A Force to be Reckoned with…
Over the last couple of years, one of the pillars of our Winter release calendar has become the magnificent wines of Tasmania’s fledgling, yet brilliant, Lowestoft Estate. And, this year is no different as we introduce a fabulous collection of wines from the Lowestoft team that is lead by the enigmatic and brilliant Liam McElhinney.
The Estate releases expertly express the sum of the parts, taking fruit from multiple postage stamp-sized vineyards across the Tasman Peninsula, Coal River and East Coast to showcase the best of what this stunning part of the world is capable of.
The Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs from the glorious Woodlands & Jacoben sites are more idiosyncratic, singular expressions of place. They maintain the same core of clarity as the Estate wines but dial-in on the specifics of their homes in the Coal and Derwent Rivers respectively. They are brilliant wines and further cement Lowestoft’s reputation as one of the most on-trend hotbeds of Pinot Noir production anywhere on planet earth. And if that’s not enough to convince you, this 2022 release from the Jacoben Vineyard recently picked up a Best in Show award at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards and, with a 97 point score, was the highest rated wine of the show.
We are so lucky to have these incredible wines with us, but sadly, given the harsh nature of viticulture down on the Apple Isle, the wines are only made in minuscule quantities. These wines are very much in the ‘IYKYK’ category and if you don’t, then run don’t walk is our advice as Lowestoft is not only a name for now, it is one of the most exciting winegrowing projects we know of, and the wines will only grow more & more elusive in the future as each new vintage is released and word spreads further!
2021 Lowestoft Estate Chardonnay $69 RRP
Tamar Valley/Coal River Valley/Tasman Peninsula-sourced chardonnay; matured in large format French oak for 10 months. An immediate wash of mealy lemon, grapefruit, white peach and nectarine fruit notes along with hints of fine spice, white flowers, flint, crushed river stone, nougat, oyster shell and sexy French oak. There is a swirl of struck-match complexity in the mix, and the wine presents an expansive palate with plenty of clarity, tension and complexity. A long, dreamy finish, too. 95 points. Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
2021 Lowestoft ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir $69 RRP
A bright, complex pinot noir sourced from a number of vineyards, predominately the Lowestoft site overlooking the Derwent River. Pure red and dark cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry fruits with hints of Chinese barbecue shop, five-spice, teacake, mushroom, purple floral and subtle leaf litter tones. There is a nice sense of space and clarity in this wine, fine acidity providing the pulse and a sustained red-fruited finish studded with game, amaro and spice. 95 points. Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
2021 Lowestoft ‘Woodlands’ Single Vineyard Pinot Noir $107 RRP
Pinot Noir sourced from the Woodlands vineyard in the Coal River Valley. Bright cherry fruit studded with spice, pomegranate, pressed flowers, cranberry, mountain herbs and subtle undergrowth at the core. There is a pleasing depth to the dark cherry and wild strawberry fruits with fine powdery tannins, a bright mineral-laden line and a composed, savoury swish of the tail on the exit. 95 points. Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
2022 Lowestoft ‘Jacoben’ Single Vineyard Pinot Noir $107 RRP
The second of this year’s outstanding 2022 Tasmanian Pinot Noirs comes from the Derwent Valley, just to the north of Hobart and in the rain shadow of Mount Wellington. The region can be drought-susceptible in warm summers, but in the wetter season of 2022 its site stood it in good stead. This is a darker wine that its pan-Tasmanian peer, but beautifully crafted: singing red fruits without any shadowing from oak, and with the intrinsic grace and charm of the Derwent Valley’s fruit well to the fore. On the palate, it is pure, bright and mouthfilling, packed with juicy raspberry; both tannins and acids are soft and sustaining. They nourish and ease the gorgeous fruit core through the palate to a gently subsiding finish. There’s just a touch of tarry complexity behind those fruits. Virtuoso work from a Pinot region of extraordinary promise. 97 points. Best In Show, Decanter World Wine Awards 2024