Winter signals bottling time and new wine adventures

James Manners, Winemaker

  When there is a chill in the air and frost on the ground it can only mean one thing…bottling time. With the 2025 reds tucked away in oak to mature we have prepared and recently bottled our whites and Rosé ready for Spring. This year the Pinot Grigio and Vermentino are looking bright and […]

First Ridge continues to lead Mudgee’s Italian wine evolution

cellar door

  Mudgee’s First Ridge Wines has unveiled two exciting new vintage wines: the 2024 First Ridge Pinot Grigio ($28) and the 2024 First Ridge ‘Alira’ Prosecco ($32). The 2024 vintage in Mudgee arrived earlier than usual, with a notably dry season ensuring minimal disease pressure. This allowed the First Ridge winemaking team to harvest at […]

Must visit cellar doors of Mudgee

Vineyard with cellar door in background.

Wine Companion “Dating back to 1858, Mudgee wineries have been creating innovative styles of wine that have become iconic to the region. Otherwise known as Moothi, which is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘Nest in the hills’, get to know this wine region nestled in New South Wales. “Perched against the ancient, rocky ridges south of […]

Fiano continues to make an impression

First Ridge Fiano

WINEPILOT, Ken Gargett 92 Points “Fiano continues to make an impression – a good one – seemingly wherever it is grown in this country. An Italian variety originally from Campania and Sicily, it just loves our climate. This example sees a little barrel fermentation included, 30%, by way of wild yeasts. Deep straw, this is […]

Following in the footsteps of Mudgee’s pioneer

Vineyard location shot.

“Mudgee was a pioneer of Italian varieties and has some of the country’s oldest vines,” says owner and vigneron John Nicholas. “In the 1970s Italian oenologist Carlo Carino established a successful vineyard in the region, producing Australia’s first Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Barbera.