Mudgee doesn’t always get the credit it deserves. But when it comes to Italian varieties in Australia – barbera, nebbiolo, sangiovese – this is where the story began, and it’s been unfolding for nearly 50 years.
The 2023 First Ridge Barbera was one of the top picks from YGOW’s blind tasting panel in our Australian Barbera Deep Dive – tasted completely blind by a panel of winemakers and sommeliers. First Ridge was established in the late 1990s by Helen and John Nicolas, with the vision to grow and make the best examples of Italian varieties they could. Nearly 30 years later, that bet has well and truly paid off.
Behind the wine is winemaker James Manners, who cut his teeth at Montrose – another Mudgee producer that was proving what Italian varieties could do in Australia from the late 1970s – and viticulturist Paul Baguley, who has consulted at First Ridge since inception. This is a wine built on decades of accumulated knowledge.
For the full results of YGOW’s Australian Barbera Deep Dive – including tasting notes, the backstory to barbera in Australia, and the panel’s outtakes – head to younggunofwine.com.
📖 READ THE FULL DEEP DIVE: https://younggunofwine.com/australias-best-barbera/
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