in structure, with exquisite line and purity. [^368^] Gladysdale — the Little Yarra Vineyard at 202 metres elevation — is one of the coolest areas, but the north-facing aspect captures what Mac describes as "pure sunlight." [^368^] Grey loam, clay and mudstone soils give wines of perfume and structure that will continue to evolve as the vines mature.
The Don Valley project on the south-facing slopes of Mt Toolebewong was 14 years in the making. [^396^] [^397^] A 30-year lease signed in 2017 on a 4-hectare property at 250 metres elevation, with protection from northerly winds and a range of rocks including sedimentary and volcanic. [^396^] It is where Mac planted Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Nebbiolo in 2017 — varieties he believes have enormous potential in this cool, sheltered site. [^396^] The first Don Valley Chenin Blanc from 2024 was, in Mac's words, "UNBELIEVABLE." [^408^]
Yarra Junction is the newest project — still in the planning phase, but with high hopes for mitigating climate change and future-proofing Mac Forbes Wines. [^368^] And then there is the Strathbogie Ranges — the source of Mac's Riesling, from a cooler site on the western side of the ranges that produces wines of pure fruit, texture, and vibrant acidity. [^394^]
Mac is obsessed with soil health. He uses mulches and cover crops to protect the soil from extreme heat — "If the air temperature is 42°C, the soil on exposed earth is 60°C, but by this insulation we are keeping temperatures below 40°C." [^367^] He works closely with the Wurundjeri people, drawing on 50,000 years of Indigenous knowledge about the land. [^368^]
Planted 1995, leased since 2012. [^370^] Grey loamy clay with overlying siltstone. [^368^] The iconic site for Mac's most structured Pinot Noir and Chardonnay — wines built for long ageing and serious contemplation. Recognisable structure that sets the wines apart.
Mac's only site with volcanic red soils — very deep, high nutrient load. [^368^] Produces wines that are more open in structure, with exquisite line and purity. The volcanic influence gives a distinct mineral character not found at other sites.
One of the coolest areas in the Yarra Valley, but the north-facing aspect captures "pure sunlight." [^368^] Grey loam, clay and mudstone soils. As the vines mature, this site promises increasing perfume and structure — a vineyard with a bright future.
14 years in the making. [^397^] 4 hectares on south-facing slopes, 250m elevation, protection from northerly winds, sedimentary and volcanic rocks. [^396^] Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Nebbiolo planted 2017. [^396^] The 2024 Chenin Blanc harvest was "UNBELIEVABLE." [^408^] A site for the future.
Pure Basics, Early Picking & Élevage
Mac Forbes's winemaking is defined by a radical commitment to naturalness and a deep understanding of élevage — the French concept of "bringing a wine up" slowly in barrel. [^367^] "Naturalness is what I live for," he says. "So many times we could intervene, but I've achieved the most elation when we don't do anything." [^367^] He does not add yeasts or nutrients, avoids adding acid where possible, and does not pick on analysis — he picks on flavour, and he is not afraid of greenness in the seeds. [^367^]
The most striking aspect of Mac's approach is his picking window. He harvests at 11.5–12.5% potential alcohol — far earlier than almost any other Australian producer. [^367^] This is not about making light wine; it is about capturing acidity, tension, and texture at the expense of overt fruit ripeness. "We have no problem with getting fruit flavours in Australia," he says, "so it is about the other components. I'm looking at the best expression of the site." [^367^]
Everything Mac makes goes into barrels. He slows the process down, allowing oxidative handling early on, which makes the wines oxygen-stable and gives them a unique savoury, evolved character even when young. [^367^] The Pinot Noirs see extended time on lees. The Chardonnays are wild-fermented, unfined, unfiltered, and aged in old oak. [^366^] The Rieslings are made in a range of styles — from bone-dry to off-dry — with skin contact and extended ageing that pushes them far beyond typical Australian Riesling conventions. [^367^]
Mac's perfectionism is legendary. He shares a drive for complexity and elegance at all costs with his mentor Dirk Niepoort — and a willingness to try things that conventional wisdom says will not work. [^367^] The EBL Pinot Noir — foot-stomped for six hours, pressed after 24 hours, then aged for two years during which it stayed orange before mysteriously picking up colour — is the perfect example. [^367^] "It just shows that there is so much we don't know, which is so bloody exciting," he says. [^367^]
The EBL Experiment
The EBL Pinot Noir is Mac's most radical experiment — and his most instructive. Inspired by Dirk Niepoort's Charme from the Douro, it involves ultra-short maceration: foot-stomping for six hours, pressing after 24 hours, then long élevage in barrel. [^367^] "It stayed orange for two years and I was expecting to put it down the drain," Mac recalls. [^367^] But during its 24 months on lees, the wine slowly picked up colour and dark fruit characters emerged. [^367^] The result is a Pinot Noir that defies everything we think we know about extraction, colour, and time — pale cherry red, aromatic, elegant, with a refined structure that Jamie Goode called "a thrilling wine." [^367^] It is a wine that proves the limits of winemaking knowledge are far further out than most dare to push — and Mac Forbes is happy to keep pushing.
Still the Kid in the Playground
Mac Forbes is now 21 harvests into his own label, but he still believes "we need a few more years to really become resilient as a business." [^396^] That is the humility of someone who understands that wine is not a sprint — it is a lifelong apprenticeship to the land. "Just how humbling this caper is when you need decades to really understand your own backyard," he says. [^396^]
The team at Mac Forbes Wines is small and tight-knit: Mac, winemaker Tony Fikkers, viticulturist Dylan Grigg, and a handful of passionate people who share the vision. [^367^] [^396^] Mac owns the company outright — a deliberate choice to maintain control and passion. "It's the right size to remain passionate," he says, echoing what he learned at Mount Mary. [^367^]
Mac's view on the Australian wine sector is clear: "Let's not get caught in a race to the bottom as we can't win on price but we can on stories, on wine quality and our people." [^396^] He believes emotion and people are how wine should be sold and promoted. For the UK market, he advocates focusing on regions rather than the state — "our reinforcement of these premium regions that all have such strong DNA is critical to the messaging." [^396^]
The future of Mac Forbes Wines is as open-ended as its past. New plantings at Don Valley and Yarra Junction will mature. The Chenin Blanc and Nebbiolo experiments will evolve. The eight Pinot Noirs will continue to express their individual sites with ever-increasing clarity. And Mac will keep picking early, intervening less, and searching for texture — because, as he puts it, "there is still so much to achieve and learn. It's frantic. It's considered. And thankfully it's still tonnes of fun." [^368^]
"I want to go back to pure basics."
— Mac Forbes
The Mac Forbes Range
Mac Forbes produces a diverse, site-specific portfolio that spans eight distinct Pinot Noirs from across the Yarra Valley, Riesling from the Strathbogie Ranges, Chardonnay, Syrah, and experimental cuvées that push the boundaries of Australian wine. All wines are made with wild yeast, minimal intervention, no fining, no filtering, and extended élevage in old oak. The style is elegant, textural, and deliberately low in alcohol — picking at 11.5–12.5% potential alcohol captures acidity, tension, and savoury complexity rather than overt fruit. [^367^] Prices are approximate and vary by market.