Lowe, Zinfandel 2016, Mudgee, New South Wales, Australia

Tasting Note: A red zinfandel with a red-cherry forward, full-bodied character and muscle that channels American red zin.

Deep-intensity ruby in color, this wine has an aromatic, medium-plus-intensity nose of red cherry, peach stone fruit, red currant, black plum, raisin and blackberry.

On the palate the dry, full-bodied red zinfandel has medium-plus-intensity flavors suggested on the nose balanced with midpalate complexity even at 15.2% alcohol.

The winemaker makes red zinfandel because with climate change, this part of Mudgee is comparable in temperature to northern California.

Bottle Note: At 500-meter elevation, the Lowe Zinfandel vineyard is unirrigated, bush vine, certified organic and biodynamic. The bush vine is a bonsai system that limits production and ensures concentration, flavor and a connection with its region. Hand-harvested from the five blocks that surround the winery, the unirrigated bush vine on biodynamic fruit days 22nd and 24th February 2016. Fermented in open wax lined concrete fermenters with naturally brewed indigenous yeast from the vineyard. Stored in a 4,500 L American oak cask for 2 years prior to bottling in 2018. Dark prune and olive paste aroma, viscous palate with soft tannin and that raisin finish that is benchmark zinfandel. This wine is unfiltered and unfined, so may throw a harmless crust over the next 15 years when it should reach its peak. – David Lowe, January 2018.