First Ridge Barbera 2022
- 93
- $45
- Drink by: 2024-2032
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The team source their Barbera from the very highest parts of their Mudgee vineyards, at about 600 metres. After a couple of days cold soaking, the wine spends time maturing in French oak, 15% new. Very dark purple hue, the wine is quite an earthy style with notes of mushrooms, chocolate, blackfruits, aniseed and cloves. While the nose gives an impression of some rusticity, the palate is more to the plush. A fine, seamless structure, there is very good length and sleek tannins. The oak is deftly handled and fresh acidity gives the wine good energy whilst the palate sees an emergence of coffee bean notes. Enjoy this for at least the next six to eight years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
