Welcome to 32.6°S, 149.6°E

First Ridge's strengths are its aspect, its vineyard management and the wonderful rocky ridges that are perfect for growing Italian varieties such as Pinot Grigio, Fiano,Vermentino, Barbera and Sangiovese.

Our Soils

With an elevation up to 580 meters the vineyard is positioned on rolling ridges facing all points of the compass. 

Our soils are extremely suited to viticulture, being generally volcanic; they vary from shallow topsoils with basalt and quartz rock to deeper loams over neutral clays. Moderately fertile, the soils are very friable and well drained. This produces fruit with great depth and flavour.

Our Climate

The climate in spring and summer can be categorised as mild with cool summer nights. This extends the ripening period, producing fruit with good acid and rich varietal flavours as opposed to the sugar ripeness experienced in warmer climates. Humidity is low and sunshine hours are high, which gives our wine incredible colour and mouth-filling flavour.

Our Fruit

First Ridge planted the Italian Sangiovese and Barbera varieties in the late 1990s. These grow along hard, rocky ridges on the highest hills of our estate to produce lower-yielding vines with intense varietal flavour. In 2013 we grafted Vermentino over our Cabernet Block. More recently we grafted Pinot Grigio and Fiano on the North facing hill to maximise air flow from the valley below and to reduce the effects of the summer afternoon sun.