First Ridge Wines has released two new vintage red wines: the 2024 First Ridge Montepulciano ($45) and the 2024 First Ridge Barbera ($45).
“For more than 165 years, Mudgee has been growing grapes and making wine. It is one of the pioneering wine regions of NSW,” said First Ridge co-owner and vigneron John Nicholas. “In the ’60s and ’70s, the region was reinvigorated, with new winemakers establishing vineyards and wine brands. Many of these vineyards are still producing great wines.
“Today, there is a real willingness to experiment with varieties and winemaking techniques. The increasing popularity of Italian and other ‘alternative’ varieties shows how the region’s success stems from innovations that complement its historic vineyards.
“While Italian varieties are certainly not new to Mudgee, with Italian winemaker Carlo Corino championing varieties such as Barbera, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo at Montrose in the 1970s, there is a renewed enthusiasm for them, supported by the demand we are seeing in the Sydney market.”
The 2024 Mudgee vintage was characterised by a dry winter and early spring, followed by useful November rainfall and a warm, sunny summer, resulting in an earlier-than-usual harvest. Relatively low disease pressure allowed First Ridge to maintain healthy fruit and focus on quality. The Montepulciano and Barbera produced fruit with good colour, freshness and balance.
Both wines were made in a similar manner, with the objective of allowing the fruit to shine. The grapes were crushed into small fermenters, cold-soaked for 48 hours and then inoculated. Moderate fermentation temperatures of around 22–24°C were maintained, with twice-daily pump-overs to extract colour and build depth of flavour.
“We have recently partnered with Clarity Cru to distribute our wines in Sydney,” said Nicholas. “The response and take-up of the wines has been very promising, showing that these Italian varieties, grown in NSW’s Mudgee region, have a place on the wine lists of Sydney’s restaurants and cafés.”
Pricing and distribution: The First Ridge wines are distributed in NSW by Clarity Cru Wine Merchants and are available directly from the winery at www.firstridge.com.au.
2024 First Ridge Barbera (Mudgee, NSW): $45.00
2024 First Ridge Montepulciano (Mudgee, NSW): $45.00
Media enquiries, samples and images:
David Cumming, Define Wine Marketing & Communications: 0414 736 342 or david@definewine.com.au
Graeme Salt, First Ridge Wines: 0418 161 132 | graeme@firstridge.com.au
About First Ridge Wines: First Ridge is located at 577 Burrundulla Road, on the outskirts of Mudgee, at an elevation of 520 metres. Its architecturally designed cellar door opened in 2017 and overlooks the vineyard towards Mudgee. The wines are made by one of Mudgee’s most respected winemakers, James Manners. Additional plantings have included Fiano and Pinot Grigio in 2015, Prosecco in 2017 and Montepulciano in 2018.