Mac Forbes

The Climb

The trajectory of Mac Forbes Wines is one of steady deepening rather than sudden rise. Since 2004, Forbes has held both owner and winemaker roles, and the years since have added detail to his relationship with the Yarra Valley. The work avoids fixed formula; instead, it reads as an ongoing inquiry shaped by vineyard, soil, climate, intuition, and restraint. The result is a style that stays grounded in place and measured in execution.

Today

Since 2004, Forbes has remained both owner and winemaker at the Yarra Valley winery, keeping winegrowing focused on reading place rather than forcing an idea onto it. That outlook is sharpened by another producer who has influenced his thinking: “Dirk Niepoort has influenced my vision and focus.” Curiosity and discipline sit together in the present-day practice, with the nuances of a unique landscape kept at the center.

Signature

Mac's signature wines include Ferguson Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ferguson Vineyard Chardonnay, Black label, Single Vineyard Pinot and Chardonnays, and Hugh. Together, these wines define a house style that is precise and site-aware, with each vineyard and variety given room to speak clearly. They are the wines through which the winery’s identity is most clearly expressed, and they map the Yarra Valley through named sites and specific bottlings.

In Their Words “In creating Mac Forbes Wines back in 2004, there was a clear purpose to better understand and connect with where I am from.”

Recognition

Forbes describes the first two decades of the winery as groundwork rather than arrival. “For us at least, the first 20 years has been about laying the foundations.” The line fits the tempo of the enterprise: measured, cumulative, and built on what can only be established over time. Mac Forbes Wines reads as an ongoing expression of patience, locality, and the long view.