Lowe goes back in time to keep it minimal

David Lowe didn’t just turn back the clock - he kicked it all the way back to the bronze age, our New South Wales correspondent Rick Allen reports.

The Mudgee winemaker, always one to try new things and a passionate believer in organic and biodynamic practices, has produced a shiraz using techniques he says are 4000 years old, the Newcastle Herald wine scribe reports.

The Lowe Amphora Shiraz 2023 ($65) was fermented in a clay amphora vessel buried in the ground alongside the vines - a method he describes as “minimal intervention at its purest”.

“I’m always experimenting with new techniques, but this one blew me away,” he said. “Digging the hole for the huge terracotta amphorae was no mean feat, I can tell you.

“The earth next to the Block 5 vineyard comprises stone, shale and quartz … a tough dig; real blister material.”

To create the wine, the best grapes from Lowe’s Block 5 vineyard were hand-harvested on days aligned with the biodynamic calendar.

Half of the fruit was whole-bunch pressed, with the remainder crushed and fermented in three 500-litre terracotta amphorae, buried underground, five metres from the vines, for nine months.

Lowe has been experimenting with amphorae since 2021, without actually going this far before.

An amphora (plural amphorae) is a large vessel, usually clay, used to ferment and age wine - think of it as an oversized terracotta jar with a narrow neck and two handles -historically used by ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Romans to store and transport liquids.

“These days, it's popular to ferment wine in oak barrels or steel tanks,” Lowe explained. “Amphorae sit somewhere between an oak barrel and a steel tank in terms of oxidisation.

“Steel keeps oxygen completely out, oak allows a little in, but the amphora allows micro-oxygenation through the pores of the clay. It’s a subtle but important difference.

“It doesn’t impart flavour but slightly alters the wine’s texture and mouthfeel.

“By burying the vessel in the earth, you naturally regulate the wine’s temperature in with the earth.

“We packed around the amphorae with peat moss to minimise the contraction and expansion of the soil, which risks breaking the clay pot.”

And the result?

“With the earth next to our Block 5 pretty solid, it led to a raw, earthy style that is totally unique to the site, so it was worth the hard graft.

“We now have three amphorae buried and are so delighted with the results.”

Vintage 2023 in Mudgee was exceptional, with a long, slow ripening period.

“It was nearly impossible to make bad wine in 2023,” Lowe said.

So if you want to step back into the bronze age, get your Roman sandals on and try your first amphora wine.

In Lowe’s own words … “a raw, yet easy-to-drink shiraz, with great flavour and aroma that’s true to the earth from whence it came - upfront, powerful and fruit forward”.

Veteran winemaker shows he has some new tricks

 

David Lowe has been making wine for some time. Back in the 1980s, I drink shedloads of the delicious wines he made at the late lamented Rothbury Estate in the Hunter Valley.

But Lowe is also a winemaker who keeps abreast with consumer trends, hence the release of his Bio-Logical range of wines that very much capture the zietgeist.

For the past couple of decades Lowe has been based in Mudgee, sourcing fruit from the across the various regions of the Central West of New South Wales, but mainly from his own organic and biodynamic vineyards. 

The Lowe Family Vineyards Bio-Logical wines, which retail for $45 a bottle, and are preservative free, vegan friendly and, except for the white, certified organic.. 

The range comprises a very crunchy and vibrant 2023 Bio-Logical Red, made from shiraz, a dashingly youthful and very drinkable 2023 Rosé, also crafted from shiraz, and a 2023 White made using fruit from the Murray Darling region in Victoria. 

The red is unoaked, just grape juice and wild yeast. It doesn't even see oak and is probably best enjoyed in its youth, well chilled. All three wines share a wild spirit; a sense of "otherness".

Interestingly, the white is made from what Lowe calls ansonica, a white variety from Sicily that is probably better known as inzolia and is still rare in Australia. 

If you are heading to Mudgee, a tasting at the Cellar Door and lunch at the Zin House eatery operated by Lowe's partner Kim Currie is de rigueur. See https://lowefamilywineco.com.au/ 

    

Great news for lovers of Champagne

Good news for lovers of Champagne. 

While several parts of Europe have been hit by fierce weather, Champagne is predicting a high-quality 2023 vintage. 

The first grapes were picked in the region last weekend and many other producers have begun, or are about to begin, their harvest. 

The fully manual harvest will cover 34,000 hectares of Champagne vineyards and there are media reports that grapes are "some of the biggest and juiciest" since 2005.

From the beginning of the year to the end of July, the season was particularly calm, with very few bouts of  frost, hail, mildew and powdery mildew." said Maxime Toubart, president of the winegrowers and co-president of the Comité Champagne. 

"Fortunately, the climate has also favoured the exceptional weight of the bunches, more than 220 grams on average, which has never been seen before in Champagne. These numerous and generous bunches will make it possible to select only those in perfect sanitary state."

The enthusiasm seems universal across the region. 

“The Champagne growers and houses will organise their picking circuits in order to harvest high-quality grapes," said David Chatillon, president of the Champagne houses and co-president of the Comité Champagne. 

"Thanks to the numerous grapes, even after sorting to retain only the best, all professionals should easily reach the available yield set at 11,400 kg/ha."

The Comité Champagne is the trade association that represents the interests of independent Champagne producers (vignerons) and Champagne Houses. 

Image: AI by Craiyon

Tasmania's tiny wine industry continues to boom

 

Cool-climate Tasmania continues to punch above its weight in the wine industry with new figures showing the island state produces just 0.9% of Australia's total wine grape production but accounts for 4% of total value. 

The 2023 Tasmanian Wine Grape Vintage Report shows Tasmanian wine producers rose to the many challenges across the 2023 season to harvest modest volumes of excellent quality.

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies said a challenging season resulted in low yields in many parts of the island but that there was also plenty of positive news.

"The overall 2023 vintage production is very similar to 2022, with many wine growing areas experiencing significantly lower yields," Davies said. 

"The decrease in yields has been partially offset by newer vineyards starting to come into production, with the island's total vineyard area continuing to expand.

“Due to the vigilance and tireless management of our producers, quality of the wine grapes harvested this year is reported to be excellent. With volumes down and increasing global demand, this means Tassie wine lovers may need to get in early to secure wine from their favourite vineyards.”

The 2023 season’s challenges came primarily from wet, cool growing conditions, causing delays to the ripening of wine grapes across much of the island. 

In 2023, Tasmania collectively harvested 12,390 tonnes of wine grapes, anticipated to produce 895,000 cases of wine with 32% sparkling wine. 

The season also delivered another record for the value of Tasmanian wine grapes, up to $3,377/tonne (up 4%)  compared with the national average of $642/tonne. 

Details at www.winetasmania.com.au/vintage2023

Image: Kate Hill Vineyard, Huon Valley. Winsor Dobbin

Smoke a major threat to wine vintage in Tasmania

The 2023 vintage is well under way in Tasmania - but this is an anxious time for grape growers and winemakers.

Not only is there the risk of early season frosts, but this is also the season when the forestry industry - which gets millions of dollars of state government support can threaten another of Tasmania's primary industries. Farm burn offs also pose a threat.

Wine Tasmania has issued an urgent reminder of the potential devastating impact smoke can have on vineyards.

Vineyards are particularly susceptible to smoke exposure, which can cause irreparable damage and destroy the livelihood of the island’s wine producers.

Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies said that wine grape growers have worked tirelessly over the past year to manage their vineyards up to harvest time. Consequently, the remaining harvest period through to approximately the end of May is crucial.

“It has been another challenging and varied season, including some cooler and wetter weather which has contributed to a delayed harvest," Davies said.

"Pleasingly, early reports of wine quality are very positive, with overall wine volumes likely to be slightly below the long-term average.

“One of the greatest concerns for wine producers at this time of the year is the potential impact of smoke from nearby fires. We encourage anyone planning to light a fire on their property in the weeks ahead to consult with nearby vineyards before igniting their burn to ensure they don't inadvertently cause major damage.

“Smoke can travel some distance from a fire and still cause damage to vineyards, and a short postponement of a fire may be all that is needed to prevent irreparable damage to this year's vintage.”

Wine Tasmania is encouraging land holders to get in touch directly with nearby vineyards to discuss proposed timing of burn offs, the vineyard’s progress on harvesting and potential risks.

They can also contact Wine Tasmania on (03) 6223 3770 for further information and details of nearby vineyards.

See https://winetasmania.com.au/tasvine

A crucial element missing at wine celebration

One of the biggest annual events in the Barossa Valley is the annual Declaration of Vintage celebrations.

The regional celebration of the grape harvest is held annually in the Barossa town of Tanunda with plenty of pageantry and colourful costumes to mark the occasion.

This year, however, something was missing: grapes. The 2023 vintage is several weeks behind schedule.

With no ripe grapes to press, for the first time since this event has been staged, the traditional hand crusher remained in storage and no grapes were pressed.

There was, however, some traditional business to attend to: the announcement by the Barons of the Barossa organisation of their Winemaker and Viticulturist of the Year.

The Barons named Jack Scholz (above) as the 2023 Barossa Winemaker of the Year and Tammy and Stuart Schutz as the joint Viticulturists of the Year earlier today.

Louisa Rose, the fraternity’s Grand Master (sounds a bit like the Freemasons) said: “These awards are peer generated. Jack, Tammy and Stuart are all respected for their dedication to producing grapes and wine of quality with a depth of regional expression.”

Jack Scholz, 29, works alongside his father Peter on the Willows Vineyard, which has enjoyed much recent success with its G7 range.

Tammy and Stuart Schutz were both raised in generational Barossa grape growing families.

Viticulturist Adrian Hoffmann, the Barons’ honorary vigneron, said that while grapes have begun to colour, the 2023 vintage is still some weeks away.

Smoking ceremony launches 2023 Hunter Valley wine vintage

Vintage 2023 is up and running in the Hunter Valley wine region and over a hundred local winemakers, grape growers and tourism industry representatives gathered on Thursday morning to take part in the Hunter Valley's inaugural Vintage Smoking Ceremony.

The ceremony was conducted by Uncle Warren, an elder of the Wonnarua people.

The event was held at the Audrey Wilkinson cellar door in Pokolbin, with guests given the opportunity to connect with each other and with the land, at an important time for the local wine industry.

This ancient method of cleansing bad energy, both physically and spiritually, uses smouldering native plants, such as eucalyptus or emu bush, to produce a smoke with antimicrobial effects that are passed on to the vines and soil.

"This ceremony will help local wine producers and growers to connect with the land by having mother nature and the spirits of Baiame and Kawal on their side to provide protection to the vineyards and their roots over this vintage," said Uncle Warren.

"This protection will help provide the right amount of rain, the right amount of sun and everything from Mother Nature to provide a successful harvest of the vines upon this land."

Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association president Stuart Hordern of Brokenwood Wines opened the ceremony and said: "This has been a challenging growing season for all and we are grateful to Uncle Warren for his time and positive energy ahead of our 23 Vintage.

"We understand this is the first time any wine region has undertaken a smoking ceremony ahead of a vintage and it is fitting that it should be in the birthplace of the Australian wine industry.

"The wines we make in the Hunter Valley are internationally renowned for having a unique regional character about them and acknowledging the country and its indigenous connection to it is a uniquely Australian extension to the concept of terroir."

Some Hunter producers have already commenced harvesting given the drier weather the region has benefitted from recently, and the majority of white grapes will start to be harvested in the next couple of weeks.

The Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association said it "looks forward to this becoming an ongoing tradition within the industry".