David Lowe has continued to innovate and experiment with the release of three wines, the 2017 Lowe ‘Jodie Wilbertree’ Sparkling Rosé ($22), 2017 Lowe ‘PF500’ Shiraz ($22) and the new vintage 2017 Lowe ‘Headstone’ Rosé ($28).
With a nod to the arts, the new sparkling rosé is David Lowe’s ‘stage’ name, a combination of David’s first pet’s name (his dog) and the street he grew up on (Wilbertree Road, where he still lives).
“The Jodie Wilbertree is a primarily Semillon with a small amount of Petit Verdot. It started as a trial last vintage. It was such a success at cellar door that we made more from 2017. It has a festive nature, sealed with a crown seal, and made for spring and summer.”
The new Lowe ‘PF500’ Shiraz is a relaunch of Lowe’s preservative free, organic Shiraz. “The name came about simply through the reoccurrence of the number 500. The vineyard sits at an elevation of 500 metres, 500 is the name of the horn clay preparation used in biodynamic wine growing, and we’ve bottled a proportion of the wine in 500ml bottles.
“Preservative Free wines tend not to last overnight once opened, so we’re experimenting with 500ml bottles. It can be enjoyed in moderation with the wine in the best shape.”
The new 2017 Lowe ‘PF500’ Shiraz is unfiltered, unfined and has absolutely no sulphur. “This is our ninth vintage making preservative free wines.”
The other new release is the 2017 Lowe ‘Headstone’ Rosé, made from a combination of varieties, primarily Grenache. The grapes were harvested with low sugar and supplemented with small parcels of super powerful Merlot, Zinfandel, Shiraz and Cabernet Franc.
“The first rosé I made was in 1981 for the Museum of Contemporary Art. It was a wine made for enjoying in the sun, looking out over Circular Quay. It’s still the perfect wine for Australia’s alfresco live style. There is now great diversity in the varieties used, but the goal is generally the same; interesting, refreshing and eminently drinkable wines.”
Distribution: Lowe Wines are available in QLD and in NSW via Garricks Wines, Western Regional Wine, Vinopen, Wine & Co and Vindependent. The can be purchased directly at lowewine.com.au or by calling 02 6372 0800.
For more information, samples and images please contact:
David Lowe, winemaker and owner at Lowe Wines: 02 6372 0800 or [email protected]
Lowe Wine was established in Mudgee in 1987 by David Lowe and now comprises the Lowe, Louee and Tinja brands. The winery and vineyards gained organic accreditation 2004. David Lowe is a high profile proponent of NSW regional wines and a key advocate in re-establishing NSW wines as the wines of choice with consumers in Australia. David is also a leading advocate of organic winemaking, sustainable farming and regionalism, with a focus on the Mudgee and the Central Ranges. He was awarded the 2013/14 Grahame Gregory Award for services to the wine industry. In 2014 David received the WCA Legend of the Vine Award.
Winegrower David Lowe has recently released new icon wines including his new flagship white wine from the heights of Nullo Mountain. The new wines comprise the 2012 Lowe Zinfandel ($75) and 2012 Lowe Riesling ($50).
David Lowe has a long history with zinfandel, having won the trophy for the best zinfandel at the prestigious International Wine Challenge in 2003.
The Lowe Zinfandel comes from unirrigated bush vines located in the Eurunderee gold mining basin north of Mudgee at an elevation of 500 metres. The vineyard is certified organic and biodynamic. “The bush vine is a bonsai system that limits production and ensures concentration, flavour and a connection with its region,” explained Lowe.
“The reason we operate this system, in the tradition in Sonoma and Paso Robles in California, is that it delivers smaller bunches and smaller berries, thus avoiding the super high alcohols that typify this variety. Without this system the vines are left to ripen to such a high sugar level that the bunches and berries partially raisin, delivering excessive alcohol levels.
“Our Zinfandel is deliberately understated and finer, with maturation in the bottle the objective.”
2012 was a cooler, wet year at commencement of harvest, however it dried out and warmed up for the picking of the Zinfandel. The wine was matured in large American oak casks for two years prior to being bottled unfiltered and unfined. The wine was then matured a further 12 months in bottle.
After three years David Lowe has released his new 2012 Lowe Riesling to the icon range. “I’m a fan of dry Riesling styles of the ‘70s, with the lower alcohol, fresh acidity and slow ageing potential,” commented Lowe. “Kept back until now, the new Riesling tastes like it was made yesterday.”
“This is the best of Nullo Mountain, with a striking palate of lemon, lime citrus juices with a suggestion of sherbet. These are held within a beautiful structure of natural mineral acidity that focuses and lengthens the cool climate flavours, tempered by three years’ bottle maturation prior to release.
“It is a wine of great longevity and will certainly develop and mature in the bottle over the next 15 to 20 years.”
Pricing and distribution: Lowe Wines are available throughout NSW and can be purchased directly at lowewine.com.au or by calling 02 6372 0800.
For more information, samples and images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine: 0414 736 342 or david @definewine.com.au
David Lowe at Lowe Wines: 02 6372 0800 or david @lowewine.com.au
Lowe Wine was established in Mudgee in 1987 by David Lowe and now comprises the Lowe, Louee and Tinja brands. The winery and vineyards gained organic accreditation 2004. David Lowe is a high profile proponent of NSW regional wines and a key advocate in re-establishing NSW wines as the wines of choice with consumers in Australia. David is also a leading advocate of organic winemaking, sustainable farming and regionalism, with a focus on the Mudgee and the Central Ranges. He was awarded the 2013/14 Grahame Gregory Award for services to the wine industry. In 2014 David received the WCA Legend of the Vine Award.
The success of Mudgee’s Lowe Wines continues with the recent announcement that the winegrower is now focussing on servicing their customers directly.
Lowe Wines has appointed a small sales team in NSW to take the growing brand to the step. “The brand has experienced steady growth and received great support in the market. We are excited to be able to take the brand to the next level,” said owner and winemaker, David Lowe.
The new Lowe sales team initially comprises three members that will concentrate on servicing Sydney through the Blue Mountains and into the NSW Central West.
“Our wines, from our Tinja range through our single vineyard Mudgee Blue and Nullo Mountain and iconic Zinfandel, are being enjoyed at tastings and at our events in the winery. This awareness and the demand it’s generated is presenting in the Sydney market.”
“Having our own team in the market means that we can facilitate more than just sales. We can help educate the supply chain about organic winegrowing, the Mudgee region, NSW wine and offer a complete experience.”
“We are becoming a more integrated business. Owning our own vineyards, winery, cellar door and now distribution means we are well positioned to meet our customer requirements. We are more flexible and quicker to respond to the expectations of an ever-changing market,” said Lowe.
The new Lowe sales team can be contacted here:
Sydney Metro:
Sally Wilson: 0438 188 043
Blue Mountains / Sydney
Fiona Turner: 0419 288 602
Central West NSW
Kyle Manning: 0417 687 762
For further information on Lowe Wines, please visit lowewine.com.au
David Lowe is taking his Wine School on the road in July and October, at 'Kitchen by Mike' owned by Sydney chef Mike McEnearney.
The Lowe Wine School forms part of a series of yearly events at the winery, with the aim to provide an entertaining, no nonsense hands-on approach to learning the basics of making and tasting wine.
“We don’t like to take ourselves too seriously,” commented owner and wine educator David Lowe. “But we are serious about increasing the awareness and knowledge of Australian, NSW, Mudgee and Lowe wines. Whilst our wine schools are a bit of fun, we have seen that there is a real hunger for knowledge about the region and about wine in general.”
“The level of technical detail offered during the lessons is dictated by the questions and interest of those participating. Some ‘students’ are already very knowledgeable, whilst others simply want to get some tips on what characteristics they should be looking for in certain wine styles and varieties."
"At the very least it demonstrates how you get the most out of a tasting experience and assists your perception of wine."
Kitchen by Mike is a sensational venue located in Rosebery . It has an enviable reputation for delivering fresh, tasty food.
There are limited spaces for both nights, with the ticket price including wine and nibbles.
Tickets: $60pp
Date: 30 July 2014 & 29th October 2014
Time: 6.00pm to 7.30pm
Bookings: Bookings are essential and can be made at www.lowewine.com.au/events/lowewineschool or by calling Lowe Wines on 02 6372 0800
Venue: Kitchen by Mike, 1/85 Dunning Ave, Rosebery NSW
Further information about Kitchen by Mike: http://kitchenbymike.com.au
The Winery will also be holding its usual schedule of Wine Schools, with details at www.lowewine.com.au/events/lowewineschool
For more information and images please contact:
David Cumming at Define Wine: 0414 736 342 or david @definewine.com.au
David Lowe at Lowe Wines: 02 6372 0800 or david @lowewine.com.au
Lowe Wines was established in Mudgee in 1987 by David Lowe and now comprises the Lowe, Louee and Tinja brands. The winery and vineyards gained organic accreditation 2004. David Lowe is a high profile proponent of NSW regional wines and a key advocate in re-establishing NSW wines as the wines of choice with consumers in Australia. David is also a leading advocate of organic winemaking, sustainable farming and regionalism, with a focus on the Mudgee and the Central Ranges. He is the Vice President of the NSW Wine Industry Association, Vice President of Winemakers’ Federation of Australia, is on the Primary Industry Minister’s Advisory Council and was recently awarded the 2014 WCA Legend of the Vine Award
Even a biodymanics sceptic would have to think twice at Lowe Wines at the moment. Not only is the vintage crew harvesting amazing fruit from completely unirrigated and healthy vines, two days after the first worthwhile rain in months the ground has bounced back with incredible health.
Fresh vine leaf growth, pumpkin flowers and just picked soy beans went into tempura for a starter at Winemakers Table on Saturday. The batter was simply seasoned self raising flour and white wine. A toss up whether it was better with the Riesling or the Pinot Grigio.
Outside the winery the heavily mulched and composted garden is bursting. [The rhubarb and spinach are both getting my standby contents of garden custard tart treatment, the savoury version for vintage lunch today and the rhubarb for Friday tapas]
Still the birds are as hungry as we’ve ever seen them. Ring in crows move about in flocks that blacken the horizon, mostly listening to Lowie’s whispered advice that the neighbour’s grapes are sweeter. In reality the nets on Tinja are all that’s saving much of the fruit from these guys who team up with the starlings and give the native birds hell as well. The person who named a group of crows ‘a murder’ must have been a grapegrower.
While they say a crow can remember a person whose behaviour they don’t like forever, it’s the cockatoos who are currently outwitting us. Not content with just feasting on the hens feed they now fly low under the bottom gate of the chook palace and eat the eggs as the hens lay them in their nesting boxes. Next week Morrie will net the top of the enclosure. This cute little trainer egg from one of the pullets didn’t rate obviously.
There are baby chickens in the chook tractor at the moment. Baggy Pants and Wilma spent three weeks in a trance like state protecting those eggs and look proud as punch with what they produced. In reality if gestation involved these kinds of sacrifices for humans I for one would have made a greater contribution to population control.
[When it looked like the girls weren’t going to hatch out the remaining fertile eggs I popped them amongst newspaper in an electric frypan at home and promptly forgot about them. Alas my incubating efforts were not only fruitless but very smelly when Lowie decided I’d left him breakfast.]
Our apiarist Grahame has been really worried about how hungry the bees are. Even though they can travel up to 7 kms (that’s to town from here) he’s laying off taking any honey as the hives need it all for themselves at the moment. Grahame is also building them little verandas to provide extra protection from the extreme heat.
Hot and cold, wet and dry. Hungry creatures and produce to burst. Even the wisteria is so confused it’s flowering profusely. Thank goodness my job is just to cook, at least in the kitchen everything is as it should be. Pie fixes everything...
Spinach and cheese pie
Combine the following:
12 eggs
600mls cream
Several large spinach leaves chopped and blanched
One large onion, chilli to taste and some garlic sautéed in butter
Lots of chopped fresh herbs
Salt and pepper
Two cups of any sort of cheese
Use as a filling in puff pastry and bake until well browned and just set. I overlap the pastry on the bottom to form a simple partial top, as per the photo.
Alternatively bake without the pastry as a frittata.
Rhubarb custard tart
Combine the following:
6 eggs
300mls cream
1 cup castor or brown sugar
Dash of vanilla extract of scraped seed pod
Finely chop rhubarb and toss in castor sugar to coat. Place this in the bottom of a pre cooked tart shell and top with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with nutmeg and bake in moderate oven until custard is set.
When we were in San Sebastian to study tapas (true story – just ask the tax office) I was underwhelmed by much of what was on offer.
Food in the mainstream bars around laneways in the old part of town was pretty average. The habit of covering a drink with bread (tapas = cover or lid) that eventually led to an entire cultural eating style hasn’t fallen far from the glass.
The eating and lifestyle is hard to beat but the largely commercial bread topped with lots of mayonnaise based foods sitting around bar tops isn’t universally wonderful.
But yet again it reinforced to me that Australia has some of the best interpretations of the world’s food.
Our Friday night tapas during January and February favours the classic rustic Spanish dishes and simplicity of quality meats, cheeses and fresh fruit. A cosy fit with our philosophy of graze dining and wine to be enjoyed - not used as a form of social standing.
The Spanish belief that the winemaker acts as more of a nurturer of the grapes and wine rather than as a producer. Spanish winemakers use the word elaborar (to elaborate) rather than fabricar (to produce/make) when describing the Spanish philosophy.
Sounds much more romantic than the term ‘non-interventionist’ that Lowe and others use to describe a similar philosophy.
So Lowie would not be producing wine but elaborating? Would it be accurate to suggest he both elaborates and fabricates? So mean of me...that would be a 'Winemaker-uperer'.
I ask Lowie his thoughts about Mudgee/Spain/Tapas and they go something like this:
Climate is becoming so in line with the Panadas in Spain with our elevation the same 500 m, and the styles of sweet fruit, concentration and soy acidity which mitigates the higher alcohol we get from the warmer growing seasons. Spot on meso climate for Grenache, we just tweek the micro climate with bush vines planted on the contour and we can harvest the heavy rain that we will get more irregularly, but have a greater need for.
If you were in Spain then you could easily be at a grotty bar, or a large bright family lit shop, it doesn’t matter people are there for the meeting, the food and atmosphere.
That’s what I aim to achieve. Maybe someone could play the Fender 12 string I have had for 35 years and still can’t play. (With thanks to Stephen Doyle [Bloodwood ] for finding it on Christmas Day and reminding me why I need to play again)
All purpose Spanish inspired marinade
Olive oil – 2 cups
Garlic – 1 bulb
Rosemary – a handful
Any other herbs such as sage , oregano or thyme – another handfull
Smoked paprika – 2 tablespoons
Preserved lemon (or fresh) – 2
Salt if using fresh lemons
Coarse ground black pepper
Fresh chillis – to taste
Process everything together in a food processor and store in a glass jar to use whenever you need an instant flavour boost for meat or seafood.
My favourite tapas is to cut pork from a whole belly into strips, skewer and marinate with this mixture and some white wine. Then a cook it in the sandwich press so it is crunchy and flattened.
After the inaugural Tunnel of Lowe in early 2012, Lowe’s 2013 Tunnel dinner once again offered a night of surprise with sensory discovery and entertainment.
Dinner amidst the vines is something that most people don’t get a chance to enjoy. The Tunnel of Lowe offers guests a wonderful food and wine escapade under a tunnel of vines. Guests enjoyed a range of new Lowe wines served in the vineyards from where the wine was grown.
The 3rd annual Tunnel of Lowe ride is scheduled for February 8th.
“We are planning another great night of food, wine and entertainment,” said David. “As with previous ‘Tunnels’, we are planning something a bit different. There will be music under the vines, our newly release single vineyard Nullo Mountain and Mudgee Blue wines and an banquet prepared by Kim Currie.”
The dinner will kick off at 7.30pm, when David and the Lowe team will greet guests. They will wander down from the winery to the vineyard, into the ‘Tunnel of Lowe’.
“We certainly don’t take ourselves too seriously, however we’re serious about our food and wine, and we’re looking to giving our visitors a night that they won’t forget.”
The ‘Tunnel of Lowe’ is one of a number of events held recently at the Lowe Winery, with January and February seeing Twilight Tapas each Friday night. The winery will be transformed with a Spanish influence with a menu of five small courses served in the courtyard. Lowe wine will be available by the glass. Bookings are available through the winery.
The ‘Tunnel of Lowe’ is on the 8th of February, starting at 7.00pm at the Lowe Winery on Tinja Lane.
‘Tunnel of Lowe’ Details
Date: 8 February 2013.
Time: 7.00pm for a 7.30pm start.
Tickets: $150.00 (discounts apply for Lowe Wine Club Members).
Bookings: 02 6372 0800 or online at http://winestore.lowewine.com.au/
For further information about Lowe Wines visit www.lowewine.com.au
