Lowe Wines + The Zin House
Star Cellar Door
David Lowe has never been in a better place. His wines are on song and fit with today’s clean, green and sustainable mantra. Lowe Wines’ cellar door reflects his ecological philosophy – it’s set among barrel stacks in his corrugated winery shed with a cottage garden, outdoor sculpture (some chiselled by local icon Ian Marr), and appropriately rustic timber furniture. Wine tasting platters are available to accompany Lowe’s organic (and some preservative-free) wines, assembled under the guidance of Lowe’s partner, Kim Currie.
Currie also presides over the adjacent The Zin House where artisan food is served in leisurely surroundings. Currie opens for lunch Friday to Monday, and dinner on Friday and Saturday, with lots of fun events linking Currie’s food with Lowe’s wines (zinhouse.com.au).
The Zin House name is a reference to Lowe’s hero variety zinfandel, a multi-award winner sourced from a small plot of bush vines on the Tinja Lane vineyard. Lowe’s exotic rieslings come from the Nullo Mountain vineyard at Rylstone, with his cool-climate varieties coming from Orange – all are clearly labelled and all brimful of character. Unique is an overused word, but this cellar door is just that. PETER BOURNE
OUTSTANDING WINE: 2012 Lowe Organic Zinfandel, A$75