Warwick Ross
Vigneron/Proprietor
Warwick Ross established his reputation as a film producer with some of Australia’s most popular and successful feature films – most recently, the multi award-winning wine documentaries “Red Obsession”, and “Blind Ambition”. He also holds an Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Melbourne.
While this may be an unusual background for a Vigneron, Warwick’s establishment of the Portsea Estate vineyard and label in 2000 was a natural progression for him given his love of Burgundian wines and the recognition that the unique free draining limestone and calcareous sand that lay beneath the protected, north facing slopes, provided the perfect and highly sought after terroir for producing classic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines.
The business of Portsea Estate is very much a family affair, with Warwick’s wife, Margot involved in all aspects of the estate and their son, Will, now running the business.
Warwick and Margot recently added to Portsea Estate’s original 90 acre site at Portsea with the acquisition of a 25 acre vineyard, only 30 minutes away, at Main Ridge, to complement the single vineyard Portsea wines.
Warwick continues to produce both wine and films.
William Ross
Proprietor
Will Ross completed his first vintage at Portsea Estate in 2015 and joined the team full time as General Manager in 2019, taking the Ross family’s management of Portsea Estate into the second generation
Prior to Will’s appointment at Portsea Estate, he completed his Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne then went on to KPMG where he was an Analyst/Consultant. Inevitably, however, Will shifted his sights to the world of wine and moved to the wine capital of the world, Bordeaux, France. There he undertook his Wine MBA, graduating first in his cohort and developing a keen passion for wine.
Growing up with his Grandfather Ted’s stories of adventure in the Far East during WWII, and his own experience as an Exchange student in Japan, Will found himself drawn to the Far East, working with French wine label “Pont des Arts”, the creation of Thibault Pontallier (Chateau Margaux) and Arthur De Villepin.
After two years in Hong Kong and Shanghai with Pont des Arts, Will co-founded the wine company “Inviniti”, importing Italian and Australian wines into China.
Will returned to Australia to run Portsea Estate Wines in January 2019. He hopes to grow the brand whilst maintaining its authenticity as a boutique family owned producer.
Matt Lugg
Winemaker/Vineyard Manager
Matt Lugg joined Portsea estate as Winemaker and Viticulturalist in 2021. Having obtained a Bachelor of Wine Science from Charles Sturt University in New South Wales and Bachelor of Environments (Architecture) at the University of Melbourne, Matt started working on the Mornington Peninsula at Stonier Wines in 2012 and was appointed assistant winemaker in 2015.
Matt has also worked vintages in Burgundy (where in 2018 he was vintage winemaker at Chateau de Chamilly), the Rhone Valley in 2013-14 (at Domaine Roche) and in Australia at Stonier, Tyrrell’s and Clyde Park.
Matt is passionate about environmental and soil health and embraces regenerative agriculture philosophies across both our Portsea Vineyard and Main Ridge Vineyard.
