Returning to Australia in 2004, Mac commenced his own wine label ‘Mac Forbes’, determined to marry some of the old world philosophies adapted to his beloved Yarra Valley. The focus is on single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, exploring how different subregions and vineyards in the Yarra Valley express themselves through naturally crafted Burgundian varieties. There is a lot of history packed into this small, artisanal, cool climate region about 45 minutes east of Melbourne, though Mac thinks we’ve taken too much for granted with the boom in technologically advanced winemaking, and not enough attention paid to the uniqueness of well farmed sites.

Conditions shift as you move through the Yarra. The wines of the warmer lower Yarra display more texture and openness than those of the Upper Yarra, which tend to display greater structure, perfume, and weight. Mac Forbes farms two lower Yarra sites (Gruyere, Coldstream) and four upper Yarra sites (Woori Yallock, Hoddles Creek, Yarra Junction and Wesburn). The Upper Yarra sites are protected from the harsh northerly winds and receive cooling influences from the Great Dividing Range. They have a higher rainfall and are higher in elevation. The typical soil type of the Upper Yarra Valley is a highly friable red volcanic soil. What distinguishes the Upper Yarra Sites, with the exception of Hoddles Creek, is the fact that the soils also comprise of a grey loamy clay overlying siltstone. These grey soils result in wines with far greater weight, drive and nerve.

Mac Forbes wines are imported by Hudson Wine Brokers.

Mac Forbes Pinot noir

Mac’s Pinot’s are always hand harvested, bunch sorted, wild yeast fermented with a small percentage whole bunch included. The wines see 11 months in French oak with minor portion new, and are left unfined and unfiltered.

Mac Forbes Chardonnay

The Chardonnay is made with similar intent as the Pinot noir, though destemmed before pressed into old oak for a natural barrel ferment with a slight touch of So2.