Foate's Ridge is a boutique vineyard at Broke Fordwich in the Hunter Valley producing
Merlot,
Rose,
Cabernet Sauvignon and
Verdelho
medal winning wines that exhibit distinctive regional flavours.The wines are exclusive and cannot be purchased from liquor stores.
To check our range and prices, or for an Order Form, click here
Verdelho Wins 2 Gold Medals and a Trophy
Our 2007 Verdelho won a Gold Medal and was awarded the Trophy as the best Verdelho at the 2007 Hunter Valley Boutique Winemakers Show.
This exceptional wine won a further Gold medal at the 2007 Rutherglen Wine Show.
In addition, our 2007 Rose, the first we have made, won a Bronze medal at the Hunter Valley Boutique Winemakers Show.
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The proud proprietor, Tony Foate, shows off the Trophy received from the Hunter Valley Boutique Winemakers Show for the best Verdelho
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Neil checks the Cabernet Sauvignon in January.
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View during January from the top of the vineyard property, looking to the south, taking in some of the Merlot on the top paddock and the Verdelho in the bottom paddock in the distance.
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We are starting to accumulate a collection of show medals for our wines. The 2003 Merlot was awarded a Silver Medal at the 2004 Cowra Wine Show.
The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon received a Bronze Medal and the 2003 Verdelho two Bronze Medals.
Current Releases - Verdelho and Rose
The 2007 Verdelho and Rose are the current release. These wines were bottled on 19 July 2007 and are drinking extremely well now.
Our 2004 Merlot, is showing some bottle age. We still have stocks of the 2003 Merlot and the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. We have been
holding these back with the result that they are maturing into very enjoyable wines.
Vineyard Affairs
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From one extreme to the other! A number of years of drought and now floods
and more rain. Certainly the countryside has greened up but the number of
ripening days has reduced.
As usual, our Verdelho has been the star performer in the vineyard. We picked
on 30 January. Not quite as early as last year but the fruit was ripe and in
good condition. Yields were up on last year. Our 2008 Verdelho is in the tank and is destined for our premium range as with last year.
The Chardonnay has been a real problem this year. The excessive rain and lack
of sunlight made it difficult to ripen the fruit. We managed to pick some before
the next bout of storms came through but we lost most of the crop. First time in
our history that we have not been able to pick all of our Chardonnay.
Nevertheless, we are making a quantity for our new quaffing range to be released later in the year.
The reds (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) have now been harvested.
The fruit was in good condition but ripening more difficult than what we would have liked.
We now have a 2008 Merlot in the tank. This is earmarked for our new quaffing range and should be released early next year.
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Tasting Wine
How To Taste - Sight Revisited
Look at the wine against a plain white background and check:
- Clarity - Check that the wine is clear (no haze or murkiness) and
bright. (If it looks dull it may well taste dull, too.) The finest wines often
have a noticeable brilliance and lustre to them.
- Depth Of Colour - Look at the degree of colour - is it pale or dark
gold? Ruby red, light pink, or brown? A deeply coloured, almost opaque red wine
indicates high quality.
- Carbon-Dioxide Bubbles - CO2 is naturally present in all wines as a
by-product of fermentation, but in most non-sparkling wines it is at a level
which can be neither seen nor tasted. However, a few bubbles are sometimes
visible at the edge of young white wines. In this case the winemaker has
deliberately retained a little more of the wine's natural CO2 in order to
enhance its freshness.
- The Colour Rim - The next stage is to examine the colour of the wine
in detail. This gives some idea of the wine's maturity: the more brown or
brick-hued it is at its rim, the older and/or readier it is to drink.
- White Wines - White Wines gain colour as they age, moving from the
pale yellow of youth, through straw, dark yellow, various shades of gold and
finally deepening to amber.
- Red Wines - Red Wines lose "redness" as they age, and the rim becomes
almost clear. When young they are often bright purple; as time goes by they
progress through red, ruby and browny-red hues to the almost mahogany tints of
old age.
Viscosity
Swirl the wine in the glass, then hold it up to the light.
Some of it will cling to the sides before forming transparent "tears" or
"legs". The richer and more alcoholic the wine the more evident these will be.
They can hint at a wine's weight and richness, but they are a crude indicator
and no substitute for what your palate tells you. At first you may spill the
wine, but the knack is soon acquired.
More next time ....
Hunter Valley Boutique Wines - the perfect gift ..
Unlike commercial wines, Foate's Ridge wines are exclusive and are not sold through
liquor chains. Our hand-crafted red wines have been matured in top-quality
French Oak, allowing their subtle but distinctive fruit flavours to develop.
This commitment to quality ensures that our wines will impress in the best company,
and provide a unique edge to your corporate entertaining.
Whether it be a pre-dinner aperitif, or accompanying a fine meal, there is a
Foate's Ridge wine to suit every style of cuisine.
Wine Terms and Definitions
How often do you hear fancy words describing a wine and not
really know what they mean? We will put you in the know with a collection of
wine terms and definitions.
Dense: Describes a wine that has concentrated aromas on the nose and
palate, desirable in young wines.
Depth: Describes the complexity and concentration of flavours in a
wine. Generally refers to a quality wine with subtle layers of flavour that go
"deep." Opposite of 'Shallow.'
Developed: Refers to the maturity of a wine.
Elegant: Describes a wine of grace, balance and beauty.
Empty: Flavourless and uninteresting.
Fading: Describes a wine that is losing colour, fruit or flavour,
usually as a result of age.
More next time ....
My Wine Cellar
Check out our Wine
Cellar program. This allows you to keep track of your wine in your cellar, and
to record and analyse usages.
Look forward to
hearing from you.
The Foate's Ridge Team
