Mac Forbes Winery

What Mac Forbes Winery does

Mac Forbes Wines is a privately held, founder-led winery established in 2004 and headquartered at 770 Healesville Koo Wee Rup Road in Healesville, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia. The company produces premium cool-climate wines—primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, alongside Riesling from the Strathbogie Ranges, Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux-style blends (Hugh range), and experimental small-batch releases (EB range)—under a tiered portfolio of Single Vineyard, Village, and regional Yarra wines. Production is anchored by six directly-managed vineyard sites spanning the Woori Yallock, Hoddles Creek, Gladysdale, Don Valley, Healesville, and Yarra Junction subregions, farmed using regenerative practices, dry farming (since 2015), soft pruning, and minimal-intervention winemaking with old-oak maturation and whole-bunch fermentation. Since the 2019 vintage, all Single Vineyard wines must be sourced from vineyards the company farms directly.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer sales via an online store and a mailing-list allocation system, subscription services (Seasonal Subscription, Good Dirt Club), a structured Australian distributor network across all six states/territories (VIC, SA, QLD, NSW/ACT, WA, TAS), and international exports to twelve-plus countries including the UK, France, Denmark, Japan, USA, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Hospitality is delivered through an owned urban cellar door, Graceburn Wine Room & Bistro in Healesville, plus private cellar-door tastings and release dinners in Melbourne and Sydney. The company is bootstrapped with no external funding rounds, owned by founder Mac Forbes, and operates with a small core team of approximately nine employees including winemakers Hannah Maltby and Thomas New and viticulturist Owen Littlejohns.

Name

Mac Forbes Winery

Legal name

Mac Forbes Wines

Website

https://macforbes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mac Forbes Wines is a privately held Yarra Valley winery producing premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and experimental wines from six owned vineyard sites, sold via mailing-list allocation, subscriptions, distributors across Australia, and exports to 12+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Alcohol Subscription & Wine Clubs (Retail) (CRANABAF), Organic Vineyard & Wine Grape Farming (AFAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Single vineyard wines
• Yarra Valley wines
• Regenerative viticulture
• Minimal intervention winemaking
• Premium wine production

Headquarters

HQ city

Healesville

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer wine sales through online store with wines released via mailing list allocation. Single Vineyard wines released annually in May, Village wines in July, Yarra Valley wines in February, Rieslings in November, Experimental Batch in Summer, Hugh range in Winter.
2. Wholesale/Trade: Wholesale distribution to restaurants and bottle shops across Australia through regional distributors and internationally through export partners.
3. Cellar Door/Tastings: Winery tastings by appointment only, occasional events including BBQs during harvest, release dinners in Melbourne and Sydney.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mac Forbes Wines is a Yarra Valley winery that produces premium single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet blends, Riesling, and experimental wines from six directly farmed vineyard sites, using regenerative and dry farming practices. The winery sells directly to consumers through a mailing list allocation system and online store, distributes wholesale to Australian restaurants and bottle shops, exports to 12+ countries, and operates subscription wine clubs plus the Graceburn Wine Room & Bistro urban cellar door in Healesville.

Product overview

Mac Forbes Winery is a Yarra Valley wine producer offering a portfolio of premium wines across multiple tiers. The core offering includes Single Vineyard wines (small-batch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from individually farmed sites), Village wines (sub-regional expressions), Yarra wines (regional blends), Riesling from Strathbogie Ranges, Experimental Batch wines (innovative styles), and Hugh Cabernets & Merlot (Bordeaux-inspired). The company supplements direct sales with subscription services (Seasonal Subscription, Good Dirt Club) and hospitality experiences (Graceburn WineRoom & Bistro, private cellar door tastings).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Graceburn Wine Room & Bistro: Urban cellar door and wine bar located in Healesville, operated by Mac Forbes Wines for tastings and bistro dining from Thursday-Monday

Products and services

• Single Vineyard Wines Premium small-batch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from individually farmed vineyards in the Yarra Valley, with each wine bearing the vineyard name and focusing on soils, microclimate, and regenerative farming to reveal site identity. Targeted at wine collectors and enthusiasts.
• Village Wines Wines honouring the diversity of Yarra Valley sub-regions, bridging the gap between Single Vineyard micro-detail and broader regional expression; incorporates parcels from both farmed and partner grower vineyards. Targeted at wine drinkers seeking sub-regional character.
• Yarra Wines Regional Yarra Valley wines comprising fruit from vineyards across all sections of the Valley, built on generous fruit character and plusher structure. Targeted at broader wine consumers seeking regional Yarra Valley blends.
• Riesling (RS Range) Riesling wines from the Strathbogie Ranges including Spring Riesling and RS (residual sugar) wines from Avenel and Caveat vineyards at 530-600m elevation, with laser-like focus from granite soils. Targeted at Riesling enthusiasts.
• Experimental Batch (EB) Fun and daring wines exploring unusual or unknown styles, including alternative varieties and unconventional winemaking techniques such as EB37 'Tasty Locals' Vermouth (March 2018). Targeted at adventurous wine drinkers.
• Hugh Cabernets & Merlot Emotive range reminiscent of Yarra Valley formative years, comprising a Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend and occasional Merlot from exceptional vintages. Targeted at consumers seeking Bordeaux-style Yarra Valley expressions.
• Seasonal Subscription

Quantifiable outcome

• All Single Vineyard wines laid down minimum 15 months in bottle prior to release, ensuring wines are ready for extended aging
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Danielle Rock (VIC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVictoria-based distributor handling Mac Forbes wine sales in Victoria region
• Stephen Vinsentin (SA - Vardon Lane)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth Australia distributor through Vardon Lane
• Naked Bunch (QLD)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQueensland distributor - Naked Bunch
• Dom Coulton (NSW/ACT)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew South Wales and ACT distributor
• Liquid Library (WA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWestern Australia distributor - Liquid Library
• Solid Liquids (TAS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTasmania distributor - Solid Liquids
• CIBIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapanese food and lifestyle store that partners with Mac Forbes for wine dinners and events at CIBI Grocer Coffee Bar in Collingwood
• Erik KoelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanadian-born chef and Healesville local who leads the Graceburn Bistro kitchen with seasonally-led, unpretentious dishes paired with Mac Forbes wines

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Giant Steps: Premium Yarra Valley producer focused on single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from notable subregions. Direct peer in philosophy, product mix, and price positioning to Mac Forbes.
• TarraWarra Estate: Yarra Valley winery producing estate-grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet with on-site restaurant and gallery. Comparable as a premium Yarra Valley single-estate producer with hospitality diversification.
• Coldstream Hills: Yarra Valley winery specialising in single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, originally founded by James Halliday. Comparable producer in region, grape focus, and tiered portfolio structure.
• Oakridge Wines: Yarra Valley winery with a single-vineyard range and on-premise restaurant. Comparable in premium sub-regional Pinot Noir/Chardonnay focus and DTC hospitality model (Oakridge Restaurant).
• Yarra Yering: Iconic small-batch Yarra Valley winery producing premium single-vineyard wines, particularly Cabernet blends and Chardonnay. Highly comparable to Mac Forbes in sub-regional focus, premium positioning, and limited-production allocation model.
• Mount Mary Vineyard: Boutique Yarra Valley estate focused on single-site, terroir-driven Cabernet blends, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. Comparable to Mac Forbes as a premium, low-intervention, family-scaled Yarra Valley producer.

Emerging players

• Jasper Hill: Boutique single-vineyard producer in Heathcote (Victoria) focused on low-intervention, terroir-expressive Shiraz and Rhône varieties. Comparable as a small, family-run, low-intervention premium Australian winery.
• Timo Mayer: Small-batch Yarra Valley producer focused on minimal-intervention, whole-bunch Pinot Noir, Shiraz, and Cabernet from single sites. Strong philosophical and stylistic parallel to Mac Forbes.

Broad incumbents

• De Bortoli: Large family-owned Australian wine producer with a significant Yarra Valley portfolio alongside Riverina/Rutherglen operations. Comparable as a Yarra Valley producer but at far greater scale and broader portfolio.
• Penfolds (Treasury Wine Estates): Australia's flagship wine brand with a multi-region portfolio including Yarra Valley contributions. Comparable premium positioning but at vastly greater scale, distribution, and marketing budget.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/mac_forbes_wines
• Facebookfacebook.com/MacForbesWines
• Instagraminstagram.com/mac_forbes_wines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mac-forbes-winery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mac Forbes Winery