McKellar Ridge Estate is a boutique winery and vineyard producing premium award-winning handcrafted wines that exhibit the unique characteristics of the Canberra cool-climate region: fresh fruit flavours, distinctive spiciness, crisp acidity. Husband and wife team John and Marina Sekoranja are the winemakers and owners of this highly regarded winery who are passionate in their pursuit to craft exceptionally elegant wines of distinction.
History
McKellar Ridge Wines was established in 2005 by Dr Brian Johnston and his wife Janet Johnson and quickly became highly regarded in the Canberra region, winning many local and national awards. Janet is a talented Canberra watercolour artist with purchasable works exhibited in the winery cellar door,
John & Marina - Winemakers
John and Marina have always shared a passion for wine. However, it was while visiting relatives in Slovenia that John had a life-changing epiphany. While admiring the family vineyard, John’s father lamented how he was forced to abandon the business due to the outbreak of World War II. At that moment John realised his destiny: to re-establish the family tradition of wine production. A few years later that dream became a reality. John resigned from the corporate world and Marina, an Accredited Practising Dietitian, stepped back from her health and medical practises and together they embarked on a passionate journey into wine making. They are completing their Bachelor of Wine Science, planted a new vineyard, designing a new cellar door and embracing all aspects of the winemaking industry.
Our Wines and winemaking
Our wines reflect our wine philosophy - pure fruit expression, minimal intervention, exceptional quality.
Our wines are made from our McKellar Ridge Estate low yielding mature vines and carefully chosen from premium quality vineyards within the Canberra District. All fruit is handpicked at the precise time to ensure optimal ripeness.
The white wines are lightly pressed and cool-fermented in stainless steel vats, the reds open-fermented, hand plunged daily before basket pressing and transfer to quality French Oak barrels for maturation.
As winemakers, our role is to apply best practice standards with minimal intervention. This ensures wines maintain varietal integrity and good aging structure. The quality of McKellar Ridge wines is reflected in the multiple medals awarded and consistently high-scoring reviews.