Ringer Reef began with Annie and Bruce Holm and a search for the right place to grow grapes and make their own wine. After many years in large-scale wine production, Bruce wanted to handcraft premium wines on a smaller scale. In 1996, he and Annie found a 35-hectare property in Porepunkah, with deep, well-drained soils, good rainfall, cool elevation and sweeping views across the valley. The name came from the property’s gold-mining history. In the late 1800s, gold was found here by men ringbarking on the land, and the mine that followed was called Ringer Reef. The first Merlot vines were planted in 1998, the first wines were made in the old dairy shed in 2001, and the winery and cellar door opened in January 2006.

From the beginning, Ringer Reef has been a family-run vineyard, winery and cellar door. Annie’s warm and welcoming approach shaped the feel of the place, with locals and visitors returning year after year. In 2016, Annie and Bruce’s son Mark and his wife Julie moved from Mildura with their three young children to join the business. Both trained winemakers, Mark and Julie worked alongside Annie and Bruce across the vineyard, winery, bottling line and cellar door. In 2024, Annie and Bruce officially retired, handing Ringer Reef on to the next generation. Today, Mark and Julie continue to grow and make small-batch Alpine Valleys wines onsite, keeping the focus on quality, approachability and a relaxed cellar door experience.